Category: Italy

GREECE TO SPAIN

Monday 14th December

We leave this camp and head to Igoumenitsa to get the ferry and the weather was sunny. We have a long way to go but make good pace. As if the rubbish is not bad enough we also pass a number of dead animals on the side of the road but mainly dogs and reflects both the number of feral dogs and the inability of the people to clear them whether through ignorance or will. Can’t understand it and very sad as life here is not revered for them. We decide on the coast road as we have a bit of time up our sleeve as we found out the ferry would be delayed for 3 hours which is a bit of a pain but out of our hands. We realise this may make things a bit tight for getting to Spain to see our friends Rob & Sue before they head off to England but can only do our best. We also decide to get our tickets from Italy to Spain when we are at the port in Cvitavecchia and not online which turns out to be the right decision.

The trip is quite good and scenery wise interesting.  We drive through an interesting area where the road is hardly wide enough for two vehicles with the vegetation having grown in on the side and no one seems to care whether it is cut back to enable cars to pass or not.  The road conditions in this part also leave a lot to be desired and we avoid pot holes whilst trying to avoid oncoming cars.  We arrive in Igoumenista in the early afternoon and find the ticket office. We sort of know the lie of the land as we saw this port on the way down and it looked quite nice so decided to embark from here instead of Patras. The office didn’t open till later on so we drove back up town, parked and walked down a bit to the town area and had a look around and a coffee. We then went back to the office and booked in then decided to drive the van into town to get a few supplies as we didn’t want to walk for miles with bags of groceries.

It was hard to find the store as it was very built up area narrow streets and for a Wednesday very hectic. We stocked up then found a better park on the main drag where we could take up a few parks without jutting out. Anything goes here obviously and everyone parks everywhere pretty much wherever they want. They even park right behind other parked cars to get coffee or have a feed and bad luck if you want to leave. The road here is 2 car wide so no problem with traffic flow. I can’t help but think the police would have a field day if this happened in Oz and the $$$ they would make but the police don’t do anything as it seems to work. There a heaps of eateries, cafes, creperies,  etc along the main drag and they are all open so must be a popular holiday destination and if this is how it is at this time of the year then god help what the summer is like. WEe eat a local salad and kebaby thing at a café which is cheap and really fills us up (we get far more than expected). We head back to the van luckily the parked car is not quite behind us so we can get out. We get to the port and find the entrance and try to work out where to go even though we know we have to end up at gate 12. A security guy lets us know which line to get into behind the trucks but then makes us go around the gate and stops us for a customs- police check. We are quite surprised as it is late but they make us open the van up and the storage area. While I am unloading all our crap out of the storage area we have to haul things out of the van as well. Vicki talks to the security guy who seems nice and chats with us. Apparently they are looking for drugs as Greece is a popular conduit for heroin, hash and dope from the Middle East, Ukraine , Russia and whereabouts. The other guy is not as friendly and acts like we are guilty as hell and starts pulling everything out of drawers, Cupboards, under the bed etc. He starts to try to pull our roof apart as, because of previous damp problems, looks a bit loose and Vicki says “Hey mate don’t destroy our roof it is only damp damage” but he just tells her to get out but thankfully moves on. I have to move all our stuff out of the storage area and I am trying to help but doesn’t want it preferring to just throw stuff everywhere. Prick and so OTT!!.

He finds some of our prescription drugs and starts quizzing us as if a packet of my Viagra makes me a drug addict and Vicki’s Panadeine with codeine in it a junkie. He gets over someone maybe a doctor who says nah just paracetamol so no problem. Good thing they didn’t find our other pill stash but shows how stupid the whole exercise is cos if I was bringing in stuff it wouldn’t be anywhere they looked (Maybe with the shit & piss in the toilet cartridge?? Or inside the spare wheel.) However they did say they caught a couple with a baby that had kgs of dope so it does happen. If I was carrying quantities I think would be travelling by road not risking a customs search. After half our stuff was everywhere the nicer guy did say they had a dog so I mentioned we would have preferred the dog sniffing out the van instead of the mess but no go. Then he says they do so many of these that they can usually spot the guilty ones after a few minutes talking to them and we didn’t fit the bill so go figure. I realise they are only doing their job but would be happier if they were searching for bombs or terrorists which does affect us or maybe they have a quota they have to search regardless. Anyway after an hour of searching we start putting things back and it takes us a while to restore the van as things can only go where they go as we have good system of storage. It is only later we see the foot prints on toilet and the face off the heater. The funny part was when they had a moment of panic when they saw all our runners under the bed and thought it was refugees hiding there! Anyway all good in the end we thanked them for their vigilance and parked up to wait for the ferry which we knew would be a while.

It started to get cold and we didn’t want to sleep so sat and read. At least we had gas for a cuppa. A ferry came in which we thought was ours but not to be and ours didn’t come in till 4am. Prior to this I went for a walk to get the stiffness out and noticed the cars had Trieste destination cards on their dashes and freaked that we were in the wrong lane and went running back to Vicki saying we must be on the other ferry as they were loading but then saw other cars with Ancona so stopped panicking. Anyway we board the ferry at last and luckily get to hook up the power to the van to our batteries and take our bags, pillows and blankets to our cabin which turns out to be the same as our previous one with noisy aircon but comfy and we are worn out so crash till lunch which was leftover greek salad from the café last nite so saved some $$.

We sat around and read , had a couple of drinks (wine snuck up from our room) and disembarked into Ancona around 6pm. We were going to find somewhere close but we had contingency plans and had sussed out camperstops at various distances from the city. I was driving and felt fresh so we decided to hit the highway and see how far we could get. We went left following a truck instead of right where the cop was directing  – whoops- never mind too late now and we are following our bibles direction so keep following the trucks as surely he is going where want to go. We get on the highway across the country and end up at a camper stop after a couple of hours in a cool place which is a popular caving tourist destination (pretty & colourful at nite with all the xmas decorations up) so we find the stop but it is a little bit out of town and deserted so head back to town and find a hotel car park that looks secure and park up for the nite. All is quiet that nite so we sleep quite well, have brekky then head off at 9.30am and it shows -1c so must have been -3c overnite. It is well worth making the effort to get away from the port last nite as the extra kms under the belt are gold and always makes the following days travels easier and less stressful.

The countryside across to Civitevechia is nice and varied and the villages even from the parts of the highway we are on are interesting, but then after Greece any countryside would be. There are villages nestled into the hills with castles and churches and our previous negative image of northern Italy is soon forgotten but we are reminded when we pass a bigger city and the smog and pollution is more obvious. We get to the port of Civitevechia and get a glimpse of the port which in the past was an important Roman bastion and you can still see some of the original walls as well as the relatively newer fort. We check out the ticket office that doesn’t open till 4.30 so have our again late lunch then head into town which is short walk. It is a very pretty town/city and we are glad we have an hour or 2 to look around. The walls are awesome and some great history with the large seaside promenade very popular with great outlooks over the marina, beaches and walkways. We walk up the promenade and back and then into the closer part of town and window shop while being serenaded by piped xmas music which reminds us that chrissy is just around the corner. We go to book with Grimaldi Line on the phone but for some reason it is 100euro more expensive than online even though the salesman says no way can that be the case. So we hang up saying we will get back if we have no joy. Online we get a junior suite with a window to see the sea and TV as well as king size bed at the much cheaper price so pays to shop around. We head back to the van and again have the wait to board the ferry. Even though we were delayed we are only a day behind our original time frame to get to Torrevechia so are happy to board around 8.30pm and departed around 10.30. Overall our estimation of Italy has risen from when we first saw earlier on the toll road past Milan and Turin and maybe a visit may happen one day.

As we sort ourselves out on the ship unfortunately I (Vicki) start to get severe pain in my side which reminds me of Switzerland.  I wont go into the whole gory details but this lasts the entire time on the ship and beyond which really spoils it for both of us.  I have some very strong pain killers which I have to take just to be able to manage a walk up to the café for the meals we ordered and paid for online.  I have no idea what is going on and at one stage I had the ships doctor give me an injection to help ease the pain.  Anyway the cabin was cool having a double bed, tv and a porthole to look out of.  It doesn’t really matter having a window but at least during the day if you are lying in your room you can let the daylight in and get an idea of what the time is. The time really passes slowly with what is happening, but Scot enjoys being able to watch some sport and news on tv whilst we wait to arrive in Spain.

We are early getting into port which is a bonus.  Rob and Sue leave in a days time so if we get ourselves halfway down to Torreveija (prounounced Torrebe ecka) we may see them before they leave. So off the ship we drive and then try to find our way out.  I tell Scot just to follow the truck in front which is what we normally do as that always seems to at least get you out of the port and onto a highway.  So off following this truck and on the map it is really difficult to figure out how to get out as the port is so huge.  It takes about 20 minutes of driving roads, roundabouts etc before we finally manage to reach the highway going south, so we are on our way.  Scot is ok to drive for a while so we get a couple of hundred kms down the road before we figure it is a good idea to find somewhere to stop.  We had flagged a couple of areas and we look for a campground or car park to park for the night.  This area is a bit different from others we have stayed and the narrow roads have no space to pull over on the side and even camps that are closed the gates are on the edge of the road so that is a no go.  We find a camp that has one gate still open but it looks like everyone is inside having a big party.  Scot parks in the middle of the road with hazards on and I go in to see if we can come in.  Finding no one really to talk to I find I can open the other gate so Scot drives in and eventually someone comes and we agree to just park out in the front car park for the night as this place is chokka block.  The party is a Christmas party with oldies having a ball dancing etc but we are both tired from a sleepless night that we don’t even notice the festivities and sleep.

We are up and gone the next morning – what a cheap campsite 7euro for the night, god we love Spain already!  We head out earlyish as we want to get down to Torrevieja as soon as possible.  We finally get to see some of the countryside we travelled past last night in the dark.  It is interesting with rather cool buildings in the towns we pass.  The countryside must be ok to grow a lot of stuff as Spain has a huge market share shipping veges and fruit all over Europe.  We make great time on the highway and get to Torrevieja about mid afternoon.  We easily find Rob ad Sues apartment they are staying in and knock on the door.  They are surprised we arrived at all as it was over 500kms down from Barcelona.  We had a great chat and Rob showed us some great freedom camping sites along the water front at Torrevieja before we headed back to their apartment and went out for an early dinner.  A lovely meal and very cheap.  They gave us free starters and a free baileys for the ladies and a liquor for the gents.  We had the van parked up in the side street so slept there for the night and met them for an early coffee before they departed for the airport.  We then made breakfast and drove off into the town to have a look around.

It is Sunday today, the 20th and we found an open supermarket.  We have fallen in love is all I can say.  The veges are so cheap and a great variety and fresh.  The other food is cheap and the amazing variety of brands etc is awesome.  We haven’t had it this good since Netherlands I think.  The alcohol is also great and cheap much to Scots delight.  We stock up on a few things and then head off to the campsite we need to check out.  It is at La Marina and about 20kms up the road.  It is a 5 star campsite and has a huge outside pool complex, a gym, indoor pool, huge spa with great water jets and bubble beds, steam room, sauna, Turkish bath, citris pool and cold plunge pool.  There are heaps of campers here and there are few sites left.  We think we had better choose a place today as the ones left will not last long at all.  So we walk around and pick a spot that we think will have a bit of sun and be relatively quiet.  We book that in and leave to go back to Torreveija for the night to freedom camp.  We park up on a spot that Rob had shown us yesterday where there are about 8 other campervans along with locals fishing off the rocks.  It is a lovely spot in the sun close to the town.

We meet a lovely couple in the GB van we are parked alongside and Nina and Bill come from Isle of Wight, although Nina is originally from Slovakia and co-incidentally from a little town of Piestany that we stayed in and had the folk night in the pub with a brewery.  Such a small world considering we didn’t stay at very many places in Slovakia.  We get on well and end up having drinks in their van until it is dinner time.  We don’t leave our van to go for a walk here as one couple said they were broken into a couple of nights before but luckily they have an alarm that sends a signal to their phone so nothing was taken.

SPLIT, SLOVENIA AND THE FERRY TO GREECE

Thursday 26th November

Wow 12.30 check out so a whole half day of luxury so we make the most of it. Vicki is into the gym by 8.00 and, because my back is still sore, I get to the pool at 8.30 and Vicki joins me after her workout. After a swim, sauna, shock pool and aroma steam ahhhh we are scoffing ourselves as if this is the last breakfast for a while which it probably will be. When we check out the price of the room has jumped from 717K to 792k so we argue that we had established the price and they say that maybe 717k sounded like 770k but this doesn’t gel cos it still doesn’t sound like 792k! So we get our way with no hostility as they really are a friendly hotel. We retrace our steps from the way up and make our way back to Trpanj along the coast but this time I am driving so Vicki can admire the scenery. We are travelling along the inside of the road so nowhere the edge so she is more comfortable. Even though we have been this way and recognise it is still feels different and you see different things travelling in the other direction. Along the way where there are wineries we see grapes still on the vine but not enough to harvest and make vino so even though I want to stop and taste them we can’t find a safe spot and any way it might be seen as stealing. (later on at a market in Split we see where they are selling slightly over ripe grapes sort of like plump raisons so maybe they weren’t ready for harvest and keep them for this). We arrive at the ferry port of Trpanj just on dark and it was rainy and blowing a gale. We were going to stay at a closed camp out of town but the town is safe and there is a good park next to a truck right next to where everybody lines up for the ferry and we are sure there will be no worries. We have a coffee at a small café with a fire going but everyone is smoking and for us not a great atmosphere so move on to a little bar just opening so no one has arrived so I have a beer with a clean atmosphere. Back to the van and watched the ferry come in and take away the last passengers for the nite. Early next morning the ferry wakes us (sort of) coming into port and we are loaded and away by 6.45am. A hot coffee/cappuccino for brekky  with a croissant and an hour later we are at Ploce.  It is cold and rainy and we enquire at the ferry office about getting the ferry from Split to Ancona. She says that the reservations are full but not everyone has paid so we should be able to get on. We ask if we can go on a reserve list but no. She says the best thing is to go to the office in Split when we get there. It won’t let Vicki do it on line so we hope for the best but we don’t really have a choice. We again drive the same route back to Split but it does feel different.  It is really blustery and we see small waterspouts out on the sea. The weather is clear so visibility is real good and the view is fantastic. The sight of huge rocky islands rising out of the sea is dramatic and it is what this part of the Adriatic is famous for. We stop at a new café/bakery and from inside we see the van rocking and rolling in the gusts outside and hope it doesn’t take of haha.

We have made good time and get into the campground around midday, park up in a place closer to the sea even though it is not in the sun and we get two loads of washing done. It is always a relief to do this and though Vicki I know is tempted to do it tomorrow as stripping the bed , washing, drying etc can take up a couple of hours for a change I say get it done then we have tomorrow with no plans other than to suss out ferry tickets.  When we were checking in a couple who were on the internet say hey is that an aussie or kiwi accent?’ We reply that we are kiwis as this has become a standard answer travelling but do say we are kiwaussies. We get a laugh and find they are from Northern NSW so we figure they are nearly Queenslanders. Vicki was later chatting to Garrie and found out they are also travelling for 12 months but have just started so she mentioned we had some maps we didn’t need any more so we took them over to him and his partner Julie along with books that we have both read as we know that it is neat to get English books. We ended up chatting till midnight with a couple of coffees and chippies and had a great chat. It is fantastic when you can meet people for the first time and hit it off as if you are old mates. I think we all have friends that remind us of other friends and being from the other side of the world we have a lot in common. It got real weird when we found out another couple that had left the day before knew Rob & Sue that we have befriended previously. A very small camping world indeed.

We had a bit of a sleep in and after brekky we caught up with Garrie and Julie who were also heading into Split so decided to go together on our bikes. We had a map but nothing is as easy as it seems and we ended having a pretty tough & hilly ride about 8-10ks to town. The weather was just beautiful with no wind and blue skies. Lots of families were out on their Saturday picnics and about a kilometre of seaside cafes, amusements and parks gave them the most beautiful setting.

We finally found our way to the port office to see if we could get on the ferry. They just told us to be there at 7.30pm the next nite in case there was a cancellation. She told us there was no standby list that it was just a case of turning up just before the ferry left to see if there was some extra room. So we all head over the old town and had a look around and a meal & bevvy at a small kebaby type café.  We thought Split would be a bit ‘cityish’ and busy but this part was really cool and we enjoyed an hour of wandering.  The town centre has quite a few ruins that look a little like they belong to Greece but they were definitely worth the look.  Garrie & Julie had explored the day before so it was great to have tour guides. We would have loved to look around further and especially to climb the Bell Tower but it was closed and, as it is winter it is best to not linger because it gets dark so quickly and early, so we got on our bikes to head home what seemed to be a  bit early. As it was we got back at 4pm and it was getting dark. Unfortunately the peddle on Vicki’s bike had come off and I tried to a quick fix and only succeeded in breaking the peddle so Vicki had to bike without a peddle which was a real pain in the butt. Hopefully we can get it fixed but really along with the rooted gears maybe better to trade or ditch. A very busy day and a good nights sleep awaits. Still up in the air about if we can get the ferry but tomorrow is another day.

In the morning and move our camper to a location that is right by the sea and has more sun to do a bit of a quick spring clean before we head off to the ferry.  We have a chat with our newly made friends and Scot decides he has to have a swim in the ocean before we head away.  The dust inside the camper builds up so quickly and is hard to keep away so it is always nice to see it fresh and dust free if only for a few hours.  The time flies by and before we know it the time is almost 3 and we need to pay and leave.  We say our goodbyes to Julie and Garrie and hope to catch up with them in Spain before they head to Morocco.  We drive to the ferry terminal where we were yesterday and try to figure out where we can park.  Scot stays in the van and I go in to find out if there are any cancellations yet.  A bitchface blonde (Scot’s words) wasn’t helpful at all and told me we had to come back at 7.45pm and no sooner so Scot went in another way and talked to another lady. He gave her the Hood charm and smiles and got a bit further but still was told to come back tonight at 7.00pm. He asks if we can put our names down as first cab on the rank but got the standard reply be there at 700pm. They tell Scot we can park in the queue through the gate behind the other camper which we recognise as one that left the camp ground earlier this afternoon.  Apparently they don’t have tickets either and we wonder now who has priority to get on first since we have been asking for 3 days but they got there first today?

Anyway, we have a walk around and about 6pm we see the other camper people sitting inside so we decide that we need to make ourselves seen inside too so head in.  Scot goes and asks if there is any change and she says no that we are first cab off the rank, until another lady tells her we are second not first.  About 7pm nothing is happening but I am getting pissed off that it appears that there are others now in the queue – that we were told didn’t exist – so I quiz the lady who then proceeds to tell me we are now 4th in line.  I can’t figure it out and express my dissatisfaction at being pushed down the queue when we have been asking for 3 days now – but I get the sense they think we are English and I feel there is some contempt there.

8pm and the ferry should be leaving and we hear ‘Cars, no campers’ called out.  The two car people are happy and get their tickets and head on board.  I am ‘Not Happy Jan’!!  However we had been talking and decided that since it didn’t look likely to get on it would actually be much cheaper for us to just get the ferry from Trieste like we had originally planned so that will be out next move.  As we left the other camper couple appeared to be trying to cajole the ladies into getting them on but we don’t know what happened.  We headed back to the camp for a last night.

We head out early as we want to try and get to Slovenia before night fall.  We take the opposite roads to how we travelled down which is what we were wanting to do originally, so we take the highway to Zadar which only costs only about 12euro which isn’t bad and then take the coast road all the way to Rjieke.  This road is a great drive, good road and only a little traffic and the best scenery in Croatia really.  It isn’t a fast drive as the road has lots of horseshoe bends with drops to the sea so slow and sure wins the day.  It doesn’t take long and as we near Rjieke some of the coastal mountains show snow on them down quite a reasonable way so it has obviously snowed along this stretch since we passed about 10 days ago.  As we head into Slovenia and drive off the highway onto a road that will take us back to Koper (to the great cheap campstop we previously stayed at before) the sun has gone and we can see snow and ice off to the side of the road.  It is cold here and there must have been a good snow fall for it to still be around.  I take it easy on the road as it almost looks a bit greasy or icy and we don’t think it has seen much sun.

We arrive at Koper.  We are very fond of this place and are quite pleased to have the opportunity to be back here again.  Although it is right on a very busy highway it hasn’t bothered us before and we don’t notice the traffic this time either.  The ferry from Trieste doesn’t leave until  the morning after tomorrow at 4.30am and we find out that the ticket office isn’t open until midnight so we don’t have to leave here early, but we want to arrive in daylight to make it easier so late afternoon will be fine.

We head into town next morning to a café we know does great coffee and have a bit of a wander.  We find a sports shop that is selling cheap runners and we know we will both need new ones soon so have a look.  We both manage to get a pair for about 40 euro – both asics that we know are around $220 in Aussie so a bargain.  Time is getting away so we head back to the van, pack up and off to Trieste.  As we head over the border the smog get worse and seemingly in typical Italian style that we have experience in that country there is heaps of pollution and it is awful.  We find the port and drive down to the office.  We are told it is closed until midnight, so we park in the queue and sit out the long 7 hour wait until we can buy tickets and then wait another 4 hours until we leave.

At midnight we head to the ticket office.  Our previous plan was to take a ferry from Split to Ancona, a ferry from Ancona to Patras and then another ferry from Patras back to Ancona ready to go to Spain.  The guy does us a fantastic deal where because we book an open ticket back to Ancona and because we have a camper we get a free room so we can sleep and 30% off any meals plus I can still use my uni student card and get a major discount for my ticket.  The total price of the return trip we pay for is 800euro less than we would have paid for the other 3 ferry trips – a massive aud1300 saving just by driving to Trieste.  I am happy with that as we are just a bit over budget so this saving is great. And we are also grateful we didn’t get on the ferry at Split.

We manage to stay awake until 3.30 when we board the ferry.  There are hardly any vehicles leaving from here and the ferry is very empty at this point.  We head to our room which is an inside cabin with shower and toilet and two single beds.  Fantastic, much better than sleeping in an aircraft seat which was our other option.  We hit the hay and at least manage a few hours sleep before announcements wake us to say we are in Ancona.  Eventually we get up and check out Ancona where we are docked for about 3 hours.  They must have loaded heaps of trucks as when we go to leave the ship the deck that we are parked on that was empty is chokka.  We have a smooth sailing which is great.  We head up on deck to check out the pool….lol.  It is empty and is dreadful looking so maybe it hasn’t been used for a while.  There isn’t anything happening on the boat other than a few people playing pokies and a limited menu put on in the café at meal times.  Staff are on a skeleton schedule by the limited amount we see.  We spend all day up in the lounge watching the scenery and reading until tea time.  The meals are unfortunately ordinary and expensive so we choose the best of it but wish we could get down to the campervan to cook our own.  They actually don’t allow you to go back to your vehicle during the voyage and I can understand why.  When we head to the van the next afternoon, just trying to slide between the trucks to get to our van is a nightmare.  Walking between the front and back of a truck is hairy as there is no room for movement or you would be crushed.  So if that happened whilst on the ocean you would be mince meat.  Unpleasant even when we are in dock.  They park the trucks so close that we can’t even slide between some of them.

We end our first night watching a movie on the laptop in our little cabin.  A reasonable nights sleep and we get up when we hit Igoumenitsa.  This place is difficult to remember at first so we nickname it ‘Eat all my pizza’ as it is similar and works for us.  We watch the first cars and trucks and a bunch of teenagers leave the ship and this little town actually looks really quite cute.  We may change our plans again and get back on the ferry here instead of Patras if we feel the roads are ok to travel on.  Woohoo, finally in Greece – country no. 24.

Our experience on this ship is a fairly ordinary one, but we know this company is owned by Grimaldi lines who are renowned for not great, dirty unkempt ships in Europe perhaps lacking a bit of safety.  Our room was ok, the beds clean, the bathroom clean but the common toilets were disgusting, the sofas uncomfortable and in bad shape and the staff really didn’t appear to be very happy at all, but hey we were only on there for 36 hours so it was fine.

After breakfast and another 5 hours and we dock in Patras.  We are almost last off our deck as there are heaps of trucks first.  Driving through Patras it appears as if it is a typical port town.  Dirty, rubbish everywhere and just a generally unkempt rundown city.  The countryside is similar to Croatia, not quite as rocky, but mountainous and barren.  The roads are badly in need of repair, that we have seen on our short time here so I doubt we will be travelling to all the places we have thought of.  We are still a little tired from our 4am morning so we decide it isn’t worth travelling too far so I have picked a small camp half an hour out of Patras where it will only take us a few hours to get to Athens tomorrow.  The camp has a few dogs that are very bark happy but the labby is a lovely girl despite her barking habits.  We sit and have a drink in the fading sun.  I do some research thinking maybe we could spend a couple of days on Santorini or Mikonos leaving the van at Athens but most places are closed and even those that are open I am not sure how you get meals as there are few taverns etc open.  I think it is too hard so we will have to come back to see the Greek Islands at a later date in our lives at a more suitable time, not in the summer and not in the winter!  We get wifi for the first time in a few days and we find out we have a new baby grandson born a few days before, how cool.  It’s times like this that it is a shame we are away from home, but we will see photos and hopefully Skype home so we can see our new Grandson.

We could have bought wifi on the ship but I am still in shock at how pathetic it was.  4euro for 4mb….yes 4 mb of data.  That wouldn’t even receive an email these days, I am in a WTF mode.  Or you can get 8mb of data for 8euro or for the princely sum of 11euro you can get 12mb of data.  I think this data must be from 10 years ago as no one in their right mind would pay that kind of money for that pittance of data, again I say WTF!!!

Oh dear we have just realised why we got the 3rd degree on the first border crossing between Slovenia and Croatia.  We had breached the Schengen agreement NZ has with Slovenia unknowingly but my innocent bluff (I didn’t know I was doing that at the time) meant they let us through, but we would have been classified as illegal overstayers in Schengen and then travelling back through Slovenia two days ago was another breach.  Thank goodness we are ok where we are now.  I thought I knew the rules thoroughly but I missed the rules of 4 countries that we should never have been allowed into.  Lucky!

VENICE, ITALY

Wednesday 11/11 Remembrance Day, lest we forget

The cows obviously did sleep and they didn’t wake us at dawn as Scot had predicted.  We leave our secure park and head out on the highway to Venice.  It is nearly 500kms to Venice so we decide it isn’t worth taking the next road down from a highway as they are dreadful here in Italy and if the tolls cost us a bit at least we will get there quickly and forgo another night stopping on the way.  The fog is setting in today, but we rather think it is smog and not fog and you can smell it and really it smells incredibly bad.  We have no idea why Italy would have so much smog and why you could smell it so much.  As we travel to the south of Milan the smog worsens.  The countryside looks very poor here.  It doesn’t look like they get a lot of rain and the countryside looks very lacking in life. A lot of the buildings are quite derelict and run down.  I had never thought of Italy as a poor country but from the small part we have travelled past in two days it appears as if it might well be.  It would explain the amount of crime we have heard about here.  I always imagined we would see the big houses with large columns in front like we have in Brisbane where there are fairly wealthy Italian families but this is not what we see here so far.

As we travel east towards Venice the smog/fog thickens.  There are a massive amount of trucks on the road and we have forgotten that we have seen trucks like this in many other European countries, but not since we left Hungary.  I can’t comment too much on the scenery as it was quite non-existent on a lot of the drive and as we reached Venice the smog turned into pure fog and it was thick.  The road we were to take was closed without any indication of where you had to drive to go around.  Why do they do that?  Lucky our maps show us another way but we have to drive 30km out of our way.  We are staying on a long peninsula which is slightly to the south east of Venice where we can stay. In a secure complex and get a ferry across the water into Venice.  The fog is so thick we can’t see the lovely coastline that is supposed to exist just off the road we have travelled in on with its 15km stretch of beach. After what feels like a hundred roundabouts and a few tired & loud words between each other (it has been a long drive and the fog doesn’t help) we finally arrive at the campground and as usual leave any short lived emotion behind and start to settle in for the night. It is a working farm with greenhouses full of seedlings and one with geese and the last crops still in the ground ready for the winter rest. An old lady welcomes us and is very friendly and makes us welcome even though her English is limited and our Italian non- existent we get by with a smile and gestures. She apologises for the fog but says it makes for a very romantic setting wink, wink ha ha, what a hard case women who I would say has seen a lot in life as she is 80 as we find out later. The camp has a small shop selling their produce and very new and clean facilities. After a welcome hot shower I cook tea and we cuddle in to bed.

12 November Thursday

We wake around 8am as Vicki’s internal alarm clock is still working whereas mine is hidden under my pillow and if Vicki doesn’t wake then I sleep. Unfortunatly I am hard wired to sleep and if I don’t have to get up I usually don’t much to Vicki’s chagrin. It is totally misty outside and visibility is very limited as it is here in November.  We get ready and go and say hello to the old ladies daughter who runs the show and very nice she is and speaks very good English. She offers to take us to the ferry which is a lovely gesture as it is dangerous to walk on the roads where you can’t see 50m in front.

We buy a 48hour ticket each as it is best value and give a bit of flexibility and we have found if you are not sure what you are going to do or go (which is most of the time in a new city) then this allows travel on bus, boat or train where applicable. Plus it is cheaper anyway then each day tickets and as we bought at 9.30am then we can at least use it on the third day morning. The ferry is not large and we leave in fog that is quite freaky but sure the pilot knows where to go. It will be a shame going in to Venice from the sea as we won’t see it clearly which we have been told is spectacular. Oh well we have learned to take the good with the bad and hey we are in Venice!! As it is a Thursday it is not too busy, we are not struggling with crowds and it all feels quite laid back and the buildings actually look cool surrounded by the flowing mist and gives the whole scene a gentle, smooth feel. We decide to head straight to San Marco square which is the tourist hotspot and we revel in the space as during the season apparently you can’t move. Vicki and I take turns going into the Basilica as you are not allowed back packs in so take turns. The floor is the best part amzing tiles and marble mosaics with intricate designs and patterns. Most churches the best is when you look up so this is a pleasant surprise. We leave the square tuck the map away as it is pointless as there are too many alleys and walkways and is best to just wander and get lost as if you keep a general direction in your head you will always find the grand canal. Again Vicki’s sense of direction is amazing as I am hopelessly confused (but happily) and we meander our way without seeing the same thing twice! Obviously there are a lot of canals hence bridges and the all differ as some are quite big and others are very small. On most of them are the Gondoliers touting business and the dark Africans selling ‘Prada’ bags for a song as they are obvious copies but considering we are seeing the real thing in the windows for up to 3000Euros maybe 30e is pretty good going and who looks that close at a label anyway. I am seriously considering buying a nice leather jacket but so far after 21 countries I haven’t found one so I am pleased to see one a couple I like and though not ‘label’ ones at 600 – 1000e at under 200E very good value these are lamb leather not cow so very soft and supple but I feel a bit thin for my rough handling so will keep looking maybe Greece or Spain will have something. At least this frees up some $$ for other souvenirs.

We cross the main tourist bridge between the islands and there are lots of tourist stalls but the prices here are really good compared to other cities we have been to for essentially the same crap with a different city name on them. We are surprised as we have been told that Venice is really exy but we are finding the good stuff such as leather shoes and quality clothes are an excellent buy and we will consider returning to boost our wardrobes at a later stage. We will return tomorrow to get a few T shirts for the little ones back home as so far they are the cheapest for the same thing (8E instead of 15E so pays to look around.

We sit in a square nearby and have our sandwiches but I am already planning a pizza lunch tomorrow as they are only 6E for the two of us. We amuse ourselves with the pigeons which really are the dumbest birds behind chooks as they scramble for any titbit. One poor one has a twig wrapped around his foot entangled with nylon or something and we try and trap the stick to get the hindrance off but they are too quick. The poor thing obviously hates it but we can’t help. There are many with stumps and deformed feet and claws so either they have been attacked by rats, string amputation, stepped on by humans or just mimicking the beggars who try every deformity & disabled trick in the book to make you feel sorry for them.  I end up feeding the pigeons and not the beggars. We walk on and on and other than the same souvy shops there really are some quality goods and if not for a van that will start bulging at the seams soon we reluctantly window shop. We did however spot a post card which feature cats dressed up in clothes and one is the spitting image of our dear Freddie so had to get it. Over here is the famous Murano glass which is beautiful and very original and inventive and even though a trip to the island is considered a must we will have to leave it for another day as the mist is starting to roll in more and more and it is getting dark by 4pm. You have to be careful buying as there are the typical Chinese copies.  All the shops advertise Only Italy Made, No Chinese  but difficult to tell other than the price and authenticity stickers. Venice is also famous for their paper mache hand made and painted masks and the variety has to be seen to be believed. It stems from the opera (think Phantom Of The Opera and also Heath Ledger) but again there are Chinese plastic rip offs but luckily they are easy to spot (the PRC sticker helps!) We want a mask but we will wait till we see one we like. We have drink at a bar and we have wine as it is Italy. Unfortunatly the toilet is broken so timing a drink with a toilet stop has backfired. My bladder has been fantastic the last month I have definitely turned a corner. So Vicki pays a 1.50E to go but my need is not as great so hold on. However an hour later I am hurting so we find a small bar on the way back to the ferry.  Ohh what heaven and with our beer and wine there is free peanuts in the shell and a large dish of crisps. A cosy bar with nice Pinot Gris and a dark stouty beer.  We catch the ferry home in the dark and call our camp lady who picks us up and takes us home. Another hot shower to ease the shoulder and back muscles from carrying a pack, dinner and a drink then let’s all do it again tomorrow.

Friday 13th Friday

We sleep in a bit but still get to the ferry at 10am, an amazing effort considering our usual mucking around but we don’t want to upset our free ride.  The fog is still heavy and visibility zero but the 45 minute ride is fun as there are still things to see. We head in the opposite direction first up and see some of the local markets with their fish stalls and strange veges. By heading away from main square we avoid the tourists and instead mingle with the locals some who are already into the wine and Campari, wine & soda which seems to be a local favourite here. We opt for a coffee instead given the early morning but boy a beer would be nice….. In the café if you stand at the bar and drink it is cheaper than sitting down. So every one stands at the bar so no one can get in. But most of the time it is a quick espresso for 1E then off. Given that cafes will charge 1E to use the toilet you might as well get a free drink. I feel ripped off paying to pee but can understand in these places so at least I want to subsidise a drink so what goes in is a little bit cheaper due to what has to come out. Where all this by product goes in a watery place like Venice has me beat but the waterways are not polluted as far as we can tell and there are lots of fish(mind you I can’t get close enough to see if they have 3 eyes) and little smell. We follow a different route today but still intend to follow up yesterday’s tracks and buy a few things.  Today being Friday there are more tourists and a few more Asian tour groups. I swear world tourism is funded by the Chinese and good on them for broadening their horizons. Funnily enough they don’t seem to be as pushy and invasive here maybe for the need to be patient in the very narrow alleys and hundreds of turns. They also seem to be happier and more awestruck so maybe it is not just another stop off to them.

We stop at a small local pizza place where some local guys were having a slice and a beer. For 2.50E you get a large slice which is traditional thin crispy crust. Yum. We found our way back to the souvy vendors and found the best prices and got some shirts. We wanted to cross the canal and the camp    lady said we cross at the Tregassari for 2E but as has happened to us a bit it had closed the day before. So backtrack again and over the bridge and through now familiar streets as we start to feel like locals. It is about now that I am grateful that my Ecco walking shoes I bought in Norway have now been well & truly been broken in and support my feet really well especially my problem arches that by now would be really hurting in runners. Plus they are warm. I have worn my warm jacket today and in total have 8 layers on plus a scarf and long johns so quite warm. The mist seems to dampen the atmosphere and can get to you. But then I have no fat layer as I have leaned up a bit on holiday.

After another hour or so of window shopping and especially admiring the many art galleries where I am getting heaps of ideas (I got my coloured pencils down yesterday and bought a sketch pad today so will start when we settle down in Greece) it is back to the ferry. We stopped at a small shop selling tobacco, alcohol and associated gifts and produce and chatted to the owner. He had been to Aussie with Round Table (Apex in Oz) He wants to go to NZ next so as usual we expound its virtues. He also explained the ways of the tides in Venice. Every year or so when the tides run high the whole city can be under water. Everywhere you go there are stacks of galvanised benches with non- slip timber as these are what the tourists have to walk on to get around when it floods. Not great for the shop owners but just a way of life as the tourist season never ends here.

I buy a bottle of the local beer for later in the van and as we walk towards the ferry our way is stopped by a huge wave of people in coming towards us. We are talking literally thousands of young men and ladies chanting and singing. When we spotted the laurel wreaths and black robes we realized it was graduation day for all the universities and they were hitting the town with their families and friends celebrating the end of their studies and hopefully subsequent successes. We stopped off at our now local bar for a drink and free nibblies and Vicki chatted to a young lady and congratulated her. Having graduated herself Vicki understood the feeling of hard work and reward so lovely to connect in a small way. The mist seems to be lifting a bit and even today the sun was trying really hard to break through and we glimpsed a blue sky for a little while. So the ferry ride on the way home offered more of a layout of Venice and gives hope that tomorrow will be clearer and give us our elusive glimpse of the city from the ferry in the morning. By now we had pretty much decided to stay an extra day and give Venice another day for who knows if we will be back again, all good intentions aside. We skype our friendly camp lady who collects us and delivers us back to our awaiting home on four wheels.

Saturday 14th November

We wake to the news from our camp lady as she takes us to the ferry that it is a sad day as there has been a devastating and cowardly attack on Paris by bastard low lifes. We are stunned and upset as we loved Paris and have got to know the French people better through meeting them through our travels and our week in Aux Les Bains where we found them so friendly and giving. Her daughter lives in Paris so she is very subdued, grateful her daughter is ok but sad all the same and there is talk that Rome & London are next. Black Friday the 13th has lived up to its name.  However we are even more determined to not let these scum win so will never stop travelling and will openly visit where we like when we like. It could easily have been any number of cities we have visited and will not be held ransom by their terror and intimidation anywhere in the world. We are determined not to let this sour our day so put on a brave face and carry on.

The day is a lot clearer so we finally get a look at where we are headed and achieve a better perspective of this unique area. Even on the island we are camping on, in the high season one of the larger campgrounds can have 15,000 campers staying. Mindboggling and shows how popular it is, especially the 15km beachfront but not sure if I could enjoy that many people and relax. Let alone the numbers visiting the city in summer. I still think Autumn is the best time of the year to travel as you get the best of everything and what you obviously miss out on you gain in other areas. Today as we alight from the ferry it is noticeable that the tourist level has jumped (remember we are not tourists we are adventure travellers!) Today we purposely head over to the opposite side of the island where the tourists don’t get to see and we mingle with the locals. We stop for the obligatory coffee and stand at the bar so it is cheaper.  It is difficult to remember which cafe it was even though it was only yesterday and we have to work our way back but then we remember once we go through all the places we have been. The old story where you remember something ten years ago but yesterday….. Anyway we saw where a couple will come in have one expresso both use the toilet then bugger off.  After our pick me up we walk through unassuming alleys and buildings which we have to remind ourselves people are living out their normal lives, hopes and dreams whilst people like us invade, ogle and intrude in the name of tourism. I suppose that the money the tourists bring in create the whole dynamic but not sure if I could do it. But then again in a way it is probably no different than living in Maleny or on the Gold Coast. We end up at more than a few dead ends which cumulates in the inevitable canal so back track to another left or right and funnily enough see something worthwhile. For example we were on a wide path which seemed to be a popular dog walking track due to their residue when a man and his beagle came towards us. As they do the dog had a sniff and a wind up then proceeded to have a crap which funny enough he did ON the brick wall not on the footpath! It just stuck there hanging free until the owner rightly placed it into a bag. We don’t think we will see that again for as long as we live and so wish we had photographed it. Then we were on the side facing the huge cemetery island and there were water ambulances. Remember in Venice there are no vehicles of any description not even pushys and everything is delivered by boat then handcarts take everything around. Taxis are all boats and these are beautifully wooden built and quite elegant. As we walked along there was a boat unloading a casket. It was off a hearse boat with all the features of a land driven hearse with rotating trolley for ease of despatch. Thoroughly relevant but at the same time totally weird for us.

We cut through past the hospital past a school with the kids all coming out, finished for the day. Hard to imagine in this city normal activities like a school but it is easy to forget that this is like any normal living place and not just a tourist attraction. We find the best smelling pizza place with an Italian serving not an Asian, Indian or Eastern European as they are more authentic and somehow their pizzas look nicer. We ordered a pizza for 6E and very nice with a Heineken chaser. The telly was on and as in Oz when there is an attack such as Paris it is 24/7 news so we watched the footage loop as we ate. The chap working there seemed to tell us it was the work of Turkey terrorists but we could have misunderstood his limited English.

More meandering around gazing at shop windows and wishing we were millionaires with a mansion to fill but really we feel privileged to be in what some people rate the most visited city in the world with 12 million a year coming. Funny enough we find areas we haven’t seen even though we are in the same vicinity as the last two days. We find a square where we choose a quaint but busy café and have a red and a white wine and pass a quiet hour petting the inevitable dog belonging to an elderly couple next to us. This one is young and boisterous and nearly knocks over our wine. The lady working here must be 80 odd but like the camp ladies mum they don’t stop and she is busy washing, clearing and keeping an eye on who I think are her sons working the place, it has probably been in the family for generations. A brave pigeon sneaks in the room and for its daring darts under the tables but out of the range of the young dog and the old ladies feet it gets a few crumbs as a reward. They are everywhere but at least they don’t have to vacuum up with them around. We finish our wines and it is starting to darken as the mist starts creeping back in again. Funny enough we find ourselves back for a last drink at our now local bar and the lady behind the counter knows what we want without asking! We sit and have our drinks Vicki tries the popular locals, Campari drink, but a bit strong and bitter for her but finishes it easily enough. We sit and look out the window at the narrow pathway with locals, tourists and workers bustling past and I can’t help but think of Paris and how fate could have you in the wrong place at the wrong time where one moment you can be laughing and having a drink with the person you love and the next moment a madman starts shooting. And other than the last bit this is us here in Venice and at once I experience a range of emotions, from anger to gratefulness but a little bit of happiness is missing today.

As we approach the jetty a large cruise ship floats past on the way out, maybe this is where this morning’s tourists were on hence their happy demeanour cos they weren’t on a tour bus. We catch the ferry which tonight being Saturday and a bit busier is going direct to our island so 15 minutes quicker. The night is really clear out on the water and we follow the cruise ship out. We stare out the open window smell the salty night air mingled with smells of Venice and we are happy we stayed the extra day. The lights are fully out now on both islands each side of us so we are serenaded with the throb of the boat as we follow a corridor of electric stars home. Again we are collected and saved a 2km walk after a tiring 3 days which is inevitable when exploring a city and look forward to a new country in Slovenia tomorrow but no doubt we will see more of Italy a little later on.

AIX LES BAINS AND INTO ITALY

In the morning we decide to check out where the water is coming from, so pull up all the bed and find there is water leaking through the inside of the van and is lying in the inside gutter.  Very shitty, not another problem.  It looked like the water pump was a problem to us as there was some water leaking out of there and every few minutes it would pump for no reason plus the filter housing was broken. We figure there must be a camper repair shop somewhere near and ask the reception lady if she knows one and ask if she could phone since it will be difficult to explain technical stuff in French.  I am not that good, I can only speak simple French talk.  She phones a place but they don’t want to know us, they are too busy.   Another  French camper had spoken to me earlier in the morning and we had had a great conversation.  He thought we were from England and since his 18 year old daughter was there for 3 months thought he would chat to us even though he knew no English.  So I went back to ask him if he know of another place nearby.  He was a mechanic and had changed his own water pump so he goes with us to a nearby boat place as boats also have the same pumps but they don’t have the right one.  He then drives with us to a nearby camper store where they have what we need plus a hardware store that has the fittings required.  It is late when we get back and although Scot wanted to go back to the Skiff pub and have his moules et frittes (mussles and fries) but it is too late so we decide we are staying another day so he can have them.

Friday 6th November

With the help of the wonderful French man we get our water pump replaced.  We are very grateful and can’t thank him enough.  I want to take them out to lunch but they decline saying it isn’t necessary but It is a small payment for a huge help he had been.  We have a lovely walk along the lake front which is so nice on a day like this one.  We are 3 weeks from winter here and there is no snow yet on the surrounding hills when there should be and the day temps are at least 20 if not more (we were sweating…..well I was).  Later in the day we buy the French man a few beers and take them over for him and then head out to the pub for a well-deserved dinner out.  Beautiful food, but so much of it.  I am feeling quite ill still in the morning, perhaps the profiteroles were too rich, but do you think I would have missed them out???  Mais Non!

We pull up the bed again to see if the underneath is dry, but unfortunately not.  The pump was not the only problem we have had with water leaking.  We now believe the other leak is coming from the hot water system which we rarely use.  It has gas and electricity connected so is not something we can do anything about ourselves.  The French man and his wife are leaving today and the campsite is closing anyway.  Who closes a campsite a week early when there are still 20 people wanting to stay there a night and at 20euro I would have thought it would be worth it, but they obviously don’t.  We head off to the camper store we bought the pump at, but they won’t help us with the leaking hws.  We go to the next one and thankfully they agree to do a bypass on the hws as they can’t fix it as it is English and they have no parts.  We have to wait until Monday afternoon though.  Oh well I can think of worse places to stay than here and since the campsite is closed it will be freedom camping on the lakeside with the other thrown out campers.  We head back to the parking area and sit in our chairs in the sun and watch people playing petanque, families walking with dogs, people cycling, very busy indeed.  We sit and enjoy until about 4pm when the sun goes behind the snowless mountains and you feel the real air temperature which has quite a chill.  We are parked with a number of other campers and feel quite safe here.

Sunday 8 November

We need groceries before we leave France so we decide to bike and find the Carrefour which is a supermarket we love here in France and also in Belgium.  We get a bit lost and then we come across the typical Sunday market.  I don’t really like markets and this one is no exception.  Nothing worth buying, just lots of stuff that isn’t necessary to own.  There is a little bit of food but it is expensive so we pass on that and there is also a second hand area of the market.  The market continues for a huge stretch and encompasses all the surrounding streets as well. We end up having a coffee in a lovely wee shop before we head out away from the markets with our baguette for lunch.  We missed the supermarket, it closed just as we got there at midday so we will go back tomorrow.  Back at the van and we head along the lake front for a lovely walk feeding the ducks and water hens.  It is really crowded being a beautiful Sunday when it should be cold but people here are strangely still wearing their winter jackets, boots etc and here are Scot and I in our t-shirts and shorts.  We do get some strange looks, but who is the weird one, we are dressed for the sun.

Monday 9 November

Our appointment isn’t until 3pm so we decide to bike again to the supermarket and get a few things.  We only have our two backpacks and it becomes very obvious that we need to bring the van to buy the rest of the things.  We love being back in France, with the crisp baguettes, lovely cheeses, wines, and the food is cheaper than we have had for a couple of weeks.  We can even find lamb chops for Scot which is a bonus after months of not finding them.  Our staple baguette lunch and we head out for our appointment and another van expense.  Thankfully it doesn’t take long to do the pipe bypass on the hws and we are back on our way, firstly back to the Carrefour supermarket and then on to our free camping park by the lake.  Our last night here before heading into Italy.   A man started speaking to me in the supermarket about sugar in French obviously and he spoke no English.  It was funny but as I started talking to him we had a really great conversation and I revelled in how much my French had come along in such a short time when I had to speak it.  The man really enjoyed the conversation as well I think because we were from the other side of the world and don’t have the opportunity to speak French.  He was so nice and at the end of the conversation he said how much he had enjoyed the conversation and that I spoke quite well and wished us a great vacation.  So nice.  I have never found any French people short and rude like so many people say, but I have always put that down to the fact that I try very hard to speak a little to them.

I am not keen really to go as we have heard many stories from people who have been broken into and robbed in their vans around Italy.  It seems to be one of the worst countries for it, Spain is only marginally better.  We have been heard from people who have had small valuable items, jewellery, cash etc stolen through to people who had windows smashed and all their clothes etc stolen.  What to do.  We decide we will continue on, but we will limit the time in Italy and we will not leave the van alone in towns but we will have to stop in camp grounds and pay the price for security.

Tuesday 10 November

We stop on our way out of Aix les Bains at an Intermarche super where we find they have salmon for only aud15 a kilo and it’s from Norway.  Shame I can’t freeze any but we buy a bit and some steak for Scot and head out of France.  There is a huge tunnel between France and Italy and the cost is ridiculous.  57euro to go through the tunnel, 18 euro before it and then in Italy several further tolls just to cross the border.  The alternative road was over the mountains which we were definitely not doing.  We got stopped at the Italian border and asked for our passports and vehicle papers – the first time we have been asked for both.  The police thought I was a bit over excited so told me to calm down.  I have no idea what they were talking about as I was just my normal self, maybe a little apprehensive if anything coming into Italy.  Anyway they were fine, after taking a look Into our van – not sure what they expected to see (they couldn’t see Scots beer stash) – we were off.  We headed around Turin which you could see from the immense smog in the distance as we approached it. Probably the smoggiest dirtiest skies we have seen in all of Europe.  I decided to get a sim in a small town out of Asti.  I hate some of these sim costs.  The sim itself was 10euro, but they then made me pay another 10euro for the plan fee, but they tell you initially it is only 10euro.  Not able to communicate with them in Italian meant I had to pay the extra fee not mentioned initially and leave.  Oh well they are only just another country that has ripped us off on internet data charges.  We need the sim here to be able to book ferries across to Greece later on. We then head just out of Asti to a small secure camping place with power and water that is only 8euro for the night and has a fenced compound.  Hopefully to be safe for the night before we head out to Venice.

The first thing about this secure campsite that assaulted us was the smell of cows in a barn next door to the parkup.  Then as we were settling down to a pre-dinner drink the mooing started.  It was like it was right outside the door and I then realised that it indeed was only about 10ft from the back of the camper.  I can only hope that cows actually sleep during the night and we can’t hear them.