ITALY-Finale
Thursday 1st we
left early
to go to the Roman Ruins at Solunto and Segesta. The only
buildings worth seeing were a Temple and a Theatre at Segesta. We
left and continued southwards to Selinunta to camp, there by
1600.
The day was fine and sunny. Friday we visited the ruins
at Selinunta. The ruins were spread over 5 sq miles and only two
of the building rose over 3m.
Saturday 3rd was
a fine
sunny day for the
drive eastwards to camp at Agrigento. Sunday Mervyn went off to
the Valley Of The Temples, Howard stayed to do his washing and then had
a lazy time. Monday
we set off to Syracuse, trying to buy a southern European gas connector, on
the way. Tuesday
we went into 
Syracuse, Mervyn seeing the Duomo (a
converted Greek
Temple) and the Greek Rock Cut Theatre. Howard continued the
search, unsuccessfully, for the gas connector. Wednesday we drove north
from
Syracuse to camp at Taomina, a pleasant, crowded site. During the
drive we passed Mt. Etna, seeing snow below the cloud capping. In
the afternoon we had a very heavy rainstorm. Thursday a bright sunny
morning, with a complete view of Mt. Etna, superb in the sunlight, two
plumes of smoke were rising into the blue sky and there was a black
streak down from
the top through the snow. Mervyn went off sight seeing in the
morning, but the afternoon’s proposed shopping trip was foiled by
heavy rain. Friday
had a rainy start and we went off, having borrowed a gas connector, to
fill our gas tank. We returned to the camp, returned the gas
connector and set off to Messina to cross to the mainland. We
found the dock quite easily by 1115 and were told that the next ferry
was
at 1515. We loaded immediately at 1215, landed 30min later and
drove north to our previous camp at Lido De Palmi. We had been driving on the
bridge-tunnel-bridge roads again.
Saturday
10th an early
start returned us to the Autostrada to go
north. At Falerna we
changed onto the SS 18, the coast road. At Maratea we missed the
SS 18 and went on a half a km before we turned in a fuel station and
returned to
the SS 18. Half a km along we found the SS 18 closed. We
returned
to the minor road and diverted to the Autostrada. A big
diversion
caused us to arrive at the camp at 1600. The promised diversion
signs were not evident. Sunday
Mervyn spent the morning looking at the Paestum ruins, while Howard
relaxed in the caravan. Monday
again we continued northwards, around Salerno to Pompei, where we
arrived in
time for
elevenses. We missed the sign (if it wa
s there) for the water
bird park on the way. On Tuesday
we visited Pompei, we found
it closed ‘till 1030 as there was a staff meeting. We set off to
Herculaneum. The Ruins there were very impressive, the best
yet. There was a superb Wall Mosaic. Wednesday we started off to
Pompei
again, to see a very impressive collection of ruins, both sites are so
difficult to describe. They were excellent, helped by sunshine on
both days. Thursday
Mervyn went into Napoli to explore the Museum, after the two days of
walking round the ruins Howard took a day off. Friday involved a boat trip
to the Isle of Capri. Firstly by train to Sorrento, then the boat
to the island and finally a bus, not more than 10ft long, up to Capri
Town. A tourist trap, we left to go to Anacapri. The
funicular to the mountain top was closed and the visibility was
poor. It was not time to return to the boat, a visit to the
Villa San Michele followed by a full meal took up some of the
time. The bus back to Capri still us with left 3hrs to wait,
Mervyn strolled around until we had a hot
chocolate and cake and then we descended to the harbour. The boat
left at
1830 and
we arrived back at the caravan by 2245.
Saturday
17th the journey to Rome was on
the Autostrada, we arrived at the camp in time for lunch, followed by a
restful afternoon. Sunday
we set off into Rome to see The Vatican
(closed), the Castle
San Angelo
including a walk across the San Angelo Bridge to get to the Pantheon
(closed for a
service, with 30min to wait). On to The Forum Romano and The
Coliseum,
well worth seeing. There were no buses running due to the Rome
Marathon. Lunch was followed by Howard’s return to the van while
Mervyn set off to The Palatino. Monday we continued north
in light rain, getting heavier through the day, to camp at Cecina, just
off the beach with the biggest waves yet. The waves crashed onto
the beach all night and the win
d rocked the
caravan. Tuesday
northwards in heavy
rain, along the Autostrada to Sarzana. Overnight the rain
stopped and the wind dropped. Wednesday took us on to
Alessandra, where the camp was down a road signed 5 tons and 2.3m
wide. The caravan is 6 tons and 2.35m wide. Howard explored
there was not a narrow, weak bridge before the camp, we made it. Thursday we continued on to
Courmayeur. Friday
Howard set off for a day’s skiing, a 1km walk to the bus for the Cable
Car. After the Cable Car a Chair Lift to
the top of a red and
blue run down. There were no directions at the top and the
intended blue became a red. At the foot of the Chair Lift
Howard’s pass, plastic on a piece of string, had disappeared. He
went down the Cable car to the ticket office, there was no replacement
or
refund. A disgruntled Howard took a taxi back to the caravan
where the missing ticket reappeared under his shirt and scarf.
Skiing Italy is not for Howard.
Saturday 24th our next visit was to The Mont Blanc Tunnel, the longest so far in our travels being 11km long. The traffic was one way being timed, we arrived at 1000, it shut at 1015, no problem. Through the tunnel and on to Flumet, a skiing camp, but no snow and no ski bus. Sunday Mervyn drove up to Notre Dame de Bellecombe middle station and Howard obtained a morning ski pass, the skiing was good. Howard lost an hour’s skiing, no one had told him the clocks went forward Saturday night. The night’s stop was at Ugine, we arrived to find the camp closed. We could stay one night, no electricity, no water, no toilets and no charge!! Monday northwest again through Annecy, on to Bourg en Bresse and finally to Challons sur Saone, where the camp was closed, we could stay one night with electricity (turned on for us) and water in the morning. Tuesday was a short day to Chatillon sur Seine, we passed the source of the Seine, we then drove alongside the Seine and camped on it’s bank. Wednesday we again followed the Seine watching it increase in width until we left it at Mery sur Seine and continued on to Sezanne to camp. Thursday we continued northwards to camp at Peronne. Friday night at Ardres was our last camp in France.
Saturday
31st we made an
early start for Calais and caught an earlier, than booked, boat to
Dover.
ENGLAND-Dover