After a lovely full day at the beach in Fiumocino, caught our 10.00pm flight from Rome to Abu Dhabi...we have two nights here but Mark has a 4hr layover and heads back to Melbourne. Unfortunately our friend Desmond is away in Ireland but had everything organised for us and sent a driver to pick us up from Abu Dhabi airport and whisked us to our beautiful suite at the Dusit Thani...32 degrees at 6.00a.m....lots of sand and dust in the air....waiting for us was Desmond's PA Shane to welcome us and check us in, she has been absolutely magic checking on us and making sure we are OK and booking dinner etc. We are very lucky to have been staying at the Dusit Thani, every single staff member has been exceptional, could not do enough for ... read more

A 5 hour drive from Steyr to Trento in the Italian Alps, Dolomites as they are known, Trento was truly a lovely surprise, we picked it because it was just over the halfway mark down to Lucca, we were so glad we picked it! Our hotel was magnificent and a moderate price really and another historic place surrounded by the magnificant mountains. Our drive through the Brenner pass was so scenic, we just loved it! Mark's friend in Steyr said, don't be surprised if it snows going through the pass, but the day ended up being magnificent and the sun was shining warm and strong....arriving in Trento it was 28 degrees, couldn't believe it , thought we would have had to break out the woollies but not to be! Took a walk around town and had ... read more

Pretty easy drive up from Florence and we are staying in Mogliano just outside Venice as we have a car and a bit hard for parking. 10 minute train ride into Venice so suited us down to the ground, the B&B we are staying at is lovely, very newly renovated and has everything we need, Villa Salvoro. On our first afternoon headed down to the local restaurant/bar Il Nottambulo, went for lunch stayed for dinner??!! Enough said! The most magnificent steak of 2.2 kg shared between all of us, wobbled home at 10pm! Up early next day to head into Venice for the day, took a tour over three islands and then just soaked up the atmosphere of Venice, all the islands different, Morano (where all the beautiful Morano glass is blown) Burano and the main ... read more

Into Roma Saturday midday, we have a lovely modern apartment in Lazio! it is a beautiful area, very green and lots of trees, very close to restaurants, supermarkets etc but in a very local area which we love! We have a the top floor penthouse, 4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms, lounge and dining area, huge terrace area but a bit too hot and humid for sitting out on the terrace! We are finding the weather a bit more humid that we expected but lovely and warm just the same. Found a great place for dinner on first night Bruno...then headed home for bed..bit exhausted after early rise and long drive. Sunday off to the Porta Portese Flea Market....Kaz shopped til she dropped....great experience....found a lunch spot near the Colosseum, t hen off to the Colosseum for ... read more

Well what a week we have had here in Citta della Pieve! So much fun, laughter, jokes, stories, food and wine! A few of us had our first night in Chiusi prior to going to the villa on the Saturday, with our flight been late from London to Rome, the car hire place not been able to find our car, they were the rudest pack of retards we couldn't believe it, 7 of the crew had to catch the train to Chiusi and then we drove up from Rome later that night getting into Chiusi around 12.15a.m. Boy was that a long day! Our week at Podere Baiocco could not have been more perfect, we had Jacopo the owner organise a welcome dinner for the first night, which was combined with Tim's 65th birthday, but Blake ... read more