Blogs from Sanremo, Liguria, Italy, Europe
Why did we leave that horrible campsite daddy?!
Published: May 22nd 2011Europe » Italy » Liguria » Sanremo
May 22nd 2011
We agreed that our next stop would be over the border in Italy. We woke early to howling winds and wondered whether we should travel. Taking it nice and steady we made it to the border with Italy in pounding rain and 14 degrees (it’s been high 20’s all along). Granted that nowhere looks good in the rain, but San Remo looked awful and things did not improve at the campsite. Having come from beautiful deserted French campsites, we were stacked in here cheek by jowl and paying twice the price. The swimming pool wasn’t open (awaiting official authorisation) and no discount could be negotiated on the E15 we had paid for the kids for the privilege. All 3 of our guidebooks rate this site highly, but I fear not for long as most of our ... read more
April 21st 2011
Tuesday 22nd March 2011 Leaving France for Italy and a wonderful drive along the Riviera along the promenade at Nice, over the corniche to Monaco crossing into Italy at Ventimiglia and on to San Remo. Wednesday 23rd March 2011 Glorious day with fine sunny weather and a free BBQ laid on by the campsite. Four courses, inc wine and lemon liqueur for all guests – excellent ! The boys got in some catapult practice and fishing and later we made lemonade from fresh local lemons. Thursday 24th March 2011 After a morning of schoolwork we walked along the dedicated walking/cycle path into San Remo to the old port where we discovered a wine festival and the annual flower festival were planned for the weekend. Friday 25th March 2011 Having spotted four seater bikes were available the ... read more
April 6th 2011
Well so much has happened since the last blog its hard to know where to start! However, we are now in Italy after spending a couple of days working our way through St Tropez, Frejus, and Monte Carlo. Unfortunately we did not win any money at the casino but then we are winners anyway so who needs it! The weather could not be better, with beautiful sunny days and not a cloud in the sky. UsualLy gets up to 25 degrees during the day. We have alternated between taking the coast road, and then when Deans blood pressure starts to rise due to it being like rush hour traffic every time you hit a small town, and the state of French and Italian driving, then we hit the toll roads so he can relax a little ... read more
October 7th 2010
Friday 1st October 2010 Rain in the air and time to move along the coast taking the motorway through the mountainous terrain to Sanremo ( the city of flowers ) on the section of the Riviera the Italians call the Riviera dei Fiori. The site here is by the sea and with lots of facilities including a pool, Jacuzzi, sun terrace, small private beach, table tennis and free wifi. As the forecast for the following week is good we book in for 7 nights at a discounted rate. As an added bonus we discover that there is a good supermarket 100m away and the local bus passes right outside - sorted. Saturday 2nd October 2010 A chill out day making use of the site facilities and the boys improving their ping pong technique Sunday 3rd October ... read more
September 24th 2010
When I was young, about 11 years old, I had a best friend from Italy called Julie. She had come out to Australia with her Mum and three brothers when she was about two. One morning Julie's Mum, Gemma came to pick me up to take me to school. She was buzzing and Julie explained that she'd had a dream that I'd picked her lotto numbers and she'd hit the jackpot! Being highly superstitious, she was absolutely convinced her dream would come true and once school was finished later that day she took us straight to the news agency to lodge the magic winning numbers that I dutifully picked for her. While she had the much anticipated winning ticket in her hand we excitedly asked her what she would spend her money on. She said she ... read more
July 5th 2010
Week 1 - San Remo, Liguria Week 1 of my summer working for ACLE summer camps in Italy flew by. Orientation week took place in the beautiful seaside town of San Remo, near the French border. Arriving into San Remo we (myself and four Kiwis I met in Nice also working for ACLE) were greeted by the unnaturally enthusiastic and energetic returning tutors. The returning tutors all have past experience working with ACLE and possess the inhuman ability to recognise and greet us all by name from the passport photos we had sent with our application. As well as this they have inexhaustible levels of energy and a permanent smile engraved on their faces. I think ACLE has a secret lair somewhere where they genetically engineer these superhumans. The week was spent getting to know the ... read more
May 19th 2009
Our journey to San Remo was very nice, however, we passed through countless tunnels and when we were on the open highway, there were garde rails that obstructed the view from nice pictures - let alone the accumulation of bugs on our windshield!!! Next time, when we have more time, we will drive along the coast rather the highway, the views were unbeliveable!!!... read more
January 18th 2009
So the first two weeks back at work have passed. It has a much calmer rehearsal period then last years. We have three new actors: Sophie, Xander and Eughen. The first week Xander was still on tour doing a panto, so Team Brilliant (now Me, Helen, Sophie, and Eughen) rehearsed most of our shows. Xander arrived on the first Sunday back and the next week was mostly spent rehearsing the new team awesome (Xander, Vic, and Laura) and letting team Brilliant rehearse the shows for the first week out as three’s because all my escaping long workshops finally caught up with me. The first week back on tour, I will not be with Team Brilliant but in Villarbasse teaching two classes of 13 and 14 year olds. It’s not too bad, I start on Wednesday but ... read more
November 12th 2008
Had a very quiet weekend. Went to a neighboring town with Jack, Imperia, and started joking around about a travel show hosted by Tiny Tim. All three of us, me, Jack, and Laura went to Nice Satuday for the morning and afternoon. Nothing too eventful, went shopping with Laura, Jack sat on the beach and read, we did see the silliest Michael Jackson impersonator (think dirty Mic Jagger with old tattered sequined costumes and tuxedo pants that are way too big- decent but not even a great dancer) We watched him for a while, did a small Tiny Tim sequence about it. Laura and I had a girls night out with Jack rested his foot. We left him dressed in black with a bottle of Vino and a wedge of brie reading Jack Kerouac, the ... read more
November 5th 2008
As happy as we all were to be back together, the week has been a rough one. Jack’s foot which we were until Monday morning we thought was sprained was in fact broken and he returned to us with a HUGE plaster cast. Several company members took turns with a vicious stomach bug. With all the drama we still had to crunch to work out the last couple shows and get them on tape for archives. It was a long week and Team Awesome found out that due to the school strikes in Italy, bookings were WAY down and we would be spending the next week in San Remo as well, full pay but with nothing to do. By now a little of the novelty of being in Italy and touring is wearing away, some company ... read more
