Florence

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Hey All

Well another quick update. We are in Florence at the moment and it is FREEZING! For probably the first time on the tour. We had a group photo at 8.30am and everyone had red noses and looked like crap. It will look great.

We are only here for a few more hours. Then we drive down to Rome for a day and a half. Looking forward to that, although it being a sunday almost everything is shut. But as long as we get to see the main sights itll be worth it. Monday is another long drive up to Venice for 2 nights. Apparently the locals are really rude as they dont want tourists coming in.

Yesterday we drove from Nice to Pisa to see the leaning tower, and yes...it was leaning. We also saw some guy get robbed, which was probably more exciting.

Then we drove into Florence and went out for a dinner full of pasta and singing and dodgy waiters hitting on the blonde girls. I shamed myself by taking part in the Chicken dance.

Some of the people on the bus have been going out drinking every night so far, I dont know how they do it...or how they can afford it. And the early starts must be great fun for them.

Backtracking a bit, on Thursday night we drove up to Monaco for a really nice group dinner and walk around town. Its an amazing place, and so quiet and clean. Lotsa fancy cars all over the place - like a James Bond movie. We went to the casino as well and won ourselves 30 Euro (about $1000 NZ dollars...) on the roulette. I bet double on 11 and got it. And Abbey picked 9. So we came out of there doing well.

I think thats all for now. Better go and have a quick walk around town and get back on the bus.

Talk later
Jon and Abbey

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Comments

[Dad]

Hi Guys from a holiday monday
Having said that, it's windy, cloudy and cold...so might as well be at work! So a couple of sports updates...Wellington lost to Auckland 23-14. Very disappointing really, but Auckland deserved to win, so will take it on the chin....and...no complaints about the ref!!! You will know by now that the Springboks won the world cup...however England showed all and sundry how to go about winning major tournaments...you can be flashy and show pony as much as you like, but at the end of the day, you guts it out take the points and mostly win the big ones! Phoeniz lost 2-1 (losing goal in the 90th minute, against the comp leaders...so Stuart reckons it was a great weekend all round. Mum is still sick (sigh!!), seems to have gone on forever. Well done at Monaco...I am sure lots before you have gone and lost...sounds like a fabulous place...I might retire there!! Well, am sure that Mum will send you a full on information filled newsletter...so carry on having fun! lots of love Dad

[amanda]

hey
Hey yay for winning money!! not much happening here it's long weekend and was bad weather sat but sun and today are beautiful!! Stu Trace tamzin, brad morgan and i are goin to the zoo or staglands yay!! only 2 more sunday dinners to go yay!! see ya soon Amanda