Just South of Siena

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Back on line again! I have been in Italy for 2 months now. I find it a most frustrating country! I love and hate it with equal passion, for very different reasons. There are some beautiful places, there is lots of free camping in aires, the weather has been kind (but getting cold now) and the people are generally friendly. I dont realy know what makes me want to leave the country, but I am now getting desperate to leave (unless I can find some work here).

My journey has taken me south to Manfradonia (on the lump that sticks out just abouve the heel of Italy. The weather was good and I managed to get some snorkeling in (though there was not much to see). From there, I moved West, across country (stopping in hill towns and getting some good mountain biking in). My next real destination was to be Pompei, however I stopped just before then near Selina. It was here that things started to go wrong. The van had developed a knocking noise on the front suspension (turned out to be a loose bracket, repaired for free by a local garage). Whilst eating some Italian bread, I realised that there was something not quite right in my mouth (turned out to be my lower front tooth had come out - it was a crown and I had swallowed it). there was no pain, however it made me look a little rough. On the same day, my bank card stopped working (turned out to be Barklays fraud squad has switched it off - took me a £10 phone call to get it working again). Just to cheer myself up, I bought a nice Italian jacket.

To get to Pompei, I took the Amalfi coast road (some stunning views and scary bends) and ended up reversing for about a mile up a sinngle track road (dead end, no turning place). Pompei was amazing! Spent the whole day wandering around the ruins and met a very nice couple from York (Mike and Copper) who were camped by me. I took a trip into Nalpes, on the train and walked straight into a fight (Its a scary place!). On my last day there, I took a trip up Mt Vesuvios. Glad I did it, but it was a bit dissappointing (better viewed from a distance or from the air).

Next stop, Rome. Original plan was to meet my daughter there, however, I have decided to go early and get my tooth sorted out. There are lots of bikes in Italy, everywhere I have been, there have been bikes. Not in Rome! Guess it must be too dangerous. Anyway, got my tooth fixed (720euro, of which I should get £250 back from my travel insurance) by an american dentist. Enjojed Rome, but it is very expensive camping and easy to spend lots of money. I managed to drive through the centre of the city, without any real problems, to set up in the canpsite where my daughter and her partner (Jenny and Rog) were joining me for 5 days. We all had a great time, saw most of the sights and had loads to drink.

My next move after dropping them off at the airport was to head for Siena. I stopped about 70km short of this, in a little hill town called Arcidosso, where I have spent the last 5 nights in an aires (no electric etc). Apart from the cold, especially at night) it is a wonderful place (this is what frustrates me about Italy). Wood smoke fires, beatiful scenery, frindly people, narrow and steep streets etc. I could live here!! They have a mountain that I intend to walk up and a whole set of MTB bike trails marked out (tried 1 yesterday).

No questions this entry, Great answer from Ed on the sports question. Unfortunatly, no photos either, as I am on windows 98 and do not have the drivers for my camera in the USB port (will update next time).

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