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Wednesday 22nd June
So here we are in Italy and I have to admit that my first impressions are not good. We managed to find plenty of aires and parking places all through France. Northern Italy does not seem very motorhome friendly. Every aire that we have managed to find has either been closed down, taken over by travellers or is in some tiny fenced off area with no services for which they charge 3 euros an hour. We spent the last two nights in grotty car parks surrounded by large trucks which make a delightful chorus when they set off at four in the morning.
We drove up the east side of Lake Maggiore and stopped for an afternoon dip which was wonderful but otherwise so far, the lakes have been disappointing. Sitting on a boat taking a leisurely cruise up lake Como I am sure is magical, but driving from lake Maggiore to lake Garda via Como is like driving through the worlds largest industrial estate. With more roundabouts than Milton Keynes, large juggernauts and suicidal Italian drivers added to two nights with little sleep, my nerves were beginning to feel a bit rattled. (And yes I did suggest that we use the Autostrada but as I was also hoping to stay on a campsite for the next two nights, I didn't want to push my luck).
We did take a drive up to Bellagio, a place I have always wanted to visit. We were extremely lucky to find somewhere to park and although the town is beautiful it reminded me very much of a ski resort where everything is only open for the season and very expensive. I wonder what it would be like in winter, does anyone actually live there?
Everywhere has been covered in a thick haze for the last two days I am not sure whether it is always like this or if it is pollution. Anyway it all adds to the ambience and makes the place feel more and more like Greater Manchester.
So tonight we have arrived at Lake Garda we have stopped on a campsite (hurrah), done two loads of washing and hung it out so it can get even wetter in the rain. We plan to take the bike out tomorrow to have a look around providing it is not raining too much.
Thursday 23rd June
Out for the day on the bike, visited Lazise which was a pretty walled town. We then took a tour past Movieworld, Gardaland and a Sealife Center and on to Simione which was a bit like Lanzarote where we didn't hang around as you even had to pay to park a motorbike. We will not be sad if we never visit the south end of Lake Garda again. Back to camping to get the washing in before more thunderstorms and a quick swim in the rain. I was so looking forward to visiting the lakes as everyone had told me how beautiful they were. I have come to the conclusion that you need to arrive by plane or coach and then stay in a nice hotel and go everywhere by ferry!

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Comments

[Louise]

You were warned!
I'm sure I warned you about the south end of Lake Garda - theme parks and tourists. Your experiences driving in Italy match our own - there's hardly ever even a layby to stop for lunch. So unlike France, where layby lunching is virtually an art form! I hope your planned cultural visits are less disappointing!

[Mum]

Italian Lakes
Hello both. A bit sad your visit to the lakes has not turned out to be a "wow"! Think your last comment about arriving by coach/plane and using the lake steamers is so true from the accounts we've heard from everyone. Hope the next stops prove more interesting. Thinking of you. Love 'n hugs. XXX P.S. I'm sure Phil did get down the slope super-fast but I bet he needed "bum" rub afterwards, to restore the circulation!