the journey continues

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Bonjour Mon Ami and how are you all today? At last an addition to the blog! Sorry for delay-impossible finding anywhere! So now where was I? Florence was interesting as we stayed in the youth hostel and visitied the local rugby club to watch the Wales match and got lost on the way home! Met the local Italian IRB referee assessor and had a great afternoon with Kevin the only welsh man watching - and they were all routing for Fiji! anyway then we decided to give Venice a miss-too much travelling or a few hours in the place so we headed for Pisa. found a lovely family hotel near the station - saw the leaning tower but decided not to go up- 15 Euros and very hot there so decided the appeal is in seeing it from the outside. Then on to what we thought would be three nights in Vernazza in the Cinque Terre area - well we almost went there but happened to look at the booking and realised it was in the south of Italy! Little feau pas! Anyway then we managed to get a hotel in La Specia and the next day decided to give the cinque terre walk a whirl.Wear sensible shoes and this is a mountain hike read the signs as we approached - they were right. It was a five hour hike between the 5 towns, best to get the train to the end and do the difficult steps and ups and downs first. It is a trail created to service the vineyards they have got in the hills surrounded by 7000kms of dry stone walls, so they go up and down again. Beautiful scenery with the towns nestled onto the hillsides. Beautiful. Next we went to Marsailes and Toulon in France. arrived toulon, got bus to the suburbs where the hotel was - well that's what we thought - to find ourselves marooned. a lovely ederly lady helped and andother lady involved the police as we couldn't get a tax. In the end we had two! got to the hotel and had two full days of rugby. Nearly to hours travel both ways to attend the games but worth it. great atmosphere - England won! And when france beat New Zealand Toulon went nuts!!! Cars beeping horns waving flags and general riot broke out! Anyway (still awake?) we left Toulon and arrived Narbonne and have had a great day exploring the countryside with Sandra and Sav who live here some of the year. Had some fantastic food. Pizza and bruschetta, fish and salad nicoisse and the French cheese is amazing! Having Roquefort tonight . Sandra is a maarvellous cook and Sav a wine conossieur so life is great! Off to St Emillion tomorrow for a couple of days and then to Paris. Missing you all but wondering where the time is going! We are over half way now so we know it will come to an end but are happy and healthyn and loving it all. Love to you all and will get to this again asaPxxxxxxxxxxx

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