Monday 31st January to Sunday 6th February 2011

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February 7th 2011

Published: February 10th 2011

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31.1.2011 - Monte Carlo

Marina

Monday 31st January to Sunday 6th February 2011..

Monday 31st January 2011
Villeneuve Loubet, France.
Tom still suffering from head cold, so stayed in van while Gaye and Megs went into Monte Carlo.
We walked to the station, 300 metres away, and purchased the tickets. You have to validate the ticket by putting it into the machine before boarding the train as there is no one to collect the tickets at the other end. The train trip is 45 minutes. If you don't validate them and a train inspector comes along to check them - you will be heavily fined.
When we arrived at Monte Carlo we just followed the crowd to the exit. It was along a long corridor and then up to road in a lift.
Luckily the campsite had maps of Monte Carlo, so we walked towards the tourist information office. On the way there, we came to the hill looking down towards the Casino, so we took some photos, as the gardens in front of it were quite magnificent.
After the tourist information office, we headed to a patisserie, where we indulged in coffee and some really nice sweets. Yum.
Then we wandered off towards the

31.1.2011 - Monte Carlo

Megan in front of Palace

Palace, looking at some shops along the way. There was the changing of the guards at 11.55am, so we headed for that. It was quite uneventful. There was no band playing, which the brochures portrayed. There was still a crowd watching even though it is not tourist season. Megan did some shopping for tourist mementoes , then we went to the shopping centre. The tourist lady said it was a large shopping centre but it was no bigger than 1.5 times Bay Village. Disappointing.
Nothing purchased, we got the bus back to the train station and then home.
Tom was up and about. Megan went to have a sauna and spa.

Tuesday 1st February 2011
Slept in today. Tom chatted to a couple from Germany whom he had spotted with bicycles. They stay at this caravan site every year for 3 months to escape the cold at their home. They knew all the roads to ride on up in the mountains.
We all headed into Monte Carlo about 2pm to do the bus tour around the city.
On the way to the bus we walked along the Marina, past some large boats. One boat is black with 'London' written

31.1.2011 - Monte Carlo

Casino

on the boat. Megan just stands there and looks in amazement at it – problem was she forgot her resume and there was a crew member onboard.
The bus tour was OK. The driver was very friendly and there was only us on the bus. We hopped off at one of the stops to watch a film on The History of Monte Carlo through the Princes and it went back to the 1200’s. Again we were the only ones there. As Megs said – it was interesting- just. Back on the tour bus and told the driver – the same driver as before – that we were going to the Casino for dinner – so as he was the last bus for the day, he took us past his finish point and dropped us off in front of the Casino.
So into the Casino. The first one in Monte Carlo from about 1800 ? They charged €10 just to go in and look – so in we go and Gaye has €10 on pokies – and then we had the €40 a head smorgasbord. That included drinks as well. The Maitre de was friendly and had a son in London

1.2.2011 - Monte Carlo

In front of Casino after dinner

doing hospitality, so we chatted to him. Finished dinner and wandered back to the station and took the train home.

Wednesday 2nd February 2011
Rest day. Gaye and Megan went for a walk with the mail to post and then a walk around the Marina. Picked up a few more groceries along the way.
When they got back they went and had a sauna and a spa. Tom’s turn to cook dinner.

Thursday 3rd February 2011
In the caravan park they have a commercial car VAC, so after we packed up, Tom drove it there and cleaned it out. Gaye very happy as has been wanting to do it for ages. Paid our money and we were off.
When programming the TomTom, the trip to the next campsite was going to take 7.5 hours or if we went by toll way it was going to take only 3 hours. So we went by toll way as we didn’t want to waste the day when nothing was planned along the trip. It still took 4 hours with stopping for lunch etc.
Near the end of the trip there was road works, so told TomTom to recalculate – extra 8kms

2.2.2011 - Villeneuve Loubet Beach

Just down from the campsite - looking back to the snow capped mountains

but on a winding narrow and sometimes dirt road – at least downhill on worst part. Megan was nervous at first, then got out the movie camera and filmed it. Gaye was in the back seat and just sat there a little worried.
A few times we came across locals and they looked a little bemused by us, but we made it. Then we went through tunnel in the hill to campsite – then literally a hole inside of the tunnel was the entry to the campsite – any closer to the water and you would be in it. Great site – but – a 40 minute walk back to the train station of Moneglia (which we could see from our site) and no way could you do it at night. Tom asked about a taxi home from the other town up the road – no way – it was winter time.
So we decided to leave early in the morning to find another campsite that is more convenient to transport.

Friday 4th February 2011.
Well we were up early and left the campsite. To leave it we had to wait until the lights turned green and then Tom

4.2.2011 - Moneglia

Looking back towards road tunnel

gunned the van into the tunnel as we had to make sure we were ahead of the other cars coming along. Into the next town of Moneglia, Gaye went into the tourist information office and asked about any campsites open along the way. She said the next one along the road was open so off we go. It was also entry via a hole in the tunnel. They were closed as they were having problems with the water system, so we had to back out as there was nowhere to turn around. Tom backs up and we wait for the green light – off we go again. 700 metres of black narrow tunnel and out into the sun – blinded and then back into another tunnel and out. We pull over and program the TomTom for the next camp site. We decide not to go via the toll road as the scenery is so lovely - the climbs and descents on narrow road, which the buses and trucks use are a bit nervy, but we're lucky as we only came across them when the road was straight. We got lots of funny looks from the locals – we guess they

5.2.2011 - Cinque Terre - Riomaggiore

View of the Via Dell'Amore walk along cliffs towards Manarola (3km)

don’t get too many motorhomes along here.
We found the campsite called ‘Aqua Dolce’ in Lavento. A beautiful town and campsite – the new part of town was built in the 1500’s.
Another small van comes in and then a young couple come over to say hi – they had seen the ‘Aussie’ stickers on the van. Paul and Louise are from Brisbane and have been on the road for 5 months. They go home at the same time as Megan. Their 2 storey house that they had rented out while they were travelling, was caught up in the floods – the water even went to the 2nd storey and they were up on a hill, so the ones in the valley were totally submerged. They have a bit of repair work to do when they get back.
We all went for a walk into town and then went our separate ways. We went to the phone shop to buy a sim for our internet connection and Megan needed to buy a sim for her phone. Whilst there, Gaye was trying to speak her Italian and Tom had said a word or two, then the girl in the shop asks

5.2.2011 - Cinque Terre - Riomaggiore

Megan at entry gate to Via Dell'Amore

Tom if he can speak Italian and he said no and she said that he looked like them.
Wandered around the town for a while and then back to the van for dinner. We will stay here for 3-4 days as it is a good base to explore the Cinque Terre.

Saturday 5th February 2011.
Up and off on the train to Riomaggiore, the furthest southern town of the Cinque Terre group. We then walk back along the coastal walk called ‘Via Dell’Amore’ – the ‘walk of love’ to the next town of Manarola. There were padlocks all along the walk. The padlocks were to signify your love for each other. Then we looked around Manarola. The next part of the coast walk was closed due to dirt slippage, so we went ½ way up the hill through the olive grove on terraced areas –climbed 325 metres - very steep.
On the way up we saw a guy loading new straining posts for the grape vine terraces onto two carts connected to a motor of about 10hp – it had a seat. This was all on an inclinator/vernacular set-up. It was about 100mm wide and 700mm deep with a

5.2.2011 - Cinque Terre -Walk

Lovers seat half way along Via Dell'Amore - with all the padlocks on the rails.

tooth rack underneath. There were quite a few of these set-ups and they ran up and around the terraces – so steep they made the roller coaster at Luna Park seem docile – see photos. We eventually reach the village at 325m ASL and then travelled along ridge to next track and then down to Corniglia. It took 3 hours to do the walk, and by the time of the descent we were tired and Gaye’s knee was shot – so she had to walk down the very long staircase backwards – about 360 steps. This is easier on the knees – we learnt this from Martin – thanks Martin.
So onto train and back to Levanto. We were too tired to cook dinner, so we called into a Pizza shop where you can order slices of pizza and they charge by the weight. We scoffed into those along with a beer, wine and coke. We then ordered 3 different slices of cake to take home to have with a cuppa.
On the walk home we went past a pasta shop – yum – fresh made pasta – bought some carne di ravioli and a sauce to go with it

5.2.2011 - Cinque Terre -Walk

View of walkway on top and the arches of the train tunnel under the walkway

for tomorrow night’s dinner.

Sunday 6th February 2011.
No one wanted to do any strenuous walking today so onto train to Vernazza – a very small and lovely village. Back onto train to Monterosso. When you get off train, you can smell the pizza, a little shop just at the exit. It’s 12noon so Megan shouts us lunch. We wandered along the promenade and then had coffee and cake. Megan called it a day and got the train back to home. Tom and I wandered for a few more hours around the village, in and out of the little back streets. Very picturesque.
We then went into a shop called Enoteca 5 Terre. ‘Enoteca’ shops are specialty wine shops where you can have a taste of the local product before you buy. We bought a dessert wine and a lemon liqueur.
Back on train and home. As were coming into campsite, Paul and Louise were coming in. They had just done the 3 hour walk that we had done yesterday. Megan happy as there is someone else to talk to other than us !! Dinner of carne di ravioli and watch a movie – nice way to relax and