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DAY ELEVEN
Time to say goodbye to Tuscany! The day dawned fine, much better to drive when it is fine, it is hard enough driving on the right hand side of the road without pouring rain. We headed off from San Gimi about 9.30 am and it was a great day, lots of blue sky and off we went to Pisa. Yes we got lost again, but only a little bit this time and we still ended up in Pisa. We found a car spot in Pisa, with the help of a Sudanese native and his friend who were hanging around selling tissues! We were a bit worried we might come back to no car, or no luggage but off we went walking anyway. We found our way to the tower and then did all the touristy things like trying to get that great photo of someone holding up the tower or pushing it over. I have decided that I should leave the photography to Pete!! We all decided that apart from the Tower there was nothing else much in Pisa we wanted to see and as we had about another 2 hours of driving (could have been longer based on
our previous experience of getting lost) so we went back to the car which gratefully was still there luggage intact. We drove to Lucca another walled city and sat on the wall with our made rolls and bottle of red wine and enjoyed out picnic lunch. Did not have much time there as we wanted to get onto Levanto. Amazingly we found our way onto the Autostrada and drove the next 90 kms at the safe speed of 120kms or more!! Starting to get the hang of autostrada driving, just move out the way. We finally made it to Levanto at about 3.30pm and were delighted to find out cute little hotel - Hotel Oasi. We have been really lucky so far, all our accommodation has been great. Thanks to Peter's time spent on the oomputer researching destinations before we went. We got settle and went for a walk, buying our train tickets for the next two days. We then sat on the balcony and had a red wine and worked out the plan of action for the next day. We wandered into town and had a meal not the best we have had but ok. When we got back
The top is missing
My great photography skills, should leave it up to Peterto the hotel Peter and Jenny had a limoncello nightcap, Rob and I chose a nice cup of tea! Jenny and Pete had a game of chess and that ended our first night in Levanto.
DAY TWELVE
The day dawned to rain and more rain. But the Gully Travellers went on regardless. Better to be here in the rain, than not here at all we all decided. We caught the train right down to the first village Riomaggiore and walked around here trying to look happy about it! We stopped and had our first coffee for the day, well some of us had coffee, some had to start with a red wine. I will leave you to guess who started with what!! Anyway the rain took pity on us and we went for our first walk from Riomaggiore to Manarola, which was pretty easy and only took about 20 minutes. We came across a little Bar on the way and this time we all stopped for a red wine as this bar was very similar to a favourite of ours in Phuket the Bob Marley bar, which juts out off the side of a cliff overlooking the sea, just
Duomo - Pisa
Robyn taking Pete's photo like this one in Italy. The weather really started to look like it was picking up and we walked through Manarola but the next part of the track had been closed due to bad weather and the prospect of land slides. We walked part of the way until the track was closed and then went back into Manarola for some pizza on the go. We were going to catch the train for the next village but unfortunately it pulled out just as we arrived at the station so it was back to a bar for a drink while we waited the hour for the next one. By the time we caught the train the Gully Travellers were a bit cold and so it was back to the room to warm up and to get ready for a dinner of seafood in Levanto.
Not so many photo's on this blog as the internet here is very slow and would not upload many at a time. But be assured that we have another day in the Cinque Terre tomorrow where we are planning fine weather and lots more photo's. On Thursday we head off for Venice and I have to give
up the car and its train travel for us. Thanks to everyone who has been sending us messages on the blog, its great to have that contact with home, as most times by the time we get back to our room and on the computer you are all asleep!!
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chris malcolm
non-member comment
clark rubber have fun........................
glad to see you guys have your priorities right ..........stopping for red wine !!!!!!! great to see jenny smileing , you must be haveing fun. chris