Up and Over

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Up up and over today - went through 2 passes - one at 7400 ft and the St. Gothard at about 7000 before we arrived in Lugano. Loads of great pictures - the kids playing in the snow, mountain ranges higher than Pilatus which we went up yesterday. The Range Rover absolutely purred up and down the mountains - it was like it was a place it wanted to be! Seeing as we drove it up and dwon 2 passes both higher than Mt. Pilatus it did really well. Stayed in Lugano overnight - briefly crossed into Italy and then back into Switzerland - Eleanor and Matthew went swimming in the lake - Eleanor after falling in after paddling... Lugano very nice - but strange Swiss/Italian cross so I'm not sure it nows what it wants to be! Hotel was very sort of Novotel ish and not very cheap - but breakfast was good particularly the coffee!

Tuesday 28th July 2009

- left Lugano at about 10.00 am. and headed for Venice - which was via Milan and then the A4 - the temperature which has been 25 to 26 degrees steadily rose and rose - hitting 32 degrees C on some points of the A4 (which has to be a Roman Road as it runs straight across the country...) As we crossed into Italy a rendition of "Just the One Cornetto" broke out from the back of the car. Arrived at the Lido di Jesolo at about 14:30 - found a hotel and booked in for 3 nights. As it was baking the kids were in the sea almost before we had made the room! We were all in the sea and stayed in for well over an hour. After that we went to a supermarket and picked up some supplies and then went out for a meal - which was about half the price of meals in Switzerland.

Back to the hotel - sorted out the free Internet access and then watched a bit of TV while the kids caught up with their emails etc.

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