Golfo e Palme Diano Marina

... instead of 7am as the plan was to go for a hike to an old church and castle and then go for a run along the promonade. Plans are a wonderful thing. We didn't make it out of bed until after 8.30am.

Had to stop into our local bar for our morning cupuccio - greeted like old friends. The hike took us through the village and to the hills above which were covered in olive trees. It was great to get the heart pumping ...

We continued along the coast road looking for a spot for the night. Traffic was horresdous and very slow going. I wanted to turn around and head back into France. Kim on the other hand was all smiles as she loves Italy. Finally found one in the cute little fishing village of Riva Ligure ...

After brekkie it was onto Menton which is a lovely little town just before the Italian border. Menton is a much more down to earth place than its neighbours and more our scene. We found a park right on the beach and went for a wander and took in sum much needed sun. Next stop Italia!!

Ho tergiversato tutta l'estate con in mano le guide del Messico, leggevo qua e là senza mettere insieme le informazioni, ma ormai il viaggio è alle porte ed ho dovuto trasformare i pensieri in prenotazioni, e non solo. Così in un attimo ci siamo attivati per le vaccinazioni e la patente ...

... we turn misfortune to our advantage - literally! -by a simple swivel of the seat. Lunch is brought forward and consumed to envy and applause by fellow jammees!
We resume without further incident, and make the miles with time to spare for light aperos before evening meal.

27 giorni alla partenza!!
Devo ammettere che ero molto più entusiasta di organizzare il viaggio in Sudafrica, anche perchè Adam mi aiutava e mi suggeriva soluzioni.
Comunque siamo a buon punto anche per questa vacanza.
Arrivo a Città del Messico il 16 ottobre, il 17 voliamo a Tapachula (la perla del Soconusco) e poi ci muoveremo in bus fino a Merida, dove vorrei arrivare il 24 ottobre. Da Tapachula ci ...

... in obscure little town, Ceriale, with camping hard to find, down a very unlikely tight, twisting road around veg and vine plots... but turns out to be sweet. Run by two gay Dutch ladies, one of whom tows the caravans in on her little tractor. Lyn forces entire German contingent to smile. Big success!

... the window, you better get up, I want a window set with my daughter. I literally thought she would explode because she was so red and so angry that she almost picked us up physically and through us out of our seats. She grabbed my ticket on my little tray and started waving it in my face. Mind you, this is all happening in Italian and very fast. They she wanted us to move our luggage off ...

Everyday I'm on this trip I think it cannot get any better but the last two days I've been on the Italian Riveria and this has eclipsed everything I've done and seen so far. This is the place that you see on calendars where there are little fishing villages hanging to the rock face and blue dinghys in the small harbour. It is absolutely amazing and I'm definitely coming back here ...

I was on my way from Rome to Barcelona by train. On the border between Italy and France, the train workers went on strike and stranded about 12 travelers including myself at 2AM. We got off the train, and as we waited for taxis to take us across the border these 12 strangers (many of whom didn't speak common languages) pulled out whatever they had in their backpacks (candies, food, drink, trinkets) and everyone shared what they could with everyone else.

San Remo, Liguria, Italy anacristina