Catch up stories

Andrew writing this.

Been a while since we last wrote which is mainly because of the lack of net access - but it has been a hoot of a time.  The last couple of days in Manarola were mainly spent in the Med.  I couldn't believe how warm it was - much warmer even than the pool in Greve!  Manarola didn't have a beach but it had some wonderful natural inlets and coves that were relatively safe for swimming, infact I laughed at Kate coz she basically just jumped in - you do have to love the innocence !! We also jumped on the train and went up to the further most village one day; Monterosso - it was ok but quite commercial/touristy, which Manarola isn't ( and we very much liked that aspect ).  Nearly pooed ourselves when we presented our brought ( and fully paid for) tickets for the train ride to the conducter who said that there was a €50 fine each for 'unvalidated' tickets !!!! We'd purchased the tickets from the train station in Manarola - but absolutely nothing was said about validating them ( although we did wonder what all the wee 'green' machines were around the walls :).  We we 'let off' with a warning - but the service ethic is sadly lacking in many of the places that we've been and this was yet another example - us Kiwi's don't fully appreciate how good we get it on Aoteroa.

The goat track !

I do have to mention that we did set off to the next village - Riomaggiore, as we'd mentioned in the last update - but that was an EPIC fail.  I asked the directions for a local who pointed up a lane. Dear Lord - by the time we'd called it quits we we're scrambling up over boulders and the 'track' was still heading higher.  We got back and subsequently found out that both the 'tourist'  tracks that connect Manarolafrom the other villages had been closed in June !!  We'd been directed to the locals track and it was truly a goat track amongst the olive trees and grape vines.

Packed up and dragged our bags up the hill to the car and set off to France.  Wendy and the girls weren't that fussed on the Cinque Terre - but I loved it - maybe coz I love the sea so much and the seafood spaghetti I had on the first night was absolutely to die for.  Girls on the other hand voted for hot dogs (American version) the next night - enough said.

I love the Italian highways !  Yes, you do need to pay tolls but it is absolutely stress free - two lanes of driving heaven.  Us Kiwis need to get over ourselves and get something similar built.  I was nervous about driving in Europe but basically you just sit in the right hand lane cruising along at around 110 kms (130 in France) and watch the locals absolutely fly by in the other lane.  The trip to Frejus was relatively event free ( with one very notable exception wre I turned right after the GPS and Wendy telling me to go left - added 40 minutes to the trip and cooled the car down quite a bit !!!).  I loved the trip through the north west of Italy, amazing scenery coastline coves and surf, late season sunflower fields etc - fabulous.  That all changed very quickly at the French boarder.  We crossed over to be greeted by torrential rain and even lightening around Monaco and Nice - not only that, but there's seemed to be a toll booth every 20 minutes.  We got safely to our holiday park in Frejus around 4pm only to be told that they didn't have our booking !

It all turned out ok - and i'll write about tomorrow. Today I'm  quite physically in the lap of luxury in St Remy with Jacquie and Steven ( the girls god parents) and it is absolutely wonderful - it's Father's Day and I'm being spoilt rotten - bubbly, a beer or two, a BBQ and a swimming pool !