A long & busy day...

After a most delicious brekky on the terrace of our beautiful B&B in
Orvieto, we went to visit Bagnoregio on the recommendation of our host. It was well worth the half hour drive. This small village perched on a limestone outcrop is known as the disappearing village. As the limestone erodes, the village is crumbling around the outside. We could see some parts that have been blocked off & what were once people's homes breaking up. But what a gorgeous little place... We had to walk across a bridge which became very steep for the last half... & I mean very steep. This is the only access to the village. There is lots of repair work going on & the only way to get stuff in is via this bridge. They use small trucks about the size of a quad bike... Holds a small amount of gravel & a couple of bags of cement!! Headed back to collect our bags to go to Assisi via Lake Tresimona(??). A quick lunch at 3 pm beside Italy's 4th largest lake... Very blue/green...quite a few hardy souls out swimming & topless sunbathing ... Then 2 hrs drive to reach Assisi... Where we had to call our host for the night to be guided to our accommodation... What a drama... Got the directions but because she spoke so quickly, I couldn't understand the name of the road...so we headed off in what was the wrong direction... Another call & she came to meet us so we could follow her... After a few mms she stopped & told us to stay well back for the next section or would be eating her dust ( her words)
... This we did but she keptlowing down on a very steep drive covered in loose gravel... We lost traction & had quite a few anxious minutes. Anyway the place is lovely... Dry quiet out in the country. Back down the drive for apbely dinner then back for a few drinks then bed. Today we head in to Assisi then ho Ancona to catch our ferry to Split overnight. Hope all are well... Our love to everyone

Some more On Orvieto

Forgot to mention the 55 very deep, narrow stairs going down into one of the caves yesterday...& winding down a very narrow passage...with no windows... Thought of you Georgina & how much you would love it !!! I hope to get back up there this morning to visit a well with many steps down into it. It's nice & cool here at 6.30 am but will warm up quickly

Orvieto

After much tenseness Johnny got us out of Rome with no dramas. Our van is a Ford Transit which seats 9 so we have plenty of room. There was a bit of singing and a little stress when we missed the turn off from the ring road around Rome. That was a good excuse for a stop at One of the services for a coffee and a reconnoitre. Anyway got to Orvieto just after lunch & checked in to our B&B. Very nice & very clean.... Looking out over the valley... Fantastic views. Had to walk 200 metres up a very steep hill to Orvieto...via 4 or 5 escalators as well. Beautiful little town & thankfully not too many tourists around yet. Visited the underground caves.... There are over 1200 of them & we saw 2!!!! A constant temp of 15 deg & they are not connected but can Only be entered via private homes. We have just had a great supper out on the terrace overlooking the valley... It is light til about 9.30 at least. Off to Assisi tomorrow . Doing this on my phone so it' a bit short

A HOT day on the streets of Rome....

Feeling a little weary at the moment...still haven't caught up on all that missed sleep.  Had an early start as we wanted to get to Mass in St Peters Basilica...we had been told every hour from 7.30am.  Decided to go for the 8.30...not many people about in the streets or the Vatican....but they have it permanently set up with all those seats you see on TV & we had to walk miles just to get to the entrance...the boys were behind us & Di decidied to wait for Ron & the boys.  Luckily Lynley & I decided to head on in.  We found a Mass which was halfway through, then were told the 8.30 was in a particular little chapel.  Sat there for 10 mins waiting for it to start...then we were all told it was now cancelled & Mass would now be at 9.00...& in front of the big altar!!!  We were all shepherded along like schoolkids & led through the barrier.  These barriers are everywhere & we discovered the magic word to get past them is to say we want to go to mass.  Anyway, it started late but was lovely...even though it was in Italian, I knew exactly where they were up to just by the rhythm of the prayer they were saying...just the same as in english!!  Unfortunately, we two were the only ones to get to mass....the others had no idea where we were inside & by the time we came out, the queue was right around the square & was doubling back on itself...all the tourist buses had started to arrive!!  John & Rodger were waiting at the bottom of the area where everyone exits...thank goodness.  It's so organised for the tourists now....& has lost some of the "feeling" I rememeber from 30 odd years ago...
Anyway, back to our accommodation for a change of clothes...by now at 10.00am it was already 29 deg.  We decided to do the Hop on Hop off bus tour...it was the most boring I have ever done...hardly any commentary & the traffic was sooooo bad that we barely moved.  Got off before the full tour was over & got some lunch, then Lynley became our guide & we wandered back in this direction...but through the back streets.  It was much nicer & she read out all the points of interest as we went.  Saw the Pantheon, Piazza Navona (?) & Hadrian's tomb....& lots of old buildings.  There were queues everywhere for everything....& summer is only just beginning...
Have had a snooze now & John & some of the others have gone for a walk to see where we collect our van tomorrow...
So next news will be from Orvieto, I hope.
Love to all....

We made it....!!

Flying is just like childbirth...you forget how bad it actually is, until you're in the middle of it & there's no way out but to go the distance!!!  I was stuffed by the time we arrived in Rome...had only managed about 3 or 4 hrs sleep to Dubai. We were amazed at how different Dubai terminal is since we were last here...being new & havein NO arabs sleeping all over the floor everywhere.  John & I were the last to check in for the flight to Rome as we were waiting for the Vintons who had gone off to buy a camera.  The little man ao the check in told us we couldn't fly economy today & the panic began to set in...I could see us being left in Dubai!!  BUt as he handed us our boarding passes with a smile, he told us we could tell our friends we would be in Business class....I thought he was having a joke with us until I looked at the passes...with Business Class printed on them.  That's definitely the way to travel....white cloth tablecloths...chine & glass....silver cutlery...choice of food...cocktails before dinner with a dish of mixed nuts...each....etc' etc' etc!!!!!  PLUS a seat that was nearly horizontal....OMG....how good is Business Class????
Our monastery where we're staying looks across to the dome of St Peters Basilica....very impressive lit up at night...got a photo...but no USB here.  John's nerves are setting in already...he has to drive us out of Rome tomorrow & the trip in from the airport was very hairy...he sat in the front to get a"lesson"...we were travelling at 130 & taking no notice of stop signs, road markings or other road users....indicators & flashing headlights are all that is needed.
Wandered off for a drink & snack before bed....by now it was about midnight...the waiter's father in law lives in Brisbane!!!  Off to Mass in the Basilica at 8.30 am after brekky here..feeling a little more human today....(though the bed is reminiscent of the Nun's pallet!!!!)

Well, tonight's the night.....finally....plus.... ITINERARY for those who've been waiting

Lots of last minute organising...& getting the house tidy to leave behind.  I keep thinking of things to do & getting distracted....don't know that I've actually finished anything I've started either!!  Think I've got my packing done...it's just all those little things you have to remember.

Anyway, here's the itinerary

28-29 May      Rome
30 May          Orvieto
31 May          Assisi
1 June          Ancona for overnight ferry to Split
2-3 June       Split
4-11 June     Yacht around Split & islands
11-12 June   Split  (From now, John & I are by ourselves)
13-14 June   Zagreb
15-17 June   Rovinj, Croatia
18-20 June   Ljubljana, Slovenia  (trip to Lake Bled)
21 June        In Italy (Ravenna/Rimini/San Marino?)
22-23 June   Rome (We rejoin the others here)
24 June        Rome then fly to Dubai in evening
25-26 June   Dubai
27 June        Fly home
28 June        Arrive Brisbane

When I look at it like this, it doesn't look like much, but rest assured, there will be lots packed into that time.

Next blog, hopefully, from Rome

Trialling photo saving....

 Bend in Oregon USA

John & Mark with their new belt buckles!!

This post can be ignored...just having a practice....

Only 6 days to go......

Well, we're at the packing & stressing stage of going away.  Have we got everything we'll need?  You'd think we'd have it down pat by now but I forget....maybe we'll pack too much....will it be cold?   or just cool?...think we should have warm days...it's just those nights that are the problem.  Am going to have a practise putting photos up here before we go, too.