Over the Strait of Messina into Sicily

After arriving at Tauranea yesterday we visited the archeological site adjoining the campsite. Here we saw this impressive 2000 year old roadway made of gneiss slabs ever so skillfully put together.

View down to the sea from the archeological site.

Today Tuesday 24th April we set out to cross to Sicily. The approach to the straits of Messina became more and more difficult on "ordinary" roads so we finally resorted to the motorway where we stopped in a service area to get this view accross to Sicily.

There was absolute chaos at the ferry port - no proper signs as to where to go - no one directing the traffic and everyone cutting everyone else up! Eventually we got on the ferry - you can see our van right at the front during the crossing to Sicily.

When we got over to Sicily things went from bad to worse. Again trying to drive on "ordinary" roads we found the conditions very difficult indeed and again resorted to the motorway.

Eventually and with not too much help from our sat nav Tomasina (the Tom Tom) we found our way to an aire at Giardini Naxos on the way from Messina to Catania. A cloud of volcanic ash from Mount Etna had descended on the town that morning and everybody was frantically sweeping up. Here's some of it on the bonnet of a parked car.

Giardini Naxos is a nice little town with a pretty harbour and views across the bay to grocksville! (Taormina)

Today was the first really hard bit of travelling we've had on the trip so far and we're a bit freaked out by all this. We nearly managed to get locked in the archeological park here this evening when Ann thought it was 5.15, it really was 6.15 and the park closed at 6.30! We made it to the exit with 5 minutes to spare!

Through Campania and into Calabria - the deep south of Italy

On Friday 20th April we took the motorway through Naples which ran close to the volcano Vesuvius - unfortunately the cloud was down and this was about the best view we got.

We stayed the night in a car park right by the sea in Marina di Camarota, Campania.

Here's a general view of the town just as it was getting dark. Marina di Camerota is a maze of small streets, mostly with only pedestrian access.

On Saturday 21st April we crossed into Calabria, mainland Italy's most southerly region. The scenary was very spectacular with the road winding its way along the side of gigantic sea cliffs.

It was a long way down from the road to the sea on this bit. We met 3 italian men in a landrover with mountain bikes here and had a good chat.

We stayed at an aire at Cirilla, Calabria and were parked only yards from the quite rough sea. This is the beach just in front of where we were parked.

There is a ruined village on a hill top just behind the town of Cirilla.

Parked among the Tamarisk trees on the aire in Cirella.

Yesterday Sunday 22nd April we stayed in a car park at Gizzeria Lido, Calabria. This is a real one horse village with no one around when we arrived about lunchtime. However at about 4.00 p.m. hordes of people arrived and started promenading up and down the sea front - a sunday afternoon ritual? Here I am on the beach at Gizzeria.

Close to the village of Gizzeria Lido a river flows through lakes into the sea.

A nice flowering tree in Gizzeria.

Today Monday 23rd April, we have come further south to Taureana di Palmi. We are at 38 degrees north now which is way down south. We are for the first time on this whole trip stopped on a proper camp site with mains electricity, decent wifi showers etc etc. Here we are parked among the eucalyptus trees.

South along the west coast of Italy

On Friday 13th April we left Casale Monferrato and travelled south to Genoa where we saw this interesting old ship.

We stayed the night of 13th April on the shores of the Med just outside the village of San Rocco in Liguria.

The Aire at San Rocco.

On Saturday 14th April we travelled east into the mountains of Tuscany and stayed at Equi Terme where there were (not very) hot springs, marble quarries and this impressive limestone gorge.

On Sunday 15th April we visited Pisa and marvelled at it's famous leaning tower!

This tower is really something else.

We stayed that night at Marina de Cecina where we got to go to the beach for the first time on this trip.

On Monday 16th April we stayed at Marina di Grosseto - beautiful pine woods leading down to the Med.

 

As well as pines there are also a lot of palm trees round here

On Tuesday 17th April we were on the coast just west of Rome at Ladispoli where there is this interesting ruined tower on the beach.

Wednesday 18th April saw us at Latina just south of Rome which is a big kite surfing venue from all appearances! We stayed in a car park just back from the beach. There was a huge thunderstorm in the night.

Today Thursday 19th April we moved on to Bacoli, just north of Naples were we visited this castle.

Surfing is very popular round here.



One of many great views from the castle. You can see the volcano Vesuvius which engulfed Pompei 2000 years ago from here. Also you can see down to the Amalfi Coast.

From France through Switzerland and into Italy

We decided not to stay in Langres on Sunday 8th April so we found this wooded aire nearby.

This sign at the aire's toilet waste disposal facility shows why a little knowledge of a foreign language can be a dangerous thing! (The container toilet waste is stored in on a campervan/motorhome is called a cassette. The translater of this had obviously referred to a french - english dictionary and found cassette tapes!)

On Monday 9th April we journeyed further south and stayed at this aire with a lake view at St Point Lac just south of Pontarlier and very near to the Swiss border.

In the morning of Tuesday 10th April we visited the source of the river Doubs which was close by. Amazing - a large river flows straight out of a cave in the mountainside!

Shortly afterwards we crossed into Switzerland and were greeted by an absolutely mindblowing sight of the main chain of the alps stretching from horizon to horizon as we descended from the Jura into the valley of Lake Geneva.

We stayed the night of Tuesday 10th April at the swiss village of Gryon which is not far past the flesh pots of Lausanne and Montreux which we passed through as quickly as we could. Lots of people with lots of money etc. etc.

When we woke up on Wednesday morning about 15 cms of snow had fallen over night which completely transformed the scene.

Our van on the aire at Gryon Wednesday 11th April.

The road down to the valley from Gryon was reasonable clear so we headed down to Martigny and then on to Brig where we found out the the Simplon Pass over to Italy was only negotiable with snow chains or studded tyres so we booked onto the railway shuttle through the Simplon Tunnel. Cost 22 Swiss Francs - not sure how much this is in pounds or euros but it sure beat getting stuck in a blizzard on a high alpine pass.

We stayed the night of Wednesday 11th April in a car park in the italian village of Feriolo on the very shore of Lake Maggiore. Here's a pic of the village.

Today Thursday 12th April we continued south from Feriolo across the plains of Piedemont through the rice growing area of Italy.
  

Tonight we are staying in the interesting town of Casale Monferrato. We are parked right next to the Castle.

Casale street scene. And below - inside Casale Cathedral.

Getting to France and starting to travel south

On Wednesday 4th April we left Kerry and Gareth's and got on a ferry in Dover.

We shortly arrived at Calais and got on our way.

We soon arrived at the attractive northern french town of Cassel and parked on the town's aire. Here's a view of the town centre.

Ann appears to pass judgement on the stature of the local hero Marshal Foch who led the french forces round here in the futile mass slaughter of the first world war just under 100 years ago.

Apparently there were many windmills in Cassel until recently. This is the last remaining.

On Thursday 5th April we left Cassel and travelled south east to Laon passing many many first world war military cemetaries which serve as a reminder of the absolute futility of it all. I don't think anyone really knows what the war was about or how many millions died.

Laon has a very impressive cathedral - here's a view inside. We spent the night in a car park in the centre of town with a very nice view and no parking chrges!

We took this picture as we were leaving Laon on Friday 6th April showing it's location on a high ridge above the plains.

South from Laon we came into the Champagne region - there were vinyards everywhere.

We stayed Friday night at the aire in Ay which by a strange coincidence is twinned with Newton Abbot!




The Aire at Ay from the other side of the canal

On Saturday 7th April we continued south to Froncles in the valley of the Marne. Good walk between the river Marne and the champagne to burgundy canal.

We stayed at the aire at Froncles and for the first time in France paid for our accommodation 1.50 euros!

Today Sunday 8th April we continued south to the beautiful walled town of Langres. Here's Ann on the town walls. We're parked here in the free car park next to the tourist office and I'm using their excellent wifi for this post. Sorry not to have posted earlier but this is the fist decent wifi I've found!