Last night it was very cold indeed in our van in the car park in Sulmona. We kept the hot water switched on throughout the night to protect the boiler from frost damage. In the morning ice had formed on the inside of both our single glazed and double glazed windows. More snow had fallen in the night and it was drifting. Just as we were getting up the gas cylinder we had been using ran out. I got dressed and went out and changed the gas cylinders. I decided it was now or never if we were ever going to get out of this car park. With Ann's help I managed to fit the snow chains to the front wheels of the van. It was very difficult as the van was in half metre deep snow and I'd never fitted snow chains onto a vehicle before in my life. After fitting the snow chains, to my absolute amazement, I was able to drive the van through the deep snow and out onto the very snowy road. As I mentioned yesterday the plan was to head to the Adriatic coast where it would probably be warmer. Driving conditions initially were very difficult indeed as you can see from the above picture. It was very hard to see what was road and what was verge or roundabout island. Eventually we got out of Sulmona and onto the main route 17 which had been cleared of snow. We stopped and took off the snow chains.

Eventually we got onto the A25 autostrada towards Pescara on the coast. As we entered the motorway system the barrier was up where you would normally collect a ticket so we drove through and onto the motorway. We stopped on the motorway to refill our gas cylinders. As we approached Pescara on the coast there was still lots of snow about so we turned south onto the A14 motorway towards Bari. We came off the motorway south of Pescara where there was hardly any snow. At the toll booth I tried to explain that the barrier had been open at Sulmona so I didn't have a ticket. I speak no Italian and the toll booth person spoke no English so I paid 8.70 euros and went through having been handed what I assumed to be a receipt. Later on closer examination it turned out to be a penalty ticket for 76.80 euros for not having a ticket in the motorway system. The actual bill is for 68.10 euros as I had already paid the 8.70 euro toll! If they follow this up I'm going to try to appeal and in the meantime I'm not paying anything more!

We are stopped for the night in a car park by the Adriatic at Torino di Sangro. It's blowing a gale and sleeting from time to time but it is definitely not freezing here and the snow and ice on the van is melting. Here's our sea view. I must say this isn't  my image of the Med!

The local palm trees don't look too happy in this weather.

Here's another view from our van. I guess this photo might feature well in a competition for the best shot of a really really off season holiday resort.

Despite the nasty weather Ann has been out and about with the camera this afternoon at Torino di Sangro. Here's a log on the beach.

And here's an off season play park in a state of mild dilapidation.

And here's one final look at the sunny Mediterranean before it gets dark. On the off chance that anyone is following this blog could I please take this opportunity to wish you a happy new year?