Venice to Avignon

 Sunday 24th April – A Night At The Opera

At around 5:00am I was awoken by the steady staccato of rain hitting the roof of the camper. When I hopped out of bed a couple of hours later it was still belting down. We are in no hurry as who wants to spend all day in the rain in a city that is already floating on water. At around 9:45 am we headed out for the bus. Of course of all days the bus is running late and I have to buy our one way tickets at the next bus station. When the bus finally arrived the driver informed me that I should have bought my 1.30euro tickets from reception but he could sell me one for 2euro. You live and learn. We arrived at the bus station after the scheduled departure time of the next bus. It had waited but unfortunately we were the only ones without an onward ticket. After purchasing our tickets we waited in the warmth of the very comfortable terminal and were on our way 20 minutes later. When a bus is late the trunk-feeder network always goes to the dogs. The rest of the trip into Venice went without a hassle and we arrived just after midday.

There has been no respite from the rain but the queues for all the major sites are lined with anxious visitors clothed in parkas and ponchos with umbrellas ready to take an eye out. Alice and I went in search of our 165euro hotel, I had to tell you which is located somewhere behind the Basilica. We new that we were close but we could just not find it. Eventually, a friendly waiter pointed us to a door in a back alley which had a very nondescript sign proclaiming that it was the Ca La Bricola 2. After buzzing the door we were let inside and found the manager waiting for us two doors up. He signed us in and showed us our room which I must say is fantastic. Check-in is not for another two hours and the room is not ready however he has kindly allowed us to leave our bag whilst we go out exploring.

After some lunch we decided to purchase a pass for 4 museums around Piazza San Marco. The kind girl thought I might pass for 65 so she sold me a discounted ticket for 12euro. Alice who is forever young had to pay 19euro. We decided to escape the rain and visit the Museo Correr corner which is actually three museums in one. It is situated in the ex-royal palace in St. Marks Square and includes the Napoleonic Wing and the Procuratie Nuove.The first section was the beautifully decorated rooms that have been faithfully restored. The other exhibits were in the Museo Archeologico Nazionale and Sale Monumentall della Biblioteca. I was fascinated by the number of ancient manuscripts and the intricacy of the carved ivory objects. There were whole sections of statues, busts of some noblemen, coins and of course art work. Time was marching on and in the end we sprinted through the last sections giving them only a cursory glance.

We headed back to our hotel through labyrinthine alleyways which exude a unique, almost eerie atmosphere, redolent of cloaked passions and dark secrets. That must be my imagination as we are still dodging puddles and umbrellas. Up in our room we have a couple of hours to relax before heading out to watch a performance of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. First things first, Alice has sent me on a mission to find some Proscecco as she wants to truly relax whist taking a spa bath. And so it goes, happy wife – happy life. The mission was successfully accomplished so I can now relax with a tallie of Birra Moretti with a ham and brie cheese roll.

It is now 8:00pm so we are off for a Night at the Opera (really a Concerto). Unfortunately, The Marx Brothers and Queen will not be present for this performance I the wonderful main hall of the Scuola Grande Di San Teodoro. We have booked tickets (38euro) for the front section but seating is for first come, first served. When we arrived just after eight there was already a good line up but we still managed to snag a seat in the third row. Alice was happy as there were two children in front of her which gave her an uninterrupted view of the stage. The main hall is adorned with paintings from the 17th and 18th century by Bassano, Balestra and Vassilacchi. The concerto began on time and the performers who were all women were dressed in 18th century Venice costumes. The second number that they performed was one of Jemma’s favourite pieces – J. Pachelbel, Canone. She would have loved seeing it performed in such a setting. After the interval the main male artist took the stage to perform Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni. He really was a virtuoso, the speed that his fingers moved over the violin made lightning look like it was standing still. This section took about 45 minutes but the time just flew by. If you have never listened to the Four Seasons by Vivaldi – Do yourself a favour and just do it.

It was a little after 10:00 so we decided to take a walk down to the square and see what it was like without all the people milling around. It was not quite a huge empty place as there were still a few night owls out and about. Over near the Basilica we could see water slowly rising around the outside. The tide had not broken the banks but it appears that the water comes up through the paving stones surrounding the Basilica hence the use of the raised platforms. We finished up a wonderful day that has seen the rain disappear for the present with a glass of wine and late night snack. Very hedonistic!

Monday 25th April – Palazzo Ducale (Doge’s Palace)

After a very sumptuous continental breakfast with excellent coffee we retired to our room to pack our bags for a 10:00 departure. Fortunately, we can leave our bags at reception which gives us some more time to explore. The queue outside the Basilica was quite short so we jumped at the opportunity to go inside. Well that was a waste of time as all we did was go in and out of the two front doors. We did manage to have a quick glimpse of the vaulted ceiling in our two minute visit. It turns out that our visit to Venice did not only coincide with rain but also a long weekend. Today is St. Marks day and the church is closed for holy business.

We have a jump the queue ticket for the Palazzo Ducale so we headed next door for a gander at what was formerly the Doge’s residence and the seat of Venetian government. They say that the Palace is the very symbol of Venice and is a masterpiece of Gothic architecture. The outside of the building is adorned with sculptural decoration from different periods. The interior with works by artists such as Titan, Veronese and Tiepolo covered the walls and ceilings of the many rooms we visited. Alice had a sore neck from continually looking up at all the art work. The different rooms comprised vast council chambers where all legal matters were dealt with as well as delicately- decorated residential apartments. One of the more compelling sites was the link over the Bridge of Sighs to the austere prison cells. The old lothario Casanova was said to have been imprisoned here. It is definitely a site worth visiting and jumping the queue is the way to go.

It was still early and we decided to return to the hotel and ditch our umbrellas as the sun was shining brightly. We started out on the Lonely Planet walking tour which is about six kilometres in length. The walk takes you down a path less travelled and crosses the canals several times. There are a number of small piazzas and less significant churches that you can explore. About half way through our walk the unexpected happened, it started to rain. At first they were just small drops but before long it turned into a downpour. We cut the walk short and headed back to the hotel to retrieve the umbrellas that we had deposited just 45 minutes earlier.

We decided to cut our losses and went for a short walk along the Grand Canal before finding a spot to take lunch. By now I have a reasonable idea on how to navigate my way around so we headed off to the same hole in the wall and had some salad with coffee. Alice decided to try the Aperol which is a sweet but bitter orange drink that is mixed with soda and topped off with an olive. Once again a great place for lunch even if Alice did nearly lose an eye with the olive swizzle stick.

By 2:45pm the rain was still coming down so we decided to call it quits on Venice and catch the ferry back to the campers. Even though we experienced some marvelous sites I was a little disappointed as I felt that there was a lot more we could have seen and done. Curse all long weekends and miserable inclement weather!

Back at the campervan Lilian and Jens were pleased to see the happy Venetians return. We learnt that while we were away that Lilian who is a virgin camper might also be an Irish camper. She was attempting to fill the water tank in Jens’ van with a 10 litre water bucket. She was finding it difficult to fill until she found a hose. After a couple of fills she realized that the hose could actually reach the water tank. The beauty of this story is that when she took the hose around to the tank she continued to fill the bucket and pour that into the van’s large reservoir. A couple of pours later and she had Dur moment and stuck the hose into the tank. Dinner tonight was at the van and the women whipped up a delicious ravioli and salad.

Tuesday 26th April – South To Lucca

We were on the move nice and early and bid our farewells to the Oxley caravan park where there is no toilet paper, hot water, plugs for the sinks or seats in the shower cubicles. I think Lilian will miss sharing the bath room with hairy chested Italian men dressed in terry toweling bathrobes who love to blow dry their hair. Seriously, it was a half reasonable place to stay especially with a tariff of 51euro for four nights. It would have been a good place to stay if you were interested only in the beach. For visiting Venice you need a campground a lot closer than Jesolo is to the ferry terminal.

It was late by the time we left Jesolo as we did some grocery shopping and dropped into a camping store. The tollway beckoned as we are travelling around 350km south past Bologna to Lucca which is in close proximity to Florence. We passed the usual number of trucks as the kilometres sped by. It was difficult to notice but we must have been travelling on a steady incline from Venice. When we were about 100km from Florence the gradient changed and we started going down rather steeply. The scenery improved dramatically and so did the number of tunnels we drove through. When we finally took the Lucca exit we had been on the tollway for about 250km and as a result we had to coff up another 23.50 euro in tolls. I caused a bit of a traffic jam at the toll booth as I could not get my credit card to work. It may have been because I am partially blind without my glasses which snapped on me in Venice. I don’t know what I did or was it divine intervention but the boom gate rose like a drawbridge over a castle moat and we were on our way. It was only another 3km to the camping ground but that was nearly the hardest part. Boy it is difficult to maneuver a large vehicle down narrow streets where cars a parked haphazardly. You just have to hope and pray that nothing as large as yourself is coming from the other direction.

Obviously, we made it to the campground (Il Serchio 25euro) and by 4:30pm we were pretty well set up. Alice is over at the washing machines giving our unmentionables a good and thorough clean. The weather is still quite ordinary and there is a definite chill in the air. The forecast for tomorrow is no better as it looks like more rain is on the way. We are eating in again tonight with hamburgers on the menu and of course the requisite wine and beer.

Wednesday 27th April – The Old Walled Town of Lucca, Tuscany

Although it did not rain with any intensity the wind decided to howl at a rate that would have looked good on the Beaufort scale. When we checked the morning forecast it was indicating a wind of 35kmph. With the wind and the overcast sky it is rather chilly and not a pleasant day to be out walking. In the mid morning Alice and I thought we would take a walk and purchase some supplies for dinner tonight. We walked for a couple of kilometres before giving up and returning to the campground. I did drop into a pharmacy where I purchased some reading glasses with a 3.0 magnification. Hopefully they will do the job and last till the end of the trip. As we neared the campground we saw a local deli and on chance went in to inspect their wares. They had a great selection of meats and condiments which would be good for dinner.

After lunch the weather had improved slightly so we donned our walking shoes and set off for the old city walls of Lucca. It was bout a 1.5km walk from the campground to the Porta S. Donato which is one of the six entrances. With a name like Donato (Ray of busway fame) I expected a grander portal. The brick wall of the city is supported by earthen ramparts and is quite high. The top is reasonably flat and wide enough to allow a gravel road and cycle-way which circumnavigates the old city. Once inside the walls we set off down the well signed alleys and thoroughfares. Many people including tourists were riding bicycles as most of trafficable area is free of automobiles. Our first stop was at Piazza S. Michele. The church which is set in a large square appears to be constructed of white marble and adorned with quite a few statues. Continuing on we reached two more Piazza’s Napoleone and Del Giglio. There is a music festival that is about to occur in Lucca and it is set in old churches. Some of the international acts are Tom Jones, Van Morrison, Lionel Ritchie and Simply Red. I hope they have a good supply of oxygen handy as these guys are all older than me. Next stop was Chiesa di S. Giovaanni which is now an archeological site. I didn’t want to spend the 3euro to look inside however across the piazza I did outlay 4euro to browse through St. Martin’s Cathedral. Unfortunately, the 60m bell tower was being renovated so that was out of bounds for the three of us. There is a small octagonal temple halfway down the left nave that contains the Volto Santo of Lucca. This wooden Crucifix, venerated since the Middle Ages was the symbol of the town and its image appeared on the town coins. Twice a year the Volto Santo is dressed up with very precious religious garments. Along the walls were hung large paintings from the late 1500’s depicting various religious themes. Near one of the tombs of one of the saints and old lady was seated and softly crying.

There was still plenty to see and admire, so we continued winding our way through the alleys until we reached the Torre Guinigi. If you climb to the top of the tower there is a great view of the old town but you are also surrounded by trees that are growing on the roof. The next stop, Piazza Anfiteatro was the highlight for us. This circular square was surrounded by buildings and had a lively atmosphere. The square was partially taken up by a market selling flowers and nursery plants. Along the edges there were a myriad of restaurants selling tempting lunches and drinks. Lilian and I settled on a gelati whilst Alice had a coffee. We visited another piazza before taking a stroll along the wall and then heading back to the campground. A few more walks like today and I will feel less guilty about my lack of exercise.

Prior to dinner I took a stroll to the rear of the campground. There is a pedestrian bridge across the crystal clear Fiume Serchio. This links in with a very long bike trail that can be used to explore the surrounding countryside. Alice whipped up a very tasty spaghetti with olives, salami, sausage and prosciutto.

Thursday 28th April – Fiesole

We are in no hurry this morning as we are heading off to the hillside town of Fiesole which overlooks the city of Firenze (Florence). The campground was in a great location for accessing Lucca but the managers did not do a very good job of keeping the facilities clean. Oh and don’t forget to take your own toilet paper to the loo.

The drive took us back over the same highway for about 50km before branching off towards Florence. The route that the GPS selected ignored the signposted directions for Fiesole and took us on a panoramic tour. The mountainous, windy and narrow road was quite spectacular and we were lucky that we did not encounter too many vehicles, especially large ones. At around 1:00pm we arrived at the Panoramico Camping Village (36euro) which is situated high above the town of Fiesole. Our two sites are absolutely fantastic. We had for want of a better word a panoramic view of the valley and Florence. We can even see the dome of the Cathedral di Santa Maria del Fiore.

After lunch it was a relaxing time just chatting and enjoying the view. Alice meanwhile has been busy working on a strategy for an assault on Florence.

Friday 29th April – It’s All About David

This morning we were greeted with a clear bright blue sky and an impressive view of Florence. We were keen to get going and as a result arrived nice an early at reception to catch the free shuttle down to the main square in Fiesole. I had already purchased our bus tickets (4.7euro for 4 trips) from reception which will make the trip a little easier. From the piazza we caught the good old route 7 that operates on a 20 minute frequency to piazza San Marco in the middle of Florence. From here it was only a five minute walk to the Galleria dell’ Accademia.

Being novices in a city so full of history and art it is difficult to know where to start and what is the best way to secure a ticket to one of the many museums without having to queue for eons. We joined the line for Accademia and even though it was not too long it was hardly moving. In the end I went and purchased some tickets for a 11:15 entry. I was feeling pleased with my purchase but when I returned to Alice and Lilian they were nearly at the front of the queue. So much had happened in such a short time. They were disappointed in my poor decision making and lack of patience. In the end we sauntered off down the road and purchased our tickets for the Duomo.

Eventually we returned to the Accademia and without too long a wait we were inside the gallery. All of the action of course was centred on Michael Angelo’s masterpiece, the sculpture of David. I am not an art buff but even I could appreciate the beauty of this sculpture, after all I was named after him. It would be easy to wax lyrical about the detail that is in the sculpture but I think you all need to take a trip and see it for yourself. The galleria is not that large and after 45 minutes of viewing statues and paintings we called time and headed off for a bite to eat.

 After eating we headed off to Piazza San Giovanni and del Duomo. This large area contains the Baptistery of San Giovanni, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, Giotto’s Bell Tower and Brunelleschi’s Dome. We did not have any priority jump the queue tickets so we joined a rather long line that gave you access to the dome. It took about 35 minutes to reach the front of the line. When we entered through the doors we thought that we were going into a large room but instead we took a sharp left and started heading up a narrow flight of stone stairs. For Lilian the narrow space and the never ending upward spiral was a nightmare. She took a rest in one of the small recesses whilst Alice and I continued on without her. About 200 steps later we reached a narrow platform that wrapped around the base of the dome. From this vantage point we could view the 3,600 square metres of painted surface that illustrate the traditional Catholic belief in a Heaven and Hell. We lingered for a while and then continued upwards for another 250 steps before emerging at the top of the cupola. From this vantage point I think we had the best view of Florence. One can imagine what an imposing sight this must have been in the late 1500’s when visitors approached this great City. With time marching on we headed back down the steps where we hoped to find Lilian. We discovered that she had bravely soldiered on and made it to the Dome which was a great effort.

We still had some time to spare so it was off to the Baptistery which it is believed was once a pagan temple. Beginning in the mid11th century the Baptistery was reconstructed on a larger scale. There is a lot of sculptural decoration but the most amazing is the mosaics in the dome with stories from the book of genesis, Mary and Christ, John the Baptist, Joseph, the Last Judgement and Choirs of Angels. It was easy to sit and reflect in such a great setting.

It was time to start heading back to catch the good old route 7 bus. It must have been peak hour traffic as our bus was running late. The other passengers were not concerned so I guess that it must be a regular occurrence. In the end it was only five minutes late. Our driver gunned it up the windy mountain road and 20 minutes later we disembarked in Fiesole. Some supplies were needed for dinner so we started walking up the hill in search of the supermarket. I took the lead and after a fair walk I turned around and sent the girls back down the hill to catch the shuttle. I continued on all the way up the hill to the campground without even glancing a convenience store.  With my quadriceps burning I reached the campground to find everyone enjoying an afternoon tipple in the sun. It turned out that on the way back down the girls discovered the supermarket opening at 4:00pm. They close for an afternoon siesta.

Saturday 30th April – Uffizi

This is too good to be true as it looks like another beautiful day. To be on the safe side I have thrown in my poncho as a late afternoon shower has been predicted. Once again we had a quick trip into town with the good old number seven. Being a Saturday the traffic and crowds seemed less chaotic that was of course until we reached the Piazza della Signoria. From this square you can access two of the major sights, Palazzo Vecchio and the Galleria degli Uffizi. Also nearby is the Museo Galileo and Museo Gucci. The square itself was a throbbing mass of humanity with a lot of tourists waving their selfie sticks like Harry Potter’s wand endeavouring to have their picture taken next to a massive modern bronze sculpture of a man riding a turtle. It certainly looked spectacular but seemed out of place in this setting.

We continued walking until we reached the Fiume Arno the turgid brown body of water that snakes its way through the heart of Fiernze. The colour of the water did not deter the rowers who pulled with energy to propel the sleek sculls speedily up stream. As we walked towards the Ponte Vecchio which dates back to 1345, I could imagine the Medici’s using the not so secret 16th century passageway, the Corridoio Vasariano above our heads that connected the Palace with the business houses on the bridge. I suppose they really didn’t want to mix with the common folk. These days the bridge is a thriving business area with high end jewelry stores selling gold and diamond accoutrements.

Our booking time for the Uffizi has approached so in we went to view the world’s greatest collection of Renaissance Art. The Uffizi is a handsome palace built between 1560 and 1580 to house government offices. The collection was bequeathed to the city by the Medici family on the condition that it never leaves Florence. With two floors and over 80 rooms there was plenty to hold our attention. From sculptures to works of art by foreign artists such as Raphael and Rembrandt the collection is a treasure trove. Some of my favourites were Botticelli’s masterpiece, The Birth of Venus and Michael Angelo’s Doni Tondi. A recurring theme for the renaissance artists was Mary and Infant and it is interesting how each individual artist portrayed these images on canvas. We spent over two hours wandering around the rooms and could have easily spent more time here.

Back in the square Lilian and I sauntered around the Palazzo Vecchio (sounds like a fruit stall near Stanthorpe) marveling at all the statues. Alice however spent 6euro and 30 minutes browsing through the Gucci Museo. It is a small collection of the goods and fashions that made Gucci an icon and for a fashion aficionado like Alice it is something not to be missed. We still had a valid ticket to visit the Campanile in Piazza del Duomo but after yesterdays climb the 414 steps to the top made the girls go shopping. I decided that it would be worth it as the soaring bell tower rises nearly as high as the dome. As I started up the steps I could feel the burn in my legs but it disappeared as I ascended. The view from the top was worth the effort.

It was time to start heading back and the predicted rain started to spatter the pavement. We had only just jumped on the 3:22pm bus when the rain started to really tumble down. By the time we reached Fiesole it was bucketing down. There was just enough room under the bus shelter to stop us from becoming soaked. Lilian took the 4:00pm shuttle back to camp whilst Alice and I hung around for the store to open. By the time we arrived back at the campground the rain had eased to a drizzle. This allowed us to have a couple of steaks which we cooked on Jens’ little Webber.

Sunday 1st May – Fiesole

It is still overcast but the rain has washed away all the smog and we have a very clear view of Florence. We just hung around the campers for the morning doing the little jobs like clothes washing. After lunch the sun was shining so Alice and I decided to walk down the hill and have a good look around.

The views of the Tuscan countryside from up here are fantastic and obviously the downhill walk did not over tax us. In the town square there was a trash and treasure market happening but there wasn’t much to catch our attention. We took a walk up a steep path to the high point where there is an old church with an attached missionary museum. At one stage the church here had run missions in China and they had a lot of artifacts from that period. There is also a convent where you can look in at the small rooms. Back down in the square we decided not to visit the Etruscan Temple or the Roman Amphitheatre. I bought a beer and a bottle of wine from one of the concession stands that sell a few goods.

My thoughts in visiting Florence is that Fiesole is a great place to stay due to its close proximity to Florence and coupled with great public transport. It has a few restaurants, great views and is far enough away to escape the hustle and bustle of a major City. You could even rent one of the cabins at the Panoramica campground. If you intend to visit for more than 3 days then do yourself a favour and purchase the Firenze card. At 72euro and valid for 72 hours you get to see all the major and minor sights without the hassle of queuing. It even gives you free access to public transport as well as the amphitheatre in Fiesole.

Monday 2nd May – Italian Riviera

Well today we are turning around and heading north to be closer to Denmark. Jens is still not well and is having major troubles with his breathing so it is more prudent that we don’t put his health at risk. I think that the Nav girl is always trying to get us as we had to travel across Florence to reach the same motorway that we came in on.

Once on the motorway the drive became more relaxing and the kilometres just slipped by. The mountains that were surrounding us produce some of the best marble and this was evidenced by the large stockpiles in the yards that were adjacent to the motorway. After lunch we started to see glimpses of the Mediterranean coastline that forms the Italian Riviera. Alice tells me that the views are outstanding. After travelling past Genoa and Savona we exited the motorway 31.5euro lighter. The GPS again took us on a route that would have been better suited to a mini minor. Our abode for this evening is a cheap sand and gravel allotment called the Area Camper and at 13euro a night it is not salubrious. We are however staying in a pretty town called Pietra Ligure.

After a spot of shopping Alice and I took a 500 metre walk to the beachfront. After the inclement weather of yesterday it was a pleasure to stroll along the promenade bathed in warm sunshine. Out on the pier a few of the locals were fishing whilst on the beach they were arranging deck chairs for the coming season and the crowds. Tractors were sifting the sand and spreading it so that it would be perfect. It was such a nice place that we had to take a chair at one of the restaurants that overlooked the water. Our drinks came with a substantial snack which we enjoyed whilst looking out at some of the children who were not quite brave enough to immerse themselves in the briny water. We had to call it quits and we made our way back through the main square where there were a few stallholders selling organic vegetables. I wasn’t game to purchase the unlabelled homemade vino for 3euro. Whilst we were away Lilian and Jens changed her Emirates flight and she will now fly out of Paris instead of Rome. Dinner tonight was going to be at the restaurant which is only a 25metre walk away. It appears that it is closed on a Monday so we had to settle for some Involtini, grilled vegetables and a bottle of Chianti.

Tuesday 3rd May – Avignon, France

After a good day yesterday Jens had a relapse and was not well this morning. We don’t know if he is having an allergic reaction to his surroundings or suffering a chest infection. As a result we are taking our time before hitting the road. One benefit was that Alice and Lilian were able to take a walk down to the beach for a last look at the Italian Riviera.

The drive up to the motorway was much easier than coming down. We took it easy and enjoyed the great views along the Italian coastline. A little over 100km later we paid our last Italian toll (15.5euro) and motored into France and more tolls. Our stress levels went up at the first tollbooth as Jens selected one meant for motorbikes. I blindly followed him in and then realized that there was a suspended barrier with steel weights hanging in front of us. Jens had already gone through and scraped his roof. I had to reverse out of the barrier and enter another booth. Only problem is that they are self service and require a credit card to activate the boom gate. I thought I followed the instructions correctly and when I inserted the card nothing happened. After trying several combinations and pushing all sorts of buttons with no result my stress levels were really up. Meanwhile Jens was motoring on up the freeway as slowly as possible and the French security guards just stood around nonchalantly as if it was an everyday occurrence for an Aussie to block their tollbooth. Eventually, I tried another slot for credit cards and the boom gate rose inviting us to continue our travels into France. I was in such a fluster that I didn’t remember what combination worked. It took about fifteen minutes of frantic freeway driving to catch Jens. I was just starting to relax when another tollbooth loomed in front of us. We didn’t fall for the motorcycle lane trap but I still had trouble with the credit card. On my fourth try the boom gate went up and as my brain was in gear I registered that the correct way to insert the card is the same as putting it into most ATM’s which is nothing like the diagram displayed in the booth. This time Jens was only a few kilometres in front of us and we soon caught up with him. Would you believe it 20km later and another tollbooth loomed in front of us. At this rate I’ll need a heart transplant and an infusion of funds to our bank account. This time however I managed to get the barrier up on my third attempt. With all this action I hardly noticed the beautiful scenery or the cities of Niece and Cannes.

It was close to lunch and we decided to take the next available motorway gas station to replenish our fuel supplies and have a bite to eat in the campers. We could not have picked a worse fuel station as this one was in a state of renovation and space was very tight. It was Jens’ time to suffer the indignity of the credit card as it would not activate the fuel pump. Luckily, I was behind him so he didn’t suffer the sound of horns from frustrated drivers. Alice and Lilian eventually worked it out and after we both filled up we found a space for lunch. Continuing along our way we passed several gas stations that were a bastion of space and serenity.

The motorway continued to take us through an amazing landscape towards Marseille. At one stage I thought we were in the Olgas as the red rock from the mountains had that particular colour when the sun hits it. The wind really picked up and the campers copped quite a buffeting so we reduced our speed down to 90kmph. At around 4:00 we hit the outskirts of Avignon and our last toll for the day. As we approached the campground we had the walled City on one side and the Rhone River on the other. There were plenty of river boats docked at the quay getting ready for the coming tourist season. We are staying at the Camping Le Pont d’ Avignon (22euro) which backs on to the Rhone River. There are plenty of spacious sites and we chose a couple with high hedges to protect us from the wind. After setting up camp the girls went in search of beer and Jens and I relaxed in the sun with the last of the coldies. A simple dinner of soup and bread warmed us up. Now it is time for bed!