YukonJac
Free Member
After many loooong years of slogging my way through appalling London traffic (operating my little pet services business), I can finally say one good thing about the experience; it gave me guts of iron behind the wheel, which has been invaluable as I fight my way up the Italian Riviera. I have at last escaped the Big Smoke and am now headed for the Etna Smoke.
I'm on my dream gap-year - just me, the Murvi and very importantly, my fabby little dog Murph - love ya Murph (THE best silent back-seat navigator/travelling companion on the entire planet)!!!
I spent a couple of weeks getting this far, firstly eating my way through the French family's orgiastic holiday feasts in Burgundy. I then continued my toll-free obsession to Menton via Castellane (the Route Napoleon) and crossed into Italy there.
The Italian Med coast road is hell and a brutal shock after the wonderful emptiness of French roads, but I'm determined not to pay a toll (for a good while anyway) and have slowly driven the length of it up to here. Yes, the Italians deserve their reputation as the most anarchic, aggressive drivers in Europe, but once I gave up being gobsmacked by their lunacy, it became quite entertaining. I've mostly survived it and am now just outside of Genoa and waiting for tonight's ferry to Palermo - a 21 hour crossing. No regrets avoiding the autostradas - it is all an experience to be had (and a fear to be conquered).
Once you find somewhere safe to park, the dozens of towns and cities of the Ligurian coast are such a delight to explore. Today, it was Arenzano and market day. What luck - but it made me absolutely CURSE an earlier shop at bloody Lidl! No more Lidl!!!! Markets and local shops - support the locals and you will be rewarded with REAL food, most especially in Italy (I say this to myself - shop where you wish of course). Absolutely charming, down-to-earth and inspiring to trawl a bustling Italian market. I went straight back to the van with the wonderful little artichokes I purchased, steamed them and simply melted a little butter with garlic to dip the leaves in - voila! I thought I could drop dead right here, in shivers of ecstasy - but that wouldn't be any fun because it's just the beginning.
Anyway, to all the solo gals (and undecided guys) out there in Funster-land, if you are dreaming about touring Italy but worry about the infamous chaos and facing it alone, I'm doing it the hard way and have been just fine so far - cool head, cool wheels. I had driven the length of Italy and wintered in Greece many years ago - it is all entirely do-able if you are reasonably confident, flexible and well-prepared.
Long post, I know, but bliss is to be shared.
Jacquie
I'm on my dream gap-year - just me, the Murvi and very importantly, my fabby little dog Murph - love ya Murph (THE best silent back-seat navigator/travelling companion on the entire planet)!!!
I spent a couple of weeks getting this far, firstly eating my way through the French family's orgiastic holiday feasts in Burgundy. I then continued my toll-free obsession to Menton via Castellane (the Route Napoleon) and crossed into Italy there.
The Italian Med coast road is hell and a brutal shock after the wonderful emptiness of French roads, but I'm determined not to pay a toll (for a good while anyway) and have slowly driven the length of it up to here. Yes, the Italians deserve their reputation as the most anarchic, aggressive drivers in Europe, but once I gave up being gobsmacked by their lunacy, it became quite entertaining. I've mostly survived it and am now just outside of Genoa and waiting for tonight's ferry to Palermo - a 21 hour crossing. No regrets avoiding the autostradas - it is all an experience to be had (and a fear to be conquered).
Once you find somewhere safe to park, the dozens of towns and cities of the Ligurian coast are such a delight to explore. Today, it was Arenzano and market day. What luck - but it made me absolutely CURSE an earlier shop at bloody Lidl! No more Lidl!!!! Markets and local shops - support the locals and you will be rewarded with REAL food, most especially in Italy (I say this to myself - shop where you wish of course). Absolutely charming, down-to-earth and inspiring to trawl a bustling Italian market. I went straight back to the van with the wonderful little artichokes I purchased, steamed them and simply melted a little butter with garlic to dip the leaves in - voila! I thought I could drop dead right here, in shivers of ecstasy - but that wouldn't be any fun because it's just the beginning.
Anyway, to all the solo gals (and undecided guys) out there in Funster-land, if you are dreaming about touring Italy but worry about the infamous chaos and facing it alone, I'm doing it the hard way and have been just fine so far - cool head, cool wheels. I had driven the length of Italy and wintered in Greece many years ago - it is all entirely do-able if you are reasonably confident, flexible and well-prepared.
Long post, I know, but bliss is to be shared.
Jacquie
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