buon giorno!

As you maybe can tell we are now in italy on a campsite in the cinque terre (five lands) region above sestri levante. We've just had a swim (wearing our newly acquired obligatory hats) and an apero in the bar and the holiday feels as if it has properly started.

Just as we were heading for the pool we saw two campers arrive - 19 and 46. the lady from 46, cahors, has just stopped by for a chat. This morning we left the campsite at auribeau sur saigne having enjoyed the hot showers but not the nasty niffs which we suspected was the fosse from a chalet behind us. The site had a swimming pool which was great for cooling off in as I got very heated because the gps took us almost to grasse by a very circuitous route. But the 'sanitaires' were very 'propre', the showers hot and I found a socket for my hairdryer as the owner had told me the acsi discount only paid for 4 amps and lou said i'd blow the van! There was meant to be a river near by and we saw it as we toured the site before leaving. Maybe that was the source of the nasty niffs? The drive here was fairly uneventful until we hit genoa. An accident further on had led to a 5km jam so we turned off into genoa looking for cheaper diesel – we baulked at 1.80 a litre. Genoa was chokker and diesel not much cheaper. After one one garage machine spat out my card we risked a 50 euro note and struck oil! :) what we saw of genoa was what I think of as a typical italian city- pastel buildings, flaking stucco, washing hanging outside every window and scooters everywhere. After sitting in traffic for an age we headed back to the autoroute taking a chance the jam had cleared – it had! Lunch in an aire and an arrival here just as the siesta closure had ended! A lovely pitch with it's own sink and fabulous views down to the sea.