Tuesday 1st May (Rest day Bergamo)
Not the best of rest days. Everything was closed since it was a bank holiday so I did not see much. It rained a bit as well so not that good for walking around. I spent most of the day sorting out the web site due to lots of problems with internet access at the hostel and not being able to use USB at the cafe. Not going to talk about. I still have nightmares about that 6 hours of my life to get that post sorted.
I also got through a third of my new book as well. That is good going for some one who usually whatches films instead.
Wenesday 2nd May (Day 40)
A very wet day, I got soaked. I did not like the roads because they were very busy with lots of spray from the lorries that were going past. I was starting to get concerned for my own personal safety so I eventually found a route through some nicer country roads.
But that was not the end of it because I then had a puncher on my front wheel. So I stopped to change it.
As I did I put the tyre down in some dog poo which I was most unhappy about (If you look carefully where my front wheel is resting against the wall, at the base of the wall by the grass you can see a little light brown patch). So I had to clean that as best I could before I tried to put the tyre back on. I had just about finished when I heard a hissing sound. I had caused another puntcher by pinching the inner tube with my tyre levels. I was cold, wet, tired and in pain with a bad tooth ache at this point so I let out some very rude words. But fortunatly I always carry 2 innertubes spair thanks to a lesson I learnt when I was on a trans Devon bike ride with Nigel and Chris (See an earilier post).I had a good end to the day because I found a preety sweet camp site over looking Largo di Garda.
Thursday 3rd May (Day 41)Nothing much to report from this day really. Weather was ok so no worries there. Passed a couple of nice places on the way. The highlight being this field.
Best bit of the day was the camp site that I stayed at. It was ran by this couple who I think are the Italian version of the good life. There was no one else at the camp site so it was just me in my tent. I ended up sitting down in the kitchen with the lady and she gave me a glass of wine. So didn't speak any English but from what I gathered they grow their own grapes and lots of other fruits and press lots of different wines, so it was good sampling that. They also had a small lake at the back of their land so I was alowed to walk through their vine yard, along a path through some woodland to get to the lake. A magical little spot for an evening of contemplation.
Friday 4th May (Day 42)A very, very, very wet day. I was soaked before I finished putting the tent away in the morning. I then dried, then it rained again and I got soaked. Then I partually dried so I was mildly moist. Then is rained again, but this time so hard that the impacts of the droplets caused water to splash up as well. So I got very wet again. The ride was about 30km longer than it needed to be. I missed a turn and in the afternoon when it was raining heaviest I sought for the miner roads because the main one was to dodgy with the traffic.
I did not make it to Venice like I hoped, but that turned out for the best since I would not of been alowed on with the bike. I found a camp site just across the water from Venice on the mainland. A place called Fusina. Quite a lively little place, there were lots of Kiwi's, Australian's and Canadian's staying here on a coach tour. So after a few beers I joined in.
Saturday 5th & Sunday 6th (Rest days in Venice)Boy did I feel like what I put my tyre down in on Saturday morning. My body did like movement and I was close to throwing up on several occassions. So I stayed in bed till 11. Now the thing about this trip is that it is quite healthy and I am not drinking much alcohol at all. So when nights like this come along and I get carried away, I get the hang over from hell the next day. Good thing though, it seemed to cure the major tooth ache of the past 3 days. I eventually got into Venice via the mid day ferry. The fresh air and the breeze did me good as I sat out on deck. But I could not get my head around all the crowds of people in the city for a bit and I could swear that the pavement was wobbling up and down slightly that was sending me off balance, but I think it was just my lack of spactial awareness. The graet thing about Venice is the contrasts (Do not worry, not another one of those photo's). From crowds of people in San Marco's Square,
to empty side streets where you are the only person.
Here are some other cool shots that I have got in the past couple of days.
The plan now, one last morning in Venice (I will be sorry to leave because I really like it) then hit the road and head for Slovenia where I should cross the boarder some time on Tuesday.
Cheers, I'll keep you posted.
