After a sound nights sleep, we were leaving home about 8.30am, heading for the bus stop and eventually a train to Pompeii. Buried in volcanic ash after Mt Vesuvius erupted in 79AD, the excavation has revealed amazing insights into life for this bustling harbour town 2000 years ago. When archaeologists started to uncover the ruins in the 1800's, before starting a new level, they would first test an area for hollow pockets in the ash/soil. Once located, liquid ...

Time has come to leave Rome. Roberto was good to his word and kept Flavio safe n sound while we were in Rome. Truth is, I don't think he realised the same car had been parked there for a few days.. Our 4 days here has given us a taste of life as a Roman citizen 2000 years ago, while also enjoying modern Rome. I was left wondering why it all ended ? How does a city of 1.5 million people, an organised economy, the river Tiber and Ostia (the largest port in the ...

Up at 6.30am, in order to beat the crowds, we returned to Trevi Fountain about 7.15am . Some glamour pusses had already beaten us there, complete with full makeup, hair done and provocative poses.. At least we managed to get a photo in and throw a coin! It's beginning to dawn on me that things are not always as they are promoted to tourists ! Revelations 101… Take this "skip the line" gig that just about everyone is touting at just about every location… ...

Well the day got off to a wonderful start, we were both up and about by 7.00am. Lauren headed for the gym while I planted myself ocean side and wrote some blog notes. Lauren joined me 45 minutes later and we had a swim before a deluxe breakfast at the hotel. After a couple of hiccups on the road leaving Porto Stefano, namely Lauren getting her Left and Right temporarily confused and trying to send Flavio up a one way street, the wrong way… Actually, I said I ...

Collecting our Fiat Panda about 9.00am, we sat for a few minutes to ponder the way back to our home. Driving on the right hand side of the road, from the left hand side of the car, in peak hour traffic, through the labyrinth of one way streets in Florence weighed heavily on Laurens mind. She is our designated navigator, so the pressure was on ! After a few nervous giggles, we were on our way. I'm happy to say, we made it out of the city like locals, squeezing o...