Was absolutely pouring it down early this morning so I went to get my nails done before braving the elements. We walked up the street a bit and then the thunder and lightning and hailstones started. Fortunately we were under cover and George took a video. It didn't last long and now the sun has come out. Just because we didn't get to Monte Carlo didn't stop us wearing our McLaren tee shirts and jackets. Disappointing but safety always comes first ...

Left ship at 8.20 for coach to Florence. Had a coffee then a good wander about. Lots of handbag shops as well as the Duomo etc. Back to the meeting point in time for a slice of pizza each and another coffee and pastry each before our 15.45 meeting time for the return coach.Now over to our shopping reporter - George. The final score in today's shopping fixtureLeather Handbags Athletic 3 Other Shopping City 0. ( 3 scores were disallowed by Shoes, Je...

Up bright eyed and bushy tailed at 6:30am. Light breakfast (for us) just enough to keep us going until mid morning snack in Rome. Catch the shuttle into Civitavecchia at 7:30am where we will board our coach for the drive into Rome at 8am. By 8:20 no sign of the coach and a courier is desperately trying to find out what is amiss. Not helped by 8 impatient tourists pestering her. Turns out we should have been told that the time had changed to 9 and we were joi...