The olive blossom is falling so fast it looks like snow and the van is covered in fine green dust. Ali chats to an English couple while we wait for them to finish using the service point. They are heading to Greece in an old Hymer. We do our service then check out and head up the winding hill out of town. At the top we pull into a layby for photos. A chap has a stall set up on a Piaggio with parasol, selling hand made wood craft, local liquorice, herbs and c...

We take our time getting up and have a lazy morning before heading into town around 11:00 We pass a few other campsites and sostas, but very few campers actually here yet, then we turn down the road to the harbour and beach. They seem to be more ready for summer here, the hotels have rows of plastic loungers and coloured umbrellas arranged on the golden sand but no residents. All of the verandahs have boxes of geraniums and cactii and everywhere is clean and t...

The wind has gone this morning and the temperature rises quickly. We are ready to go quite early but the ride through town is a series of stop-starts because at every zebra crossing one lane is coned off while half the stripes are being painted. On the outskirts of Manfredonia we find a shopping park and stop at the supermarket. It is enormous and takes Ali ages to find things but we're moving again just after 11:00 Today we are driving around the Gargano pro...

Well if that wasn't a good night's sleep nothing is. Gradually the animals [and humans] stir and make their early morning noises. The bell clanging sheep are driven back out and the guinea fowl have an argument while donkeys bray in the next field. Ali goes to say goodbye and is given a quick tour of the villa and animal pens. Having read about these masserinas only a few days ago it has been a real treat to stay on one. Carovigno is fairly quiet as we drive...

Yesterday when we returned to the sosta another GB van had parked alongside. Its owners told us they were heading to Sicily, so this morning they come over and we swap information as they came down part of our route back. Soon it's like we've know Bob and Hazel much longer than this morning's chat. We have things in common like a shared outlook on the way we like to travel, shared interests in rugby and scrapbooking. At the service point Ali is fascinated by t...