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 chillis. Ali buys a string of chilli and jar of mountain oregano. As she returns from taking photos he calls and gives us a slice of fresh watermelon.
There are a few twisty miles then we join a better road towards the motorway. The scenery is a big change from recent views; mostly flat with views of the sea and lakes [Lesina and Varano]. Inland fom us are soft rolling mountains with clumps of trees. Further on the land becomes flatter with straw coloured fields, water channels, flowers and vine. It's almost like the stylised bit-of-everything murals and graphics found on some motorhomes.
Then it's 135 miles of toll motorway, mostly not too busy, past the coastal resorts and Pescara. We refuel just before leaving the motorway and are surprised the toll of €17.10 is half what we expected.
Just off the motorway we enter the town of Pedaso and find the camperstop between railway and sports ground, so it's a bit noisy. A Dutch moho comes in but he says they won't stay as there is a no-dogs sign, despite locals walking their hounds through the park. Then we have to move for an impatient truck driver who continues to back towards us while we try to move for him.
This spot isn't doing what it said on the tin so we look for alternatives even if they're not free.
Less than two miles is Sosta Lago Azzuro. From the main road a gravel track leads to a beautiful lake with informal pitches all around its bank and an island in the middle. It's a watercolour painting of its own. A few people are fishing, ducks swim and quack and pampas grass waves in the breeze. And there are goats bleating in a pen and the ocassional splash of a jumping fish. After sunset lights come on around the lakecasting reflections over the water.
Finally able to relax, we end our long day with a steak dinner flavoured with mountain oregano.