I must have missed the aliens as I was fast asleep all night except for the trains waking me up every 17 minutes. Hmmmm, lovely and refreshed and ready to face the world. Oh god, I've got to face the Milan morning rush hour first though...... Imagine the M25 with everyone blindfolded! I cannot believe that Italians who drive live for very long!

Anyway, I've arrived at a large factory only to be told..... "I think you want the other place on the other side of Milan". He was only joking and seemed quite happy when I took my hands from round his neck. I have to pick up a concrete pumping machine to go with the silo thingy that is miraculously still strapped onto the trailer. The Italian Chuckle Brothers are on hand to load me and after much arm waving..... mosquito's/flies/wasps..... Who knows? We cross through the language barrier and the machine is swinging wildly through the air and onto the back of the trailer. A few more straps and paperwork done it's time to start heading home....... almost. I'm not 100% sure how high the load is so in a typically Italian health & safety style I climb and scrabble my way as far up the shiny and very slippery machine to take some measurements. After trying unsuccessfully a few times and holding on with my teeth at one point I give up and guess. Frejus tunnel is a bit higher than Mont Blanc so let's go that way for a change. You can't beat the scenery. Snow capped mountains, beautiful crystal clear mountain streams and a fat bloke and his bird being intimate in a dangerous way in their car! The life of a lorry driver eh. Up past Lyon and time to stop for the night near Macon. No trains tonight so I'm hoping that I'll get some sleep. No mozzy's either so hopefully I won't look anaemic in the morning either :-) Off to Calais tomorrow then across the water and Northampton bound. Tune in later to find out if the bears are back or if the Stig is really an Italian ice cream van driver...... Ciao :-)