After a great French breakfast on the terrace, we walked around the village to see what it was like. There were some very nice places such as the church backyard, where we saw apricot trees and fig trees. After me and Dad cycled to the local campsite to see if we could use their pool. After being rejected, we cycled back in the baking heat. Because it was so hot, we decided to go to the beach and swim in the sea, which was good fun. At 6:00pm, we went to go and s...

After such a celebratory evening with a late night we were all very glad to be at Kathryn's wonderful French house; not least for the bed! A lovely slow morning with croissants from the local Boulangerie. Katherine's house is in a lovely French village with everything you could want for a taste of rural France: mellow painted houses, plane trees, vineyards and quirky French Tanoy system to communicate all important messages. Really relaxing. Spent the afternoon...

We awoke early, it was warm and sunny, not even dew on the tent, breakfast outside, all dressed and up and away by 9.10, A 71/2 hour journey to Kathryn's according to 'the woman'. Green leafy and lots of flowers round the lake, back past the very mosaicy Villa Crespi, and heading South we soon hit the plane, still very green lots of maize and vines. The autostrade was empty and the Alps could be seen from the North East behind us all the way down to the South....

Today we woke up to big, blue, empty skies and already increasing temperature. We got to the local bus and got off next to the ancient church. We walked down a winding street that goes right into lake Orta. We stood at the end of the jetty and jumped and waved to call over the ferry which goes around the lake. We got off at the town of Orta into a beautiful square. We explored the small shops and had a coffee in the square watching a muscovie (I think that's how ...

Having arrived the previous day from Kandersteg, we decided to have a lazy morning that consisted of having coffee and biscuits and nothing much else!! After lunch, we headed down to town to look around and have an ice cream, which was extremely nice considering the hot weather! In the evening, we decided to go out for a meal, which was easy because the local restaurant was only a short walk. Was great fun and I am looking forward to going into Orta tomorrow!!! ...