Umbertide , Umbria Italy 27 June - 4th July On the trip north from Rome to Umbertide we struck a huge thunderstorm - poor Vladimir (our awesome Volvo car) looked like he was swimming at one stage. This was to be a sign of things to come for the week as I think we had thunderstorms just about every afternoon. We found our wee town house in Umbertide it was 4 metres wide by 10 metres long and 4 stories high. and just lovely with a little verandah looking out tow...

Visited the Paestum Archaeological site. Founded in 6th century BC by the Greeks Paestum, first called Posiedonia after the Greek God Posiedon, was one of the biggest cities of the Mediterranean. It is over 2000 years old!! It cool to see the well-laid out streets with housing areas and temples and public sporting areas - bathing, amphitheatres etc. The temples were incredibly well preserved and very impressive. Then we took a drive to a sea-side village it w...

Cinque Terre!! 12/06/09-14/06/09 We arrived in the Cinque Terre from France, We had driven through Nice, Cannes and a small country called Monaco. This country has one city called Monte-Carlo and the whole country is run by a very rich family, lucky them! The water around it was home to many expensive super yachts and we could see quite a few mansions!! Continued driving into Italy then on to the motorway which was a view of tunnel, bridge, tunnel, bridge. We g...

France!!!! 2/06/09-12/06/09 Aix les Bains: We drove from Switzerland to this town on the lakefront. We walked round the waterfront at night and then the next day we walked into the town for sunscreen and food! =] After 3 or so hours in the heat we went back for a swim in the lake and relaxed. Next day we left. We drove for a while till lunch where we stopped at a table then walked round a pretty little village perched right on the top of some cliffs!! Then drove...

Switzerland! 28/05/09-2/06/09 First night we stayed in Stein am Rhein which is a beautiful little town on the German border we walked round the lake and up to the castle then headed off into the mountains! We now had 3 nights in a Euro camp in Lauterbrunnen, which is in a valley near the biggest mountains in Switzerland and Europe!! ! 1st day we got the cable car to Murren then walked up through snow and rocks to the Schilthorn hut. Liam and Dad then climbed a ...