Return to Rome and onto Austria

Friday 26th February, 1982               wet

Sean and I are off into town to ring Tony and Karen.  Sandra is going to fight the elements at the camp with the washing - couldn't get on to Tony - rang Karen.  It was great to hear her voice - everyone is okay.  Tony has been on Mike Walsh show.  Back to Standa to meet Sandra and shop, then home.  We are on the road tomorrow so there are things to be done.

John, Sean and Sandra went up to the bar with Les and Robert the Aussies, for farewell to the staff.  I wrote up the Greece trip.  Rae slept. Steve has changed partners - Rinatti - out Corinna in. 

Saturday 27th February, 1982                  sunny and windy

Washing all blowing in the breeze - dried and in the van by 11:30 a.m. and on the road again to Florence tonight - then on to Venice.  Onto the Autostrata and straight driving - I think we are all glad to be moving.  Bye Roma.

Past Florence with roads covered in snow, hills white with snow.  On to Bologna where we had fun finding the camping area.  Eventually found the road, our garage man took us through in his car - we have found the Italians very helpful - no trouble at all - only to find it was "Chiuso" so up on the Autostrata and to first service station - people were nice.  They gave us hot water for kettle, toilets reasonable, warm water available in hand basin - slept well.  Two Italian vans beside us in a.m. 

Sunday 28th February, 1982

We had a flat tyre - lots of curses - it was very cold.  The boys in the service station were good and helped but to no avail, so pumped it up and on our way with a slow leak - gave John a cap to fit.

Through lots of tunnels and lots of snow the day before.  Road wasn't too bad a little snow lining the hills.  Into Venice and a guarded car park.  Lots of vans there - we lunched, left Sandra to sleep and took off in ferry to Piazza San Marco - it was a thrill to be in Venice chugging along on the ferry.

Mixed feelings on Venice - the canals were dirty.  You can see where the buildings have sunk -water laps the ground floors.  Lovely basilica of St Mark the evangelist in a lovely square with the Ducal Palace where the Doges ruled.

The beautiful church with its sunken floor levels, gold paintings, the clock tower with the two Moors striking the hour, the Campanile with a library and thousands of pigeons.

Venice, Italy

We walked back to Piazzele Roma en route to Rialto Bridge the first part of Venice to be settled and where the bridge crosses the canal at its narrowest point, tiny narrow streets lined with leaning buildings and not much activity for Sunday.  

John and Rae in Venice

Monday 1st March, 1982                sunny

All the security doors were down this a.m. Walking home after collecting mail they were hive of activity - all types of shops and stores - we strolled through market, brought some lunch and home to read mail from Karen, Eileen, Margaret Buss for me - Sean received three, Rae one and Sandra and John a few from Marie, Jan and Pat and Mary.  We had left John home but talk about a cat on a hot tin roof; he had paid and had the car facing the starting line.  We met Jenny and Ian again at the ferry - wondered what had happened to them since Estapona.  No need to worry again they have been to Greece, Israel, Egypt and Yugoslavia. They survived two robberies and a near rape.

Snow on the side of road at sea level - on the road again to Udine.  Tyre fixed - have found Italians really kind and helpful.  After Udine we came upon lots of recently fallen snow -at a lay-by we all hopped out and had a snow fight. 

Decided to continue to Tarvisio then on through the border town Villach.

The campsite is still closed, so found a park outside the kanzelbahn right opposite the railway station - was very cold - 1 1/2 snow lay everywhere.  Kids went mad.

Sky clear, stars out so we were surprised to have rain during the night - ice lay on the ground after light snowfall.  We were beside the Ossiache Sea - a frozen lake and a ski resort in winter and a Sea resort in summer.  Annenheim sparkled with lights like a Christmas card.

Rome to Austria

 

Rome to Rome via Pompeii

 Friday 12th February, 1982                fine but cold

Up and prepared for being on the road again.  All set to go, John turns ignition - nil sound so luckily Ron hadn't left.  No answer to jumper leads start so Ron towed John till it kicked over and off we went to pick up Sandra's overcoat.  It was ready, and off we went on the Autostrata, past towns and villages.  Frosinone to Cassino will where we turned off to visit Monte Cassino, what a moving experience.  Monte Cassino is where a huge battle was fought from October 1943-May 1944 to wrest the Benedictine monastery from the Germans.  Thousands died in a futile situation and we visited the British cemetery where thousands of graves, both marked and unmarked stand.  In the centre, 12 monoliths with names inscribed of thousands more who couldn't be buried - it was heart rendering to see so many young men.  African, New Zealand, Canadians, English, Scottish and Welsh.  We lunched and then on to Pompeii.  Had trouble with the exhaust pipe, half broke off so that has to be fixed.

We are at camping Pompeii where we settled in for the evening.  The camp is opposite the ruins with a highway one side and railway the other.

Saturday 13th February, 1982

Today we were up after a good sleep despite the traffic.  Up to do some food shopping, then over the road to visit the long lost city.  It must have been a fair sized one as there are streets and shops, houses and even the tombs. 

Mt Versusius in the distance

Huge stadium was quite well preserved as parts of other buildings.  In 79 AD Mt Vesuvius erupted and completely covered the area where people had vineyards, farms and city homes.  Then in the 1600s part of it was uncovered, but left to crumble.  Then in 1860, serious excavation took place uncovering a whole city - even the ruts in the stone roads from carriages.  About 20,000 population in Pompeii, one book says, most escaped and another said few escaped.

Pompeii, Italy

We lunched in the stadium and imagined all types of games being played, then walked home.  Sandra and Joan are still suffering from the cold, so Joan stayed home and Sandra went home after about two hours walk through the city.

Pompeii, Italy

We had a free afternoon.

There’s a tribe of Hare Krishnas here in the camp - wake us each morning at 4:30 a.m. with their chanting - grotty lot - washing left in sinks, food etc in hand basins.  One day a knock on the door and pizzas Italian style were thrust at me.  One for you - you're married and the Bambino - didn't trust them - threw them in the bin.

Sunday 14th February, 1982     happy Australian birthday John.           Wet and Chilly

Kids woke John early with streamers, blowers and presents - far too early for us.  Had breakfast, washed some clothes then off to drive the Amalfi Drive - not a good day for a scenic drive.  Sean had a brilliant idea -  if we began the drive at the end near Salerno we would be on the inside and wouldn't feel so ill and it worked - it was 66 km of winding good road - narrow right along the cliffs from Salerno to Sorrento - the scenery was spectacular with villages built into sheer cliff face.  The sea - even though it was overcast - was green in some bays, very blue in others.  It must have been hard on John driving - some bends we were almost at right angles.  Rae was sick and we all were squeamish - glad to stop at Sorrento for pizza - no take-away so we had our usual salad sandwich.  It was pouring rain and the main street of Sorrento was busy with a carnival, so both sides of the main Street were lined with stalls and people, we very slowly drove towards the end when a bus came one way and we were halted by awnings and umbrellas - so after lots of exchange, the Italians held the umbrellas up and we barely scraped through.  Back to Pompeii via the coast after our lunch in Dell Corso Italiana Sorrento.  Showered and prepared birthday tea.  Joan and Ron joining us for dinner in the bar.  The kids and John and Ron prepared the room whilst we cooked veggies, Joan heated chicken - 5440 lire each cooked.  Was a lovely meal - nibbles before, chicken, spats with parsley, broccoli and fennel with cheese.  Then fruit jelly cake Italian style, wine and cheese etc very satisfying before our diet schedule begins.

Monday 15th February, 1982             happy European birthday John

Up - farewell to Ron, Joan and Pompeii and on to Roma.  The dinner left us all contented.  Left the rain in Pompeii.  As soon as we arrived back, having had lunch at a service station on the Autopista - out with the washing to dry and into town went John, Sean and I.  John to buy tickets for Greece - cost $240 return - Sean and I for mail and buy a pair of boots.  Sean gave me my first tube ride - clean carriages - railway stations 200 lire.  We walked around Rome almost like Sydney, well not quite.  Home on the bus with the boys, dined, packed our bags and the bed.

Rome to Rome via Pompeii, Italy