By this Author: janeanddan

Terribly excited to discover an English keyboard here in Lucerne. I am going to try and burn through the last few days as we are 3 days from the end and a bit tired of it all.

From Rome, we shot off to Florence for a few hours which was disappointing as we needed more time. Jane got a handbag and the Medici Chapel was closed for a funeral. I missed out on David as the queue was massive. Stopped off overnight at the town of Monte Cantini which was very nice.

The next day, a stop at Piza to see the tower which was leaning. Lots of really crap souvenirs which remained at Piza. We then drove on to Monte Carlo. 1% tax, lots of ferraris and not much to do unless you wanted to gamble. Time there should have been in florence but it was a pretty place.

Then a day in Nice which was dull. Hotel miles from town. Jane injured foot walking 20 minute journey into town according to Tour Director which actually take an hour and a half. Very hot. Still too fat and white too swim for Daniel.

In the afternoon, we take off on the coach to the beautiful french village of St Paul De Vence. I probably spelt that wrong but it was lovely. Lots of art. Food. Dogs drinking from fountains. Did not see Roger Moore or Michael Schumacher though. Dinner at a great restaurant overlooking something old and lovely. Daniel drinks three shots. Rest of bus spends next day accusing Daniel of having a hangover when he does not have one.

We then drive to Lucerne. It is beautiful. We are blown away by the beauty of Switzerland. Today, we went up Mount Pilatus on the world's steepest cog train. Daniel chickens out on the climb to the top of the mountain. Swiss public liability law is questionable and consists of the premise that if you fall off the mountain it is your fault.

We then went out for a carriage ride through an old swiss village of Giswold. Daniel gets told off by Tour Director for discussing Swiss Public Liability law state while he should be admiring view. Frankly, we were doing both. Tip deduction.

Tonight we are watching the English Premier league at the pub before taking off to go to Paris. It should be good. Sadly, tomorrow is an all day drive. 3 days to go!!!

We have arrived in the eternal City. We were told we were going to be in Rome for white night when all the muesums and shops stay open all night but the tour director made a mistake. Which was disappointing. This will be a short entry as the french keyboard is driving me nuts.

We enjoyed our time in Rome and we had a day to ourselves which was good. We toured the colesseum - however you spell it - and saw where Julius Ceasar was cremated. Also went to the catacombs and saw the Sistine Chapel which was amazing. St Peters was not as impressive as St Pauls.

Next, we are off to Florence for a fleeting visit.

I (Jane) have created this title as this is my first imput in the bloggs for some time, given that I have been doing a lot of sleeping for some time.

To explain the 'Ordinary', I took my hat off in front of an Italian today and was told that I looked beautiful in my hat, which I have taken as a gentle Italian suggestion that I should be wearing a paper bag on my head.

Before I move onto the next few days, I need to elaborate somewhat on the Don incident. We had lunch with Don on the boat, which was, say, day 20 of the trip. He asked us where we had been on our trip and where we were going to next. So as not to injure his pride and point out that he had no idea who we were, we rattled off all the places he had been, and all the ones he was going to. He still did not twig that perhaps we had been on the same tour for sometime.

(It was his wife who thought Steve Irwin was on the bus with us. Hmmm.)

We were both very excited about going to Pompeii, but in Trafalgar style we virtually saw nothing of it. We rebelled afterwards, having been given 25 minutes for lunchy and toddled off to have a leisurely pizza with another couple. We were the last four on the bus (just try and say something Mr Tour Director, cmmmonnnnnnnnn!!! I am writing this after dinner with half a bottle of red wine).

We did see the Brothel and a little bit of one of the baths. There were two plaster casts of people in there, it was very sad, you could see the expression on their faces.

I can't help it, one of our fellow travellers remarked to Daniel that it was amazing how clear the house numbers were after all the years. (They were the modern numerals put onto the site by the excavators). Daniel agreed that it was amazing.

Jane wants it to be known that she has ceased to type from this point due to fatigue.

After Pompeii we drove onto Rome where we were put in an incredibly small room without a bath. More to come.

It should be recorded that I did not forget my father's birthday on 4 September 2006. I merely neglected to mention it in a fathers day message which was also very close on its heels. So, Happy Birthday dad.

We had an interesting experience in the A La Carte restaurant on the Bari ferry. We were served a mince pattie and chips. What must they thing of us or what is the tour company paying them (can't find the question mark on the italian keyboard do they have them)

Also rudest waiter in the world as well, raised eyebrows at any request. Refusal to serve coffee. Love it.

From Bari, we drove to Napoli. Then caught the cat across to Capri. We did not go up on the optional lunch but instead we went to the Blue Groto by boat. It was amazing. We went through this tiny hole that required a sweaty italian man to lie on Jane (pity it was not the tour guide who she thought was a spunk) and for us to lie on the bottom of the row boat.

The optical illusion is interesting. Neon blue water which was Emperor Tiberius' private swimming pool with his minnows (young boys that he made to distasteful things).

We then had lunch by the water and caught the ferry back after a spot of shopping and then we spent the night in Naples. They drive like maniacs here.

Tomorrow, Pompei then onto to Rome.

We had to get up outrageously early this morning to disembark the boat. We did it but it was not easy.

We then met the bus which had been locked up for three days in the hot greek sun and it had developed its own ecosystem of sweat and pong. Hmmm, I love the bus.

We went off to the Acropolis which is awesome. Beautiful day. Awesome pictures. Not too hot but too many people. A great deal of restoration is occurring which appears to be aimed at a folorn hope of the British returning the Marbles. To qoute Daryl Kerrigan, tell em their dreaming.

The main feature of the Acropolis was that we lost one of the older members of our troop called Don. It was very worrying as he lacks greek survial skills and basically needs to be pointed in whatever direction we are going.

We lost him for about an hour and a half before one of group members found him in the Plaka walking away from the Acropolis. We were all very worried as it was hot and he did not have water. You feel like you are in the Marines and you should not leave anyway behind but it was damn close. I am making sure I keep the list of hotels in my pocket from now on.

We then saw the Corinth Canal and took the overnight ferry to Bari. It was a bugger to sleep due to the vibration and Jane had to take a sleeping pill. We are arriving in Bari as we speak and this has been typed on the most expensive internet access in the world on the boat.

News of Steve Irwin's demise has reached us. When one of the older ladies on our tour was told she enquired whether he was part of our group.