Down

Well Team Haggis arrived in style. After an epic 17 hour drive from Amsterdam they got to the camp site at 2am and promptly drove their Seat straight in to a ditch. When I awoke it was still there, one wheel dangling in the air. 

Strangely at 6am there was a lot of activity. Formula One related it turned out. Several teams had read that we were going past Monza, so they were off at first light. 

We were also off in good time to see if we could assist Ian and Ann who were still stuck in Brig with van issues. We found him with a selection of carburettor pieces laid out. The RAC had been fairly unhelpful for them but they had a hire car and an idea of what the issue was. There was little we could do, so we departed Switzerland via the Simplon Pass. 

Boy, what a long haul. 18km of constant uphill. Poor Jezebel. 2nd and 3rd gears for around half an hour. At the top we found Team Bob enjoying a coffee. 

We had an appointment at Milan airport so left them to it. 

Naturally, after all of that uphill, we were expecting a downy bit. It just doesn't seem to stop though ! I swear you could skateboard from the top of the Simplon Pass down to the Mediterranean coast (assuming you could dodge all of the Italian potholes and lunatic drivers. 

Talking of lunatic drivers, Team Bob shot past us again with two grinning lunatics on board practicing their Formula One driving. 

Jo and Vicky were waiting for us at the airport. Jo was actually impressed that we were only 10 minutes late. Last time I collected her from an airport I was 2 days late and left her and my young son Sean in Northern Ethiopia. 

We had a few issues with finding a suitable campsite. The first on my list was full. I announced to the world by all forms of communication that we were heading to the second camp site. They had space, or so they told me. By mid afternoon reports were coming in of this site being full. Once again I was scrabbling around the Internet and making phone calls until I found one. 

Santa Vittoria had spaces. It also had an officious little Italian woman with OCD to tell us where to park. It also had workmen welding and banging away. It missed a few basic amenities. Toilet paper, a ladies, that sort of thing. 

Still, the weather was warm. All teams were in a jovial mood. We've only temporarily lost 2. One in Brig but now fixed, one in Monza getting fixed. Team Flo are having a night of luxury in a hotel whilst the starter motor is fixed. 

There was a plan to get to Cinque Terre tonight, but we only got as far as a restaurant. Sestri Levante isn't a bad spot to dine though. 

We'll get to Cinque Terre sometime.