Scotland 2007: Unforgettable!!!

Friday, May 04 - 3:10 PM - Cuneo

After 3 months of drought and catastrophic forecasts about the coming Italian summer, it decided to rain right in May. This doesn't ruin our plans, but it certainly complicates them: crossing the Alps, as everyone knows, is no walk in the park. And now for the introductions: Danilo (22), the one writing to you, and Lorena (21), who is finishing getting ready. Stefano (23) and Naomi (25), who are taking care of picking up the camper we rented from Skyrent in Carmagnola. First stop: Sommariva del Bosco, where they'll load their personal belongings into the vehicle. Second stop: Cuneo, where the rest of us will fill the camper with what's ours (let's hope it all fits because it's only a 4-seater!!). We've been preparing this trip for months and now, finally, departure day has arrived. All that's left is to enjoy this trip despite the difficulties it will present.

The first of these is crossing the Alps; since we're in Cuneo, we've decided to avoid the Frejus (with its high tolls) and go over the Colle della Maddalena instead. Rain at low altitude means snow higher up, but the Carabinieri of Pietraporzio (whom I called this morning) say that, despite the sleet, the road is clear. My father-in-law Sergio, a local expert on the Cuneo valleys, suggested we drive it in daylight: the mountain becomes dangerous in the dark. As soon as Stefano and Naomi arrive, we'll load up and leave: the goal is to get down from the French mountains by evening. Then we'll stop for a quick dinner of focaccia, after which it's off again toward Calais.

Departure from Cuneo - 5:34 PM - km 0

Saturday, May 05 - 10:20 AM - Near Reims

We're on the A26 which will become the A4 and then the A26 again: these French highways sure are strange; strange but wide and smooth-flowing, congratulations! Besides, we haven't paid any tolls since Lyon: if it keeps up like this until Calais, who knows how much we'll have to shell out all at once. In the short stretch between Grenoble and Lyon (about 100 km) it already cost us around €15... Anyway, I have a bit to tell about what's happened in the last 17 hours. So, let's see... We left right on time, around 5:30 PM; we lost a few minutes because the Skyrent people had forgotten to close the emergency water valve that triggers when the temperature is low enough to freeze the pipes. Anyway, nothing serious: a quick phone call, a live explanation, and problem solved. Stefano, who by now has entered into symbiosis with the camper, gets back behind the wheel.

I get hold of the maps and immerse myself in the role of navigator (to be precise, Ste brought the palm pilot with GPS; the installed TomTom, however, we're letting rest for now—the good old brain, as long as it works well, we want to make use of it). The girls, having finished stowing the last bits and pieces, begin their endless conversations. Ste and I suggest they not finish them all by evening, since there are another 16 days of travel ahead. We head toward the Colle della Maddalena; the rain accompanies us relentlessly, though it isn't too heavy. As we climb, the road narrows and meeting trucks makes the journey more thrilling. Within about an hour and a half we reach the summit: the road is clear but wet, on the side we find plenty of snow and the hairpin turns become narrow and steep, but Stefano is unstoppable.

Like Pantani in his best days, he devours the climb, conquers the King of the Mountains prize, and tackles the descent on the French side with ease. Meanwhile, Lory, Naomi, and I pretend to trust him blindly. Later we stop for a quick dinner in Gap, considering it the end of the mountainous area. With this in mind and convinced that, after the short climb ahead of us, a smooth descent and an endless plain await us, I prepare to drive the camper for the first time in my life. As a debut it isn't disastrous, but almost. We don't go over the cliffs, but almost. I don't grind the gears every time, but almost. I don't sweat blood, but almost. Obviously the others are anxious too, especially Ste, who nonetheless pretends to stay calm, giving me advice in time with the music.

They're the worst 60 km of my life, since the difficulty isn't entirely due to my ineptitude, but the problem is that the roads wind up and down through the subalpine mountains, with steep climbs, hairpin turns, and treacherous descents. All of it padded with a deceptive and, at times, frightening darkness. At La Mure we decide to switch drivers, also to make up some time, since my inexperienced pace has somewhat penalized the excellent timing achieved earlier. At that point I publicly declare my apologies for having insisted on going over the Colle: the Frejus would very likely have been less traumatic. Anyway, the night is well advanced and the girls, half-exhausted, try to sleep sitting in the dinette, but the feat is arduous. Poor things!! Stefano holds up well despite the hour and gets us safe and sound to a rest area on the highway, after Lyon.

I'm half dead, Stefano realizes he isn't very focused, and so we decide to stop and rest for about an hour. It's 2:20 AM. We make the beds after a short walk and we throw ourselves exhausted onto the "mattresses." I open my eyes suddenly, look at the clock: it's 5:55!! Well then! Better this way! A little extra rest doesn't hurt... I call Stefano, we pull ourselves together, and off we go again. I get behind the wheel confidently, also because in the morning I'm nicely energized, while Ste has his own recovery time. Today is a whole different thing!! Before long I enter into symbiosis with the "vehicle" and the highway gives me courage: beautiful, straight, and spacious, even though still under the rain. The hours pass and the weather alternates between steady rain and patches of clear sky.

After 330 km, a couple of stops, and a tank of diesel, Stefano takes over driving and so I have the chance to write this page and a half of my notebook, while we listen to the mp3 cds we diligently prepared for the trip and while I discuss with Stefano the impact of civilization on the French rural landscape. Well...in the meantime we've passed the Reims toll booth (about €50 from Lyon) and we're 200 km from Calais. The program is progressing smoothly (let's not speak too soon)! The weather has improved considerably: the Sun is out!! Hooray!! It's noon...

Calais - 4:00 PM

I spoke too soon!!! Now we're on the P&O Ferries ferry that will take us to Dover, but until about an hour ago we were in the United Kingdom Immigration Office and we almost didn't make it on board. But let me start from the beginning... Getting to the Calais Car Ferry is very simple: just follow the main road which is the natural continuation of the highway—by the way, Reims-Calais €28—and you go straight to the boarding area. Anyway, Ste and I get out and, with what's left of our English, buy a P&O ticket for 4 adults and a camper: €158!! We go back and tell the girls; we were expecting a bit less, but we have to adjust, there's not much to do about it.

While we're in line, they open another entrance and we rush over, convinced we'll speed up the paperwork (according to the guy who sold us the ticket, the ferry will depart at 4:10 PM while in reality the ticket says 3:50 PM and the ship left at 4:00 PM) and unaware of the mess awaiting us. Let me introduce the misdeed: about a week ago, after coming back from service, I noticed that the ID card number on the first side was a bit faded, so I had the "good" idea of going over some characters with a pen, copying them from the last side where the whole text is instead perfectly clear. Now back to Calais: after successfully examining Ste's, Nao's, and Lory's ID cards, the young lady at the toll booth frowns at mine and closes the little window. I'll let you imagine the looks and the remarks that start circulating inside the camper.

A few minutes later the young lady makes her doubt clear and asks us to pull over to a place that Lorena will translate as "behind the 'silver car'," meaning the gray car. By now it's obvious that my little fix hadn't pleased the British border police. We settle into the aforementioned office and wait for someone to say something to us or for them to let me explain, since I still haven't been given the chance. In my mind I begin to see the long-awaited vacation fading away. Knowing that not only I, but also the other 3, might see the dream of reaching Scotland shattered irritates, unnerves, and frightens me. After about half an hour of agony, a chubby officer in his fifties very kindly explains to me that my ID card looks counterfeit, but that they've verified there are no problems (after asking me for my driver's license and after filling out and signing a small form).

He strongly advises me to replace it as soon as possible and to enjoy the trip in England, explaining that in the coming days the weather should improve (at least that's what Lorena says she understood). I ask him for a certificate stating that I can move freely in the UK, but he says he can't give me one. We leave the office relieved, but this experience has come down on my neck like a boulder and I think it will haunt me for the whole trip, hoping not to repeat this ordeal on the way back too. After the appropriate checks on the camper we get in line, wait another half hour, and load the vehicle onto the ferry. We look for a seat in what according to Stefano should be the bow so we can admire the white cliffs of Dover (and which will instead turn out to be the stern) and we listen to the first audio messages for passengers.

After taking a few photos to pass the time, Lory, Nao, and Ste rest their heads on the seats and try to doze off, while I vent on this sheet of paper.

Arrival near York - 01:00 AM - km 1626

Sunday, May 06 - 7:00 PM - Between York and Newcastle (A1)

And here we are on the road again, though this should be the last leg heading toward Scotland. We left York headed for the Scottish Borders but first we made a quick stop at Castle Howard, a few miles outside York, near Malton. Unfortunately when we arrived it was already closed and it was only 5:20 PM! Around here they go to bed with the chickens, apparently... Anyway, since Ste and Nao weren't very keen, only Lory and I snuck in. I was expecting a nice residence, but not this much; and to think we didn't even go inside the buildings!! We were totally fascinated by its 18th-century architecture and the idyllic landscapes surrounding it. Definitely worth seeing!! I took a few photos in a hurry but we should have given it more time. In any case, from Dover to York we certainly didn't teleport, so it seems only right to narrate the events of the hours spent last night and this morning.

It must be said that the famous white cliffs of Dover really are a sight to behold!! The actual crossing of the Channel lasted about an hour. From the ferry deck, Ste and I went wild photographing these white, towering natural walls and the omnipresent seagulls above our heads. As the ultimate expert in camper driving, Stefano prepares to drive once we land at Dover. The British officers' checks on this side are less fussy so fortunately there's no need to show documents. While Stefano brilliantly gets used to driving on the left, Naomi takes a nasty fall in the small interior corridor of the camper during a turn and scrapes her knees: all to get herself a glass of water. Anyway, after a laugh that's half hysterical and half desperate, Nao recovers from the mishap.

I put my excellent navigator skills to use, but at the first roundabout we take the wrong road and head for Deal instead of Canterbury. The mistake, however, turns out to be a wonderful opportunity to admire these typically "English-style" villages, with their terraced houses and little front lawns. We notice that here people are in the habit of parking along the road even when it's very narrow: in Italy there would be "no stopping" signs everywhere. Despite that, after a few slaloms, we get onto the M2 heading toward London. On the highway it's much easier to drive and everything is helped by the fact that not a drop is falling, but the sun, slowly setting, paints colorful and relaxing landscapes around us. We decide to take the M25 (London Orbital), driving along its southern side toward the M1 which will take us to the north of England.

Since Stefano has been driving for several hours, despite the crossing, and since we've set the clocks back, but for our stomachs it's already 7:30 PM, we decide to stop for dinner at a service area with a large parking lot, a little after Sevenoaks. Finally a normal dinner!! Lory and Nao get to work and prepare a nice plate of pasta which we devour quickly: forget focaccia and sandwiches gulped down on the fly... Italian cooking restores us properly!! After dinner Ste and I take the opportunity to shave in the clean restrooms of the service area which even have hot water, too hot even, since every time we try to rinse we burn ourselves. Before long we set off again: this time I'm driving. It's exciting to drive on the left on the highway of one of the most populous cities in the world.

Gradually the traffic increases but I don't make any messes and after hundreds of km, at Leicester, Stefano takes over driving: it's about 10:00 PM. Stefano gets us to the end of the M1, at Barnsley, but he's obviously cooked, as are the girls who try to sleep even though they're being tossed around. I, during Ste's 2 hours of driving, rested for about half an hour and recovered some energy, so, even though my 3 companions don't much agree, I get behind the wheel heading toward York. At 1:00 AM I find a mega parking lot almost completely empty and, though with some apprehension, we decide to spend the night there. Since we need sleep, we decide to wake up at 10:00 AM and skip the meeting (we only have 3 and a half hours of decent sleep to our credit). The sleep, though not very comfortable, is providential.

Moreover we're no longer alone but the parking lot is full of English people having breakfast at the McDonald's in front: how do they do it?!? Anyway, as good Witnesses, we study the Tower (after breakfast eaten in peace) and then head to York, which is a few km away. We look for a parking lot but they're all full except one. We manage to get in but it's all full! (later we'll understand that it has the same name as another parking lot on the same street: so much for unfair competition). Within a few minutes a spot frees up. At first glance it looks narrow, in fact a Micra was parked there, but danger is our profession!! I get out and shout instructions to Stefano on how to maneuver.

He executes every detail of my instructions to perfection and the masterpiece is worthy of praise! A reverse park with the camper between a blue Porsche Carrera and a gray BMW X5! Energized by the success of the feat, we head toward the city center. We take a couple of photos of Clifford's Tower and stroll surrounded by the usual typical English houses. For food we want to play it safe so we go into PizzaHut: good without a doubt, but the waitress isn't very willing to understand us and so we don't connect. After lunch we head to the Minster, a beautiful Gothic cathedral to which we dedicate a few souvenir photos, and then to the Treasurer's House, whose garden and tea-house we visit since they're free. We return to the parking lot, pay £5, and head to the aforementioned Castle Howard. Now we're almost in Scotland, only a few km to go.

The landscapes are fabulous and the road, though uncomfortable (A696), gives us the chance to enjoy them more fully. I'd like to offer a piece of advice to anyone who wants to retrace our route: between Malton and Thirsk, in the Helmsley area, north of York, there's a spectacular but extremely dangerous descent with a 25% gradient. Obviously we didn't follow the signs recommending an easier route for campers and had to rely on faith at the worst moment in the middle of the steep hairpin turns, but you should do it!!! Anyway, it's time I stopped writing, it's getting dark and it's 9:30 PM. Scotland is at the doorstep and so is dinner!!

Arrival at Jedburgh - 10:10 PM - km 1916

Monday, May 07 - 10:05 PM - Musselburgh

Ah, today was a more restful day compared to the previous ones. It all starts from last night: after crossing the Scottish border we arrive at the small town of Jedburgh, quite exhausted from the curves of the hilly area we've just driven through. We settle into the main parking lot at the entrance to the town and, since there are no signs prohibiting overnight stays, we decide to have dinner and then spend the night there. While Lory and Nao prepare dinner, Ste and I walk around the little town looking for a fountain to refill our drinking water, but nada. The next morning we're supposed to wake up at 9:30, but the workers who are setting up wooden scaffolding around the still-young trunks of the trees in the parking lot wake us with their noise. Breakfast and then off, heading north, toward the MidLothian.

We arrive at Melrose, home to a famous abbey, but the ruins cost £5 per person, so we take a photo from outside the gates and leave. We head to Abbotsford House, the residence of the famous 18th-19th century writer Walter Scott, but it's under renovation and costs £6 per person. We prefer to save the money to visit the far more famous Rosslyn Chapel, so we skip it and head there via Peebles, to avoid getting stuck on dangerous secondary roads. While we're at it, we try to reach Traquair House, but since the road narrows and becomes steeper, we give up on the idea. We finally reach Rosslyn, around 1:30 PM, and park near the famous church. Admission is £7 per person, and Ste and Nao are given a guide (which Ste is still reading this evening).

We see again the meticulous works of art by the sculptors who took turns decorating the religious building and who filled it with highly symbolic images, mixing Christianity, paganism, and superstition. While we're at it, we go down into the crypt, just to feel as if we're inside the book and film "The Da Vinci Code." From the top of the exterior scaffolding there are excellent views, while the signs pointing to an improbable castle seem to get lost in the woods pierced by a dirt path. We set off again for Edinburgh. Using the guide-map I procured via the internet on the Scottish Tourist Board website, we choose the Drum Mhor Caravan Park in Musselburgh and, only after using the palm pilot and with the help of a middle-aged lady, we find it.

It's almost 3:00 PM and we're dying of hunger, so we pay for the ticket (£18 for 4 people with a caravan on a gravel pitch; equipped with electricity, bathrooms, drinking water, and black and gray water drainage) and we stuff ourselves at the table. Before long the overcast sky produces a thick but fine rain that cools the air and brings on a headache. We allow ourselves an hour of sleep after filling the water tank and hooking up to the electrical cables. On waking I try to empty the toilet cassette, but I barely manage, due to the frequent retching caused by the "wafts" of fetid air. Later we take advantage of the showers (10p) and, while the girls wash up, Ste and I relax playing poker with plastic chips and sipping Sprite, as if we were in a Wild West saloon. It's dinnertime again, so we clear the table and make room in our stomachs. Now it's 11:00 PM.

Time to go to sleep because tomorrow morning we'll visit Scotland's capital, Edinburgh. Good night!!

Arrival at Stirling - 7:45 PM - km 2124

Tuesday, May 08 - 11:30 PM - Stirling

It's late, I'm tired and a bit sleepy from the beer, but I have to wait until at least midnight to fall asleep anyway: I'll explain why later. This morning we woke up at 7:30, even though Stefano had sabotaged our rest by setting the alarm for 6:30 (actually he simply hadn't changed the alarm time to match the English time zone). I get up right away, take down the bed and, while the others stretch and start preparing breakfast, I go shave in the campsite bathroom. I feel a good deal less like a "refugee" than the last time I shaved (London service area). Then breakfast with the daily text and off we go. We dress warmly because, although the weather is changeable without rain, the wind is blowing hard.

We get our banknotes changed into coins and go looking for the red bus 26 which should take us directly to the center of Edinburgh (buses don't give change so you need to have the exact money). We leave the campsite and turn right: if only we hadn't!! There begins an odyssey that goes on for about half an hour. We walk and walk, but the bus stop is nowhere to be found. It starts to rain and we don't have an umbrella. When we find a stop it's not the right one. I go into a garden center to ask for information and two very kind ladies give me directions. We try to follow them but nothing: the red 26 can't be found. At a certain point a bus passes by and we ask the driver if it goes to the center of Edinburgh; he says yes and for us that's more than enough. We agree that he'll let us know when we reach Princes Street and so it happens.

Right away we're fascinated by a very tall monument blackened by the weather, but Lory isn't feeling well, so we look for a public bathroom: there she vents and we all proceed more calmly. We head toward the Royal Mile with the maps we got at the campsite and admire the typical taxis and the famous red telephone boxes. Along the route that leads to the castle we come across a cathedral: St Giles. From the outside it's very beautiful but looks rather small; inside we admire the splendid stained-glass windows decorated with biblical events: personally I'd never seen any so beautiful! Afterwards we come across many little shops selling kilts and the like, but we go straight to the castle.

Admission is expensive (£11 per person) but there's a lot to see and it's all very well maintained; don't even think of skipping this obligatory stop! I won't describe it in detail, but the cannons, the dark rooms, the royal apartments, the hall with the weapons, the crown jewels, and the mausoleum dedicated to the Scottish fallen are very interesting and a pleasure to look at. At 1:00 PM, as tradition dictates, there's the firing of the cannon and we don't miss it. After various inquiries to shopkeepers and passersby, we manage to find a McDonald's on a side street in the eastern part of Princes Street and we stuff ourselves with tasty junk food. After lunch we devote an hour and a half to shopping, with great participation from the girls. We buy souvenirs and postcards, as the tourist manual dictates.

At a certain point it occurs to me that we haven't bought stamps, so I leave everyone and set off in search of some shopkeeper who sells them, but with poor results. Finally I find the post office and I get in line with about 25 people ahead of me. Stop!! I'll tell you the rest tomorrow, because it's midnight and I have to pay for the parking ticket. Then straight to bed for some shut-eye.

Wednesday, May 09 - 2:00 PM - Between Stirling and Perth (A9)

Here I am back! With full stomachs, we're heading to the majestic Glamis Castle. But I still need to finish telling you about last night. So... After buying the stamps I rush back to my 3 companions, snapping a couple of spectacular photos of the last glimpses of Edinburgh. Several buses pass, until our red 26 heading to Trenent arrives. We arrange with the driver to actually drop us near the campsite. The short trip seems to never end, due to congested traffic and Mediterranean summer heat. The Scottish kid sitting in front of us distracts us, talking to himself and to his sisters. Stefano asks the driver for a signal and he very kindly points out the road to walk to reach our destination.

Once we arrive at the campsite (after almost an hour on the bus) I rush to the bathroom, while the girls go wash the dishes and tidy up the camper, and while Stefano checks water, electricity, and the toilet. We dump the dirty water and return the bathroom keys. We set off toward Stirling: it's 5:40 PM. We decide to take a slight detour to drive across the famous Forth Bridge: £1 to enjoy a beautiful spectacle. We follow the river up to Stirling where, after 2 or 3 car parks we can't enter due to height, we find a temporary parking lot in the train station area. It costs £3.50 per day, regardless of arrival time. The girls want to make themselves "prettier" to go out, so in the meantime I write the postcards.

We go out with the goal of having dinner in a typical Scottish pub but after wandering for ¾ of an hour, we give in to the fact that here after a certain hour (between 7:00 PM and 9:00 PM at the latest) they no longer serve food, only drinks. So we take refuge in an uninviting Italian takeaway pizzeria, where 2 Italians work, who can barely speak Italian anymore, and 2 Sino-Japo-Koreans. Lory and I get a ham pizza and Stefano a tuna-and-onion one, while Nao is a bit disgusted and gets nothing. We eat on a bench and head back toward the camper, but Lory and I decide to go to the pub anyway while Ste and Nao are afraid of dealing with drunks (this is the official version), so they don't go in and return to the parking lot. The pub is very nice, there are groups of men discussing who knows what but also couples talking on the little sofas.

I order a pint of red Guinness and Lory gets a hot lemon tea. Despite the unfavorable exchange rate we spend little and we're satisfied. The atmosphere is cozy and, by coincidence, we're "alone" talking on the day of our 5th anniversary from when we got together. Around 11:00 PM we return to the camper and find Ste and Nao already in bed waiting for us to sleep. We turn the dinette into a bed and, while Lory starts to doze off, I write a few lines in this travel diary. I go pay the ticket for the next day at 00:04 and I fall asleep too. This morning we wake up at 8:00 but we waste time and between tidying up, breakfasts, and various washes we only leave at 9:40. We walk through the historic center, characterized by a no-longer-well-kept Gothic style, up to the castle.

This time it's Nao who needs a bathroom so, while she "vents," the 3 of us plan the day's visits: we'll visit the Castle and not the tower dedicated to the great William Wallace. Naomi comes back, agrees with the choice, and we buy the tickets: £8.50 per person but we don't regret it. The castle is really beautiful!! Perhaps more rooms can be visited compared to Edinburgh Castle and what's certain is that you can admire the splendid hills surrounding the city; the clouds, which have replaced yesterday's beautiful sun, create plays of shadow in the velvety landscapes all around us; we admire the Wallace Monument from up here. After spending the whole morning here, we return to the camper, have lunch, and set off immediately for Glamis. We don't want to make the mistake again of arriving late and not being able to visit it, as happened with Castle Howard.

Now it's 2:55 PM and we're between Dundee and Forfar; we'll arrive before long, we're quite early. Thank goodness! Until next time... P.S. On the way to Dundee it was raining but now the sun seems to be back. It's been like this since early this morning. You never understand anything with this changeable weather!

Arrival at Pitlochry - 8:15 PM - km 2327

Thursday, May 10 - 1:25 PM - Crathie

Glamis Castle is Beautiful with a capital B! We arrived at 3:30 PM. £7.50 per person and parking included, with a map of the estate for each of us. Sun and fine rain continue to alternate. We take 2 photos of the cows nearby and another couple of the elegantly imposing castle. After 10 minutes the guided tour begins. We're surprised when we're given 4 binders (free but to be returned) with all the detailed information in Italian about each room we're going to visit. Room after room we're amazed by the beauty and the care with which the castle rooms are kept, still partly inhabited by the descendants of the Lyon lineage. The elaborate ceilings, the inlaid furnishings, the decorated walls: this is certainly the most beautiful castle among those visited, as far as interior rooms go. There are some rooms with the belongings of the Queen Mother, who spent her childhood here.

We're sorry to finish the visit of this castle, whose bathrooms are superlative (we tried them). Among other things, it's said that there are 3 or 4 ghosts here, but obviously when I ask the guide if she's ever seen any, she says no with a smile. On the way out of the building, after also visiting the colorful and distinctive "Italian Garden," Ste and I look for the secret room identifiable by a window not visible from the inside. A distinguished elderly lady points out which one it is, and then we realize she's the owner of this splendid residence. We dive into the trinket shop and buy some more souvenirs. We leave the castle somewhat nostalgically, heading to Pitlochry, when it's now around 6:00 PM. The distance isn't excessive, but the roads increasingly take on a mountainous character, so the speed drops and the girls suffer a bit from the journey.

Once in Pitlochry we decide to see the Queen's View before dinner. The road is even worse than the previous ones, but once up there the panorama repays the suffering.... I'm back! Earlier I had to interrupt for lunch and then we went to see Balmoral Castle. Where was I? Ah, yes... At the Queen's View the landscape is paradisiacal: in the valley the lake flows and on the ridges limitless expanses of vegetation stretch out. We return to Pitlochry and, after a couple of attempts, we stop in a parking lot near the Tourist Information Center. It's free until 8:00 AM. While the girls recover from the intestinal shock caused by the journey, Ste and I look for a place to withdraw money (we're completely dry) and a pub. We withdraw at the Bank of Scotland and tell the girls the results of our search.

We eat in the camper and after dinner we go to a pub to have a beer: the only Red is of an unknown brand and the tea, which the girls want to warm up with, they no longer make because "the kitchen is closed." Ste and I make do while Lory and Nao go without, unfortunately. About an hour passes and we return to the camper to sleep. It's 11:30 PM. The alarm goes off at 8:00. While the others yawn, rub their eyes, and stretch their arms, I change quickly and go pay for 2 hours of parking, until 10:00: £1. We have breakfast and get ready in only an hour, so at 9:00 we go do some shopping at a grocery store since we're consuming the quick-food supplies rapidly. At 10:10 we leave the parking lot and fill up with diesel.

We don't immediately find the A924 which, together with the B950, allows us to cut quite a bit of road so as to reach the A93 that will lead to Aberdeen, so we don't get away from Pitlochry until 10:30. In fact, in these 20 minutes we make a jump to Blair Castle a few km further north to take some photos, but just to get close you have to pay the entrance ticket. I get out of the camper and bribe the ticket taker who lets me get as far as the parking lot, take a photo, and leave without paying. We say goodbye and thank this very kind elderly gentleman. The two roads leading to the A93 are of the "throw up everything" kind but it's very nice to see flocks of sheep peacefully grazing the grass on these green slopes and right beside the road. We encounter buses, tour coaches, SUVs, and small economy cars, but with a bit of common sense we all get past each other.

We merge onto the A93 which runs through Glen Shee and Glen Clunie, whose meeting point is bounded by a peak called "Devil's Elbow": the name might inspire fear but the experience of the French Alps has forged us and this 12% climb is child's play. Apart from the road aspect, I don't know how to put into words the charm of these valleys furrowed by streams of murky water and by bare and colorful slopes. Toward Braemar I catch sight of a castle but Stefano doesn't park right away, so I run back half a km: the effort is wasted because a wooden gate bars the entrance to the courtyard and the building seems abandoned and poorly kept. I take the photo just so as not to make the run pointless. We head to Crathie to see Balmoral Castle but, to avoid paying for parking, we pull over in a clearing along the road and have lunch.

At that point we return to the parking lot, pay 70p for parking, and reach the castle on foot. It costs £7 per person: the price scares us a bit but the ticket lady assures us that the audio guide in Italian is included in the price; moreover from the outside it's a beautiful castle and, considering it's a residence of the British royal family, we think it's beautiful inside too. We reach the top of the entrance ramp that cuts through the woods, carried by a tractor adapted for the purpose: a bit primitive!! We pick up the audio guides leaving a £5 deposit for each "handset" and set off. We soon discover that it was a bit of a rip-off, because it talks about everything except the interior rooms of the castle, which can't even be visited.

After doing the round among the gardens and lawns surrounding the residence, we enter the Ballroom in which some paintings have been hung here and there and royal outfits have been placed in the center of the room. We use the toilets and leave a bit disappointed. At least the drizzle has stopped. We retrieve the camper around 5:15 PM and head to Aberdeen where we'll finally attend a meeting at the local Kingdom Hall. Along the way, shortly after Banchory, we take a peek at Crathes Castle which obviously is already closed (6:00 PM), so only Lory and I get out and I take a photo from the gate. Now it's 6:15 PM and we're at the entrance to Aberdeen. All that's left is to type the Hall's address into the palm pilot and enjoy the company of our Christian brothers, trying to understand each other.

We have 40 minutes because the meeting starts at 7:00 PM: even the Witnesses here do everything early...

Arrival at Stonehaven - 11:50 PM - km 2550

Friday, May 11 - 12:15 PM - Near Aberdeen (A90)

Yes!! I

Saturday 12 May - 5:30 pm - Shortly after Golspie (A9)

I know I'm repeating myself a bit, but the scenery really is enchanting!! Right now we're heading to John o'Groats, the north-eastern tip of Scotland. I just saw six or seven lambs running in one direction and then running straight back: maybe they thought they were little horses; they were absolutely convinced of it: how cute! Anyway, yesterday we had lunch by the roadside near Elgin and every truck that passed shook us about with its draft of air. Since I had a bit of a headache I threw myself on the bed to rest and the others took the opportunity to have a nap. At 4:00 pm we set off again and an hour later we arrived at Cawdor Castle. I had to "bribe" the ticket clerk again, who let us get close to the castle to take photos without paying. A quick look round the little shop and the adjoining toilets too, and then off we went.

Before looking for the campsite we reached Loch Ness near Glackossian and Stefano and I went down to the level of the loch to take photos; unfortunately the weather is rather grim and the photos don't come out well. We head back and with the sat nav we reach the campsite we found in the guidebook: Bunchrew Caravan Park, on the edge of the village of the same name west of Inverness. The manager is extremely kind: £15.50 for a night with the camper and 4 people, electricity, toilets, grey and black water disposal. He tells us we can park wherever we like, so we find a lovely spot with a view of the bridge and the Beauly Firth; unfortunately, though, there are no electric hookups because this is the tent area. We find another spot with electricity and refill the camper with water and empty the toilet while the girls take a shower. Then we swap: the girls make dinner while we wash.

The shower is hot and free so I take advantage of it: it's sheer bliss and I spend more than half an hour before heading back to "base". Shortly before dinner, the difficulty of having 4 different lifestyles coexist in a confined space becomes obvious. Then we eat and go to bed. In the morning the alarm goes off at 9:00, but we take it easy, so we leave the campsite at 10:45, also because after breakfast there are chores to take care of, like shaving (me), washing the dishes (the girls) and emptying the waste water (Ste). A note on the campsite: the toilets and showers aren't clean and we don't like that one bit. Anyway, we arrive where the manager directed us: a car park near Inverness station; it's cheap but it's out in the open. The morning is devoted to shopping, so we duck into a shopping arcade and buy a few souvenirs. Same thing afterwards at the nearby EastGate shopping centre.

Stefano and Naomi choose KFC (McDonald's style) and Lory and I prefer Pizza Hut, but we all eat at the same table. After lunch we go into Marks & Spencer and buy essentials for the next few meals. To get back to the camper we walk along the River Ness, but Lory and I make a bit of a detour because I want to capture the city from a bridge not far away. I just manage to take the photo before it starts drizzling. Within moments those few drops turn into a heavy downpour: obviously I left the umbrella in the camper, so Lory pulls up the hood of her windbreaker while I use the city map to cover my head. We arrive at the camper soaked: it's all part of the adventure trip, after all... We pay £3 for parking and head for the bridge leading north, towards Wick (A9). I change my wet jeans, following my little wife's example and advice.

The bridges over the Moray Firth, Cromarty Firth and Dornoch Firth give you the chance to enjoy the view of these long inlets of the North Sea; high and low tide turn their shores marshy. The road runs along the coastline of the whole of north-east Scotland and in the distance you can see the oil platforms, while on land cows and sheep alternate in abundance. The rain comes and goes and the sky obviously stays overcast. About halfway we come across Dunrobin Castle, whose visit was sacrificed to make room for the morning's shopping. From the outer courtyard it looks good, but even more so when we see the gardens, which, though not fully in bloom, are well tended and let you imagine the explosion of colour that would surely enchant us if only the days were warmer and the weather kinder.

From the brochures in our possession, the castle interiors must be lovely too, but by now it's "too late", as it's 5:15 pm. Apart from the steep descent and the sharp climb near Berniedale, the journey goes smoothly. Now we've stopped to get fuel but the petrol station is closed and we're about to run out. Let's hope we make it to Wick and can fill up. It's 6:40 pm and we're in the Thrumster area. Bye.

Arrival in Dunnet - 8:20 pm - 3022 km

Sunday 13 May - 4:00 pm - Leirinmore (near Durness)

Just like in a good thriller, I left you hanging! Don't worry, we were near Wick, and in fact at the first petrol station we filled up with diesel and emptied our bladders: too bad that if we'd gone just a few metres further we'd have found 3 more petrol stations that were cheaper. Little by little we finally drew close to John o'Groats. We reached the lighthouse and enjoyed the view around us: to the south the tall cliffs, to the north the Orkney Islands, which the beautiful setting sun lets us make out clearly. The wind is strong and freezing, so we clear off quickly. The next day Ste would like to see seals or puffins or any other peculiar animal, so we decide to spend the night in Dunnet. We park in a desolate patch of ground at the entrance to the village, in front of one of the usual ever-present red phone boxes, accompanied by a letterbox.

After dinner we play cards and, defying all rational rules, Naomi wins 5 games of scala quaranta in a row. She goes to bed euphoric and we go to bed annoyed. This morning the alarm goes off at 9:00. At 10:15 we set off for Dunnet Head and the panorama is once again exceptional, but the sun is growing stronger and there's almost no wind at all. We find no information about typical wildlife visits and we're slightly disappointed. Now we have to set off again, I'll continue this chronicle later.

Arrival in Ullapool - 7:00 pm - 3271 km

I'm picking up this chronicle again at 10:00 pm. I've just discovered I have incredibly bad luck: 4 hands of scala quaranta, of which 2 won by Nao and one each for Ste and Lory. And to think I almost always used to win against my grandmother!! Anyway, this morning we took the road to Durness, where we were going to have lunch. I drove because Ste has been ill since yesterday and this morning he even took paracetamol because of a fever. The road is one of those secondary ones full of bends and before long you start dealing with "single-track roads", where small but frequent laybys at the side of the road give you the chance to pass other vehicles and let anyone going faster overtake you. I have the burden and the honour of driving personally on these peculiar roads and it's a thrilling experience: you definitely need a lot of attention and caution.

The worst moment is shortly before Durness when a lorry decides to go down these remote little roads: to free up space I even pull over to the right into a passing place. The lorry squeezes past by a hair's breadth, but as I set off again I clip the road sign with the side of the camper: Ste gets down and holds it crooked while I manoeuvre the camper. There's a beautiful sun lighting up the most hidden corners of the surrounding landscape; the latter has changed radically: from green hills to a harsh, rocky desert overlooking the sea. Towards 2:00 pm we arrive in Leirinmore, where a beautiful beach invites us to stop in the scenic car park. We have lunch, after which Ste rests and Nao keeps him company while Lory and I go down to the sea, kitted out with the appropriate flip-flops.

The water is obviously freezing but the idea of having my feet bathed by the Atlantic Ocean convinces me to take a walk with my jeans rolled up and my feet soaking. We walk the length of the beach, whose sand is very light, almost white, and take photos of the crystal-clear sea surrounded by tall, rugged cliffs. We collect a few little shells as a memento of this enchanting place. We go back to the camper and when Ste wakes up we set off again, this time towards Ullapool. The guidebooks say the road between Kylesku and Ullapool is the most beautiful in Scotland and we want to see for ourselves. Unfortunately, the lovely sun that has accompanied us so far abandons us shortly before Kylesku, giving way to black, gloomy clouds that occasionally spit a few drops down on us.

The landscapes are very beautiful, a mix of proper lochs and sea inlets, but the bad weather doesn't do the scenery justice and unfortunately I can't bring myself to confirm the reputation it has earned internationally. This afternoon drive lasts two and a half hours, so we stop at the entrance to the village of Ullapool in a car park near a shop, but with no restrictions. I go to look for any useful sign nearby, but when I get back to the camper I find myself in the middle of a lively argument between Lory and Nao. The silences and the little faces that have been going on for a week finally let loose and then the four of us clear the air among ourselves. Honestly, I was expecting it: on the one hand I'm glad we cleared things up but on the other I'm very disappointed by the behaviour that was adopted; I thought that between friends we wouldn't have needed to reach this point.

In any case, "we make peace" and have dinner "all happy". While we're having fruit, we hear a knock at the door: an elderly English lady explains that we're in a private car park and that even though there's no sign, it's private. With a smile stamped on her lips she points out, map of Ullapool in hand, a caravan campsite a short distance away. We thank the lady for the clarification, clear the table and scarper. Instead of going to the campsite, we head for a "free" car park, but since it's "no campers" and "no overnight", we park in the car park next to the supermarket where there are no restrictions. The girls wash the dishes and Ste and I play two games of poker. When they're free, they join us and we change games: you know how it ends. In fact, while I was writing, they carried on, and Ste climbed back up, winning two more games and finishing the "evening tournament" in first place.

Now it's 10:45 pm. We're getting ready for bed, hoping no one comes knocking tonight. Good night!

Monday 14 May - 6:10 pm - Near Loch Cluanie (A87)

And here we are again looking for a diesel station. We're heading to Fort William coming from the Isle of Skye. Around here the stations are rare, very expensive and close early: let's hope the tank holds out at least until Invergarry, where prices are more likely to drop slightly and the stations are more likely to be open, given the proximity to more densely populated areas. In the meantime I'll narrate the events of today... When we woke up this morning the large parking lot was no longer empty but had a good 5 or 6 cars, mostly belonging to little old ladies stocking up on groceries at the supermarket. Even though no one came to wake us up to tell us to move along, I didn't sleep very well last night and my aching back this morning was begging me to keep sleeping.

Unfortunately my brain won out over the rest of my body, so I tidied up the dinette and, strangely enough, managed to win 2 games of scala quaranta, tying the 2 won by Stefano, while the girls stocked up on fresh croissants and other groceries at the supermarket. Today Ste was feeling better so he got behind the wheel and we drove down to Dornie to see Eilean Donan Castle, first taking the A835 and then turning onto the A832 and A890: the road is always two-lane, except between Lair and Stromferry, as my Michelin map faithfully indicates. The castle is definitely picturesque thanks to the little stone bridge connecting it to the mainland, but the ticket costs £ 4.95 each and, knowing that the interiors were rebuilt in the last century, we decide to skip the visit; instead we'll come back later to take some photos at high tide, with the water filling the arches of the little bridge.

The next stop is the Talisker distillery, famous everywhere for its whisky, which, among other things, is the reason behind this long trip to Scotland. To reach it in Carbost, on the Isle of Skye, we cross the Kyle of Lochalsh bridge and at Sconser, just before Sligachan, we stop in a scenic parking lot to have lunch, enjoying the view of the waters of Loch Sligachan and the Caol Mor, which meet in front of the Isle of Raasay. After lunch we go to the distillery and tour it for £ 5 each; this ticket gives you the chance to buy a bottle of whisky with a £ 3 discount, but in Italy it costs less, so we avoid wasting the little money left in our pockets. In any case the tour is unusual and nice, if it weren't for the...

Arrival in Fort William - 7:30 pm - km 3643

I'm back! Sorry, I had to interrupt suddenly because Ste wasn't feeling well again and, since we found a convenient open station in Invergarry, we filled up and I took over driving. Now Stefano is in bed, nicely buried under the blankets, trying to doze off while the girls take advantage of the campsite showers. Oh yes, we moved tomorrow's campsite stop up to today, since the toilet was full again and since tomorrow evening we'd like to attend the Book Study in Oban without wasting time at campsites. Anyway, earlier I was explaining that the distillery tour was pleasant except that you couldn't understand much when the guide was explaining, because she used technical words to describe the complex process of transforming water, barley and peat into whisky. We could, however, read some short explanations in Italian.

On the way out we retraced the stretch of road that had led us into the heart of the Isle of Skye, back to Eilean Donan Castle to take the photo at high tide. Unfortunately it started raining again and, since it was "already" 5:30 pm, the parking lots were closing, so only I got out of the camper and took a couple of shots while Ste maneuvered to get us back on the road. Following last night's "clarifications", we decided to modify the itinerary so as to skip some stops and travel less. So today we didn't see Dunvegan Castle on the Isle of Skye and didn't take the ferry that would have taken us from Armadale to Mallaig, where we would have continued tomorrow to Fort William by way of the Glenfinnan Monument. This way we made good use of the time, already reaching Fort William today and saving £ 40 on the ferry.

Anyway, in the campsite guide I found the Glen Nevis, rated 5 stars, and, since everyone agreed, we looked for it and found it, also thanks to the clear road signs in the town center. There was no one at the reception but, between the papers posted at the entrance and the explanations in English received from a camper using the site, we understood that we could slip into a pitch and pay tomorrow, when an attendant comes around knocking between 8 and 9. While the girls prepared dinner and Ste tried to figure out if he was still alive, I took a walk around the campsite and verified the 5 stars: it deserves every one of them!! It has a laundry, ironing room, toilet and gray water disposal, electricity, drinking water, very clean and free showers and bathrooms, and on top of that it's extremely neat and quiet.

Last but not least, the majesty of Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in Great Britain, looming over us and a spectacular rainbow, vivid and complete with its 180°, marking the peace between the rain and the clear sky. Now, after dinner, it's 10:00 pm and there's still daylight, so much so that it would seem like 8:00 pm on an evening of this same time of year, in Cuneo. Now I'll end the account and enjoy the quiet, before the girls arrive.

Arrival in Dunbeg - 6:15 pm - km 3725

Wednesday 16 May - 1:20 pm - Inveraray Castle

You may have wondered where Tuesday the 15th went: well, yesterday was the day of "tranquility", so I didn't even write. Unfortunately, the night before last I only stayed 10 minutes to enjoy the quiet of Ben Nevis. The girls' return, however, marked a 3-player scala quaranta tournament, because Ste was feeling bad, at the end of which, very strangely, I came out the winner. The night was freezing cold for everyone and the next morning also began in the most traumatic way: at 8:10 I had just barely managed to fasten my jeans when the campsite attendant knocked on our door. I opened with my eyes half-closed and, while the "neighbor" camper smiled friendlily in the background, I paid £ 19.40. This campsite was the most expensive of all, but also the best equipped.

After that I gathered what I needed and went to take a hot shower and then shave: it took me an hour, since the day's schedule had very few appointments; besides, Ste was feeling bad, Lory was sleepy and Nao had gone to wash the previous day's dishes. After breakfast I filled the camper with water, slightly flooding the gravelly little lane, so another camper explained to me in English that there was a special pump in the same place where the gray water was emptied. I thanked him and we headed where he suggested. After emptying the drain taps, we set off for the center of Fort William. We parked near the bus stop, thanks to the auxiliary/attendant, and I paid for 2 hours (£ 1). We strolled along the main street full of souvenir shops and looked at and bought things for the rest of our stay in the little town.

Since we decided to have lunch at Subway, a fast-food chain where they make you a sandwich however you want it, I went to pay for another 2 hours (£ 1) of parking. This fast food isn't expensive but we didn't much like the service and by and large the portions aren't enough to satisfy our hungry mouths. After lunch Nao and Ste went back to the camper (Ste was tired and hadn't eaten) while Lory and I continued shopping. At 3:00 pm we set off for Oban and on the way we stopped at the Scottish Sealife Sanctuary to see seals and sea lions: the only usual problem is that the last entry was at 4:00 pm and we arrived at 4:02 pm; too late!! What a shame!! Since we were there we walked down through the woods to the sea and so we enjoyed the scenery; of sea animals, obviously, nothing...The positive thing about this day is that it was the first with uninterrupted sunshine.

We arrived in the center of Oban at 5:10 pm, paid 60p for 40 minutes of parking and got out for a little stroll, everyone except Ste who wasn't feeling well. There's no need to even say it anymore, but the shops had just closed! What a drag! The only little shop still open was targeted by the girls while I took a few photos of the waterfront lit by the setting sun. We went back to the camper and headed north of Oban, to Dunbeg, where the Kingdom Hall is. We organized the following days and then got ready to attend the Book Study. We arrived early and signed the congregation's Visitors' Book.

Arrival in Maybole - 7:00 pm - km 3951

Sorry for the usual interruption but we had lunch and then traveled until now, which is 7:00 pm. Now we're waiting for the girls to prepare something to eat. With the account I had gotten to last night's meeting. The brothers were warm in their introductions, especially brother Bob who would later conduct the study. Our names as pronounced by him were: Dan (for short), Lorìno, Neiòmi and Stefàno: he got them wrong but he was likeable. During the study they lent us 2 books in English since ours were in Italian and Albanian; we managed to follow better and also to comment, all of us.

At the end of the meeting they even offered us cakes and tea, specially prepared in the Hall's kitchen: what a nice idea!! After taking good advantage of it, we said goodbye to everyone, including Bob, even though we had learned that he supports Liverpool (while we support Milan) just a few days before the Champions League final. Back at the camper we had dinner and then Ste and Nao went to bed while Lorena beat me 5 games to 2 at scala quaranta. Last night, on the other hand, we slept well and strangely without suffering the cold of all the other nights. This morning we woke up at 9:00 and then at 10:30 we set off toward Inveraray, to visit its castle. After about an hour of driving we arrived, but once again in the rain.

Even though I would have preferred to do the walk that leads to the tower at the top of the hill, from which you can enjoy both the castle and the gardens from above, the majority agreed to visit the castle rooms, so we paid £ 6.30 each and went in. In almost every room there are explanations in various languages, including Italian, on laminated sheets. The castle is inhabited and therefore not entirely visitable, but the interiors are nice and the weapons room is impressive. At the end of the tour we ask if it's possible to visit the gardens, but they're only open on Fridays and cost extra, so we go to the camper to have lunch. After eating I rest for an hour since I have to drive and, without a "nap", I fall asleep easily. At 3:30 pm we set off for Ayr and in an hour we reach the outskirts of Glasgow.

We rely on the satellite navigator to take the A77 but it takes us more than an hour to cross the city, also because it's rush hour. Among other things we pass by the Rangers stadium and, to kill the boredom of the gray lines of cars and trucks, we give it a look through the window. Once out of Glasgow it takes us another hour to reach Maybole, the little town south of Ayr, near which is the Culzean Castle that we want to visit tomorrow, before definitively leaving Scotland. Now I'm starting to feel a bit peckish, also because of the aromas coming from the stove. The pouring rain hasn't given us a moment's respite today: I can't stand it anymore!!

Thursday 17 May - 2:30 pm - Near Ayr (A70)

First of all I celebrate with these few words my crushing victory last night with 4 games won at scala quaranta, against Lory's 2 and Nao's 1. But now let's talk about serious things: the night passed quietly despite the pouring rain. We didn't even suffer the cold: maybe Ste's idea of closing all the curtains really works and there isn't much heat loss. At 8:00 the alarm went off and at 9:30 we were already at the castle entrance. The £ 12 each was a hard blow, but we expected it since, for every place to visit, I had already written down prices and opening times before leaving for this trip, gathering the information from the internet. Since the castle itself wouldn't open until an hour later, we visited the immense estate, including the deer park, walled garden and swan pond. Around 11:30 we headed to the castle: showed our tickets and left our jackets.

There was no guide but you followed the same method as at Inveraray Castle, that is, laminated information sheets in your own language, including Italian. The rooms were rich with furnishings and interesting details. After about 2 hours of wandering among bedrooms, halls, armory and kitchen, we returned to the parking lot to retrieve the camper. We decided to skip the scenic roads given the bad weather - today it's not raining but it's completely overcast and until a little while ago there was fog - and take the highway that will take us away from these unforgettable lands. It's 3:10 pm and we've just finished lunch, in a parking lot in front of a Spar supermarket, probably near Coylton. Now we'll set off again on the A70 toward Douglas, where we'll merge onto the M74 toward Carlisle.

Arrival in Worksop - 10:30 pm - km 4399

Friday 18 May - 3:15 pm - Dover

We're on the SeaFrance ferry that has just left for Calais. The sea is rough and I'm writing slowly because I'm being tossed left and right. We've slipped into the brasserie because there are little armchairs and sofas and there isn't the smell of french fries that bothered Nao in the self-service. Yesterday the trip went well. Around 5:00 pm I asked Ste to take over driving because I was dozing off. At Penrith we took the road that would connect us to the A1, where traffic became more flowing. We continued to a service area in the Doncaster area where we stopped for 2 hours to have dinner and play cards (Dan 2, Ste 2, Lory 1). Since beyond 2 hours of parking you paid £ 8 for 24 hours, we set off again heading south around 9:40 pm and at the junction of the A1 with the A57 we stopped in the free parking lot of a rest area near a McDonald's.

The night passed quietly and warmly and this morning we woke up at 8:00 and set off around 9:30. At 10:30 we were in Stamford, where we would have taken a look at Bourghley House since we crossed Lake District, Bath and Stonehenge off the itinerary. Unfortunately on Fridays it's closed but the park around it is free, so we parked the camper and Lory and I got out to admire from the gates this elegant but imposing residence, where some scenes of the film "Pride and Prejudice" with Keira Knightley were shot. After taking a couple of photos we set off again for Dover. We reached the M25 (London Orbital) near which traffic intensified considerably. In particular we were stuck in a queue from the bridge over the Thames (where you pay £ 1 in toll) up to the turnoff for Dover via the A2. From that point on we quickly reached Dover at the ferry boarding area.

We went to buy the ticket at P&O but they quoted us £ 145, so I left her with a "We'll let you know" and we went to SeaFrance. Here the attendant quoted us £ 108 and we accepted on the spot; maybe we could have asked Norfolk too but we thought of it too late. We went through all the checks afraid of being stopped because of my documents, but the only girl who took them in hand to check our details didn't notice my "work of art". We got in line to wait for boarding and in the meantime we ate sandwiches prepared by Nao and Lory. Around 3:00 pm we entered the belly of the ferry and now it's 4:00 pm: I'm writing, the girls are playing "Paroliere" and Ste is criticizing their answers like a notary. In a little while we'll arrive in Calais and we'll move our watches forward. As for the weather, today there was very hot sun while now the Channel is covered with clouds.

Bye (for the last time)...

Arrival in Rouen - 9:30 pm - km 4950

Saturday 19 May - 2:25 pm - Near Evreux (N154)

Sigh! Sob! The trip as such isn't over yet but there's nothing left to visit. This morning we strolled through the streets of Gothic Rouen and now we're heading toward Italy, carefully avoiding the chaos of the Paris highways. In fact we're on the road to Orleans and then we'll follow on to Bourges, Moulins and Lyon, all the way to the Frejus tunnel and our Piedmontese homes. Last night from Calais we went straight to Rouen, stopping in Abbeville to fill up with diesel: here on the continent fuel definitely costs less!! Since our gray water tanks were full and our fresh water tanks empty, we looked for a nearby campsite using Ste's palm pilot, but the nearest one it showed was 50 km away. So we looked for the Rouen information center and, even with some difficulty, we reached it. Of course it was closed, but on the windows I found the addresses of some campsites in the area.

I wrote them down on a piece of paper and we headed to the first one on the list, 5 or 6 km away. The campsite was municipal and the reception was closed until Monday, so I asked a middle-aged couple of English campers, who had parked there, if in their opinion we could use the (few and primitive) campsite facilities. The man was very kind and even gave us a hand, while I emptied the chemical toilet, and Ste, Nao and Lory filled the camper with water with the help of 2 rubber hoses held together by hand. As if that weren't enough it started raining and I got soaked through, maneuvering with Ste to position the camper over a manhole where we could empty the gray water. I asked the couple if we could pay someone for having used the facilities, but they told us there was no problem and that the municipality of Deville les Rouen would "cover" it.

In the camper I changed and we parked in a free parking lot in front of a Gymnasium; we had dinner, played cards and went to bed. Lory won her 3 games against one each from me and Ste, and the night was even warmer than the last few nights, so much so that I got out of my sleeping bag and stayed in pants and t-shirt. This morning we headed to the city center in the camper, since the majority agreed not to use the buses, and we parked along the Seine, in front of the Cité Administrative. We split up at the bridge and arranged to meet at 1:45 pm at the camper, since Ste and Nao would go back there for lunch, while Lory and I would eat at some restaurant, since tomorrow is our first wedding anniversary and we'll spend it on the highway.

In a couple of hours we saw the famous Cathedral, also visiting it inside, the Church of St-Maclou, the Abbatiale Saint-Ouen, the paid public restrooms and the Church of Saint Joan of Arc. Near the latter we asked for directions in a little souvenir shop run by a fifty-year-old from Genoa, to find an Italian restaurant, since the other restaurants display exorbitant prices and French cuisine doesn't convince us at all. In the meantime we met some French brothers doing street witnessing, from the south of France, but who had gone to Bethel here near Rouen to visit it. After exchanging a couple of words we reached the pizzeria "Taormina" that had been suggested to us by the shopkeeper: it was run by a Neapolitan but now it belongs to French people who continue to present it as Italian.

Lory has a plate of lasagna and I have a pizza plus a bottle of Vittel water, which costs € 3.50 and arouses discontent among our taste buds because of its terrible taste. After lunch we dedicate a last look to the big golden clock among the little streets of the center and then off to the camper. Around 2:00 pm we set off and now we're near Chartres while Ste drives, I write and the girls try to kill the boredom of these roads by sleeping sitting up.

Arrival in Chambéry - 12:30 am - km 5710

Arrival in Cuneo - 2:00 pm - km 5997

Sunday 20 May - (written on the 21st) - Cuneo

Sooner or later it had to end, we knew it! That day has come, unfortunately. In just under a day we covered about 1000 km. The few stretches of highway we traveled on we paid through the nose for, both in France and in Italy. From the entrance into our country to Sommariva Bosco, Naomi felt more and more intense the "scent" of her home that she couldn't wait to reach. We spent last night in a service area in Chambery, after having dinner in the parking lot of a service area in Lyon. This morning the driver of a bus of French senior tourists thought it well to leave the engine running from 6:30 to 7:00, so our morning sleep went out the window. At 11:00 we arrived at Ste and Nao's house and unloaded their things; at 12:30 we arrived in Cuneo where we unloaded ours.

After that we went to the car wash and cleaned the camper well inside and out and then returned it to Skyrent, where we rented it. The only problem was finding a place to empty the toilet, but apparently Ste must have found a way to do it somewhere around Sommariva. The trip wasn't easy, but it gave us the chance to come into direct contact with an extraordinary nature and history. Now all that's left is to download the photos, look at them and dream of still being there, in Scotland!