France.

And how remiss of me not to be punctual.

Well, I couldn’t be punctual because we’ve been off sites with wife for five days, and such a lot has happened.

Venice. Been there, got the t-shirt, not for us. The city or state is a rip off from the time you get near it. What did my head in was being charged to SIT in their restaurants, being forced to pay a 12% service charge, by law!

We ate in a lovely looking restaurant, and to be, such character, fair the food was fine. But the service? Really woeful.

Walked the legs off ourselves, so much so in fact, that Margaret fell out with me. We walked that far, we got a water bus back to the station and it was thirteen stops.

Wonderful buildings, such character, we didn’t even mind when the sea started coming up through the man holes in St Marks Piazza!

Just stayed one night and headed north west towards Switzerland. We stopped at a country restaurant and asked if we could stay if we ate.

No problem.

The food was a la mama! In fact, I think mama was the cook, but it didn’t take away from the honesty and freshness of our meals. A bottle of wine and four courses, €22!!!!

No chance of getting caught drink driving, we repaid the hospitality with some Limoncellos and were last to leave. Slept really well and woke up to the buzz of small talk. The pub opens at 07:30 for cures and croissants!

Today we would be going into Switzerland, through the amazing 17km tunnel at Gothard.

More to come.