The start of the journey home. Travelling up the West side of Italy to Asti. I wonder where I’ve heard that name before. No doubt my evening meal will be accompanied by a bottle of Italian bubbly. 531 Miles for the day, bringing the total so far to 2508.
I was down for breakfast at 7 Checked out of the hotel and waited for my car to be delivered. A long drive back up the Autostrada del Sol to Florence, Then Genoa and arriving at Asti at about 4. It was there that my problems began. Every road leading to the hotel was closed because of a festa. And the nearest parking place was ½ a mile away. The person at the hotel didn’t speak English and tried to send me away. Eventually somebody said that the night manager was on his way in, but he didn’t get there til 7 PM. What a different attitude then. He only spoke Italian and French. My Italian is limited to about 6 words of which one is unrepeatable. But he came with me to my car, Navigated me to the hotel garage and helped me with my case. I had to have something to eat, a spaghetti alla carbonara which was washed down by a bottle of Asti Tosti a coffee and a grappa. Then bed. Driving was 544 miles of which 8 was trying to find a way past the road blocks. 2430 miles total
