After the French Riviera we sped through the tiny tax haven of Monaco. Joe and I are having a little competition between us both to see how many tramp points we can score throughout the trip, but in Monaco it was equal. As we st on a wall eating stale bread and crisps we watched people with their handbags, fancy cars, entitled children, off-shore bank accounts and cocaine, feeling a little out of place. There wasn't much there for us through the whole of the Riviera. Very rich, heavily built up coast line doesn't bode well for two travellers on a tight budget trying to wild camp. One night we had to take refuge next to a sewage works, whispering the entire time behind a wall as families walked passed. Classy.
Italy became quite stressful also. On our first night we rode inland up a mountain for eight miles until we could find a place to sleep in a woodland, which was quite nice, but the subsequent days of failing to find a place to rest were taking their toll.
This is Genova, a large city along the coast. Unfortunately we could only stay with our host for one day, and it wasn't the rest we imagined as we had to climb about 300 steps with all our bags, three times, to get to her apartment.We had to leave early so we just spent the day on a bench 'talking' to old people who sat next to us speaking in Italian.
The rest we were looking for did actually arrive, thankfully, as Kevin, a couchsurfer let us stay at his place in a beautiful little village on the outskirts of Genova. We spent the day in the sea swimming and paddle boarding.
Actual homemade Italian pasta and olive oil. This trip has really put what manyeat in England into perspective. Not in a good way.
This is Kevin's apartment on the front cover of a magazine advertising the area we were in.
Trekking inland through the mountains on the way to Venice.
Another land camping ground.
Cooking dinner on an open fore makes u for it though, and it gets those bastard mosquitoes away too.
We finally left the coast and made our way to Padora, a town around 30 km away from Venice. The photo's of Venice sort of do it justice, but really, it is a must see if you want to appreciate it properly. It's one of the most beautiful places I've ever been to.
This is Ele, Geovani and I have forgotten the other guys name (sorry). I met them at a party in Padora.I wish I brought my camera then, but I was just lost in having fun in the night, dancing under the trees with glowsticks, a massive sound system and all the red wine we could drink. I then stayed at Ele's place for another two days where we went to a reggae festival, dancing around at the front of the stage in the humid air. Again, I didn't bring my camera, I was just having a good time.
The area around Venice was really good to me, I loved it. Right now I'm in Albania, so I still have some catching up to do with the blog. Albania is winning in my favourite country on this trip though. It's amazing. The weather has been brutal though. It got to 42 celsius recently and it's overpowering. We've had to change our riding style to just trying to cover distance in the evenings now, as these little air cooled engines are really suffering during the day. And so are we frankly. But at least in Albania getting a hostel to take refuge in doesn't break the bank, and it makes a welcome change from having to hide outside most nights.
More photo's of Slovenia onwards should be coming soon!
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