Italy...Veneto

Italy!

And for the next few days..until july 11 we are at Pedavena..or rather in a house 3.5km up from Pedavena on the road  to Passo Croce d’aune.  At max this heave is 12% .mostly 6-8%.   I did an early ride down to get some fresh rolls for brekky and had no issues, but later in the day, with fatigue ,jet lag and the heat needed to stop if only to pour water over myself!

The house is supposed to be ok for 8, but we discovered only has 2 bedrooms…we think a lot was left unsaid on the website!  It is half of a house with the other half occupied by a couple who only occasionally live there at the weekend.   

 The entrance hall is tiny with 3 doors all opening into it so you have to be very careful when opening them.  Up above it’s the same with the 2 bedroom and 1 bathroom door ALL opening outwards into a tiny landing. 

The beds are ok, the kitchen is well stocked with gear, there is a BBQ and an outside eating area  and there are no mosquitoes!  Tabatha likes cooking which makes me the expert at washing up and cleaning…ie the scullery maid.

So far the drams have been limited to losing things….to the point that the saying for the holiday up til now has been “where the f%^k is/did I put…….” But now we’re settled down in 1 place, that issues is diminishing.  It all started when I got out of the car at Tullamarine airport, loaded the trolley, said good bye to , my chauffeur Alex and shot off to check in only to discover I’d left the bag with all my clothes in the car squashed down behind the driver’s seat.  It took me a panic filled while to find the phone, put in the password and phone Alex…who luckily did what I hoped he would..(and shouldn’t have) and answered the phone.  A quick u turn later and I was re-united with my clothes!  

The journey was fine with an upgrade to business via my freq flyer points on the final hop from Dubai to Munich.  Being able to use the Emirates lounge in Dubai is also a life saviour.

Tabatha was waiting for me at Munich airport and so was my car..a Citroen C4 Grand Picasso.  I had thought that with 3 people, 3 bike boxes and 5 cases we would need to get a taxi for the overflow to get the car depot..but nope..it all fitted in…incredible. 

The drive to Sankt Johann was uneventful and we picked up my gear and motored on to our overnight stay.  This is also the place where Alex and I will spend our final 2 nights and the lady of the house has allowed me to dump my 2 bike boxes for the intervening 10 weeks.