Tuscany 2012 - Day 1

prolog

I actually assumed that this year's holiday in Italy wouldn't happen. After all, Lisa is now going to school and we can't just go on holiday.

Well, and then Illungo tells us about Elba and Miscianello and the idea of a short holiday in Italy grows and grows...

So first we had to organize the now necessary child's passport for Lisa and then make an official presentation to the class teacher and also in writing to the headmistress: approved.

The K's travel by car train from Vienna to Livorno and on Saturday, June 9, 2012, they are already writing nasty text messages: "Elba, 25 degrees, the hair is perfect and the first Moretti is long gone. Cheers!"

Even nastier a week later on Saturday, June 16, 2012: "Miscianello: Air 30, water 24. Heavenly peace."

Tuesday, 19.6.2012

6:00 Wake up call. While Lisa is still at school in the morning, we pack our suitcases, tidy up a few things here and there and after a sushi lunch we set off at half past one:

N 43° 22' 10" North

E 11° 22' 08" East

The satnav suggests an arrival time of 20:49. It will probably take place around this time, but before that there will be a big farewell cuddle.

And off we go onto the asphalt. We have 7 hours ahead of us. First we'll play the new Kiddy Contest CD and then again and again until we finally switch to Lisa's music CD.

In SMS staccato, the journey reads like this:

14:36 Departure

15:05 Pack already conquered

15:55 Klagenfurt

16:11 Border / Italia - Arrival 20:40

17:05 Udine 36 degrees

19:20 At the gates of Bologna - 37 degrees

19:58 Tuscany

19:29 Florence - 35 degrees

20:49 Arrived safely in bella Italia

There are only two toilet stops in between - Lisa is very, very well behaved and reads the "House of Anubis" book. And at the border she is almost stopped briefly by the "vignette man".

The first stop (around Venice) is quickly completed - construction site. At the second stop, finally:

"Un caffè, per favore. Grazie, arrivederci!"

Lisa's memory of the car ride: "A giant lollipop was stumbling around in the wild, on one leg."

The mountain stage from Bologna to Florence is in a very desolate state and is therefore almost a construction site. There is a line of trucks in the right lane and the usual crowds on the left. Although things are generally more moderate than they were a few years ago. There are radar boxes everywhere and there are a lot of section controls too. Let's see how sharply they are set.

Near Florence , a spectacle occurred: a burning truck on the opposite lane.

Italy has improved the motorways and moved all toll stations down to the exits. Only when we leave the A1 towards Siena do we have to pay: 32.90 euros.

Between Florence and Siena, the police suddenly appear behind us with their blue lights flashing! But they speed past and 10 km later they drive across both lanes at 70 km/h and so we slowly approach Siena.

Finally, Siena North. At least 3 new roundabouts and I have to overrule the satnav: I already know the way. Done: Miscianello .

A warm welcome as always and finally the well-deserved Moretti double seidl. The Bolognese brings life back into the sitting carcass and we can watch fireflies at this late hour. Lisa goes to bed at around 11, and it's our turn at 2.