On in to Italy

Thursday 1 August 2013

It's been a funny old day today, it started off with waking up far too early and spending an hour or so down loading photographs on to the Blog. As the Internet was so busy last night no one was getting anywhere so we gave up trying. However, before anyone else wakes up it is quite fast. I also tried to update the TomTom but by the time I got around to it it was too late and the traffic was just as bad as last night. Still at least the blog was now up to date.

We didn't have much of a plan today and headed of in the direction of the Slovenian capital, Ljubljana. But on the way we stopped off at Skofja Loka, a place the guide book described as a tourist destination and one of the most attractively situated towns in the country.  

It's roots go back to the beginning of time, there was a major earthquake in the 15th century which wiped out most of the town. Amazingly the church is still referred to as the new church. We walked around the streets in the blistering heat feeling very lethargic and quite frankly wondering what we were doing there. As a tourist destination it doesn't really have a lot to offer. We did the street guide and visited houses of painters we had never heard of and walked over the Devils Bridge, he wasn't there although a large amount of youths were playing in the water.

Walking back we went over a bridge and looking down into the clear water below, we saw shoals of fish and our own shadows leaning over the rail. It great fun touching the fish with our hand's shadow, it made all the fish jump and it felt like our hands were making the water ripple. Quite lovely really.

Back in Bertie we set off with the air con on full blast as it was well into the 30's and continued on our way to Ljubljana. We had 4 possible places to stay the night and all of them ended in us moving on. The first, was not a Aire but a school? The second, was nothing more than a garage and car wash although the owner did offer for us to spend the night around the back of the premises. The third, a proper campsite wanted €40 (I kid to not) and the fourth, was listed as a guarded car park on a motorway. No one had ever heard of it and we were told we could not stay over night, not that we really wanted to. So in the end we were now so far out of Ljubljana we gave up on it and drove on another 23km to Slovenia's No1 attraction - the caves at Postojna. We parked Bertie along with all the other visiting camper vans and took a look around ready for the big day tomorrow. Early night was much needed. 

Friday 2 August 2013

At 08.15 we were at the door to the ticket office waiting for it to open so we could buy our tickets for the tour of the caves. Postojna caves constitute the longest subterranean system in the country. With 20km of chambers and tunnels. They were formed by the seeping waters of the Pivka river which carved out several levels of underground galleries over 3 million years. They were first opened to visitors in 1819 and 35,000,000 (and 2) have been there since.

Once we had our tickets we walked the 200m to the cave entrance. We dutifully stood in line with the Chinese delegation and a group of Aussies. As soon as the clock struck 9 we were off through the turnstile and on our subterranean adventure. Firstly we walked down a long corridor to a platform and mounted the train. A sweet little thing, red and white with a long train of seated carriages arranged in twos, one behind the other.

Before long the train was off and we were straight into the tunnel and on our way. We were on the train for about one kilometre weaving through caverns and seeing rock formations. I had to get the nutter in front of me who the whole journey had his hands in the air trying to take photos (don't people understand that to take a picture you need light!). Anyway when we arrived at our first destination we all got out of the train and made our way to the sign that said English, and we waited for the next train of visitors to arrive. 

The temperature in the cave is a cold 10 degrees and constant all year round. Eventually, the guide arrived and gave us his talk on the 'Drip Rocks' as he called them, stalagmite and stalactite to you and me! He explained that we were not allowed to take photos and he gave a good account of why it is not allowed. Whilst this was going on a couple were posing at the back and literally flashing away with their camera. We also saw another man take a picture of his wife with a 2' sign behind her with a crossed out camera on it. It's mind numbing really.

So we set off on a one and a half Kilometre walk and it was quite frankly incredible. You really haven't seen caves till you have been to Postojna. The formations were lit up on the way and looked beautiful. We saw some amazing translucent rocks that gad formed like wavy sheets of leather. Stacks that had joined together and a pure white stalagmite that was called the diamond. It looked like a giant ice cream. Some looked like diamond dust coated massive wax creations and others a sea of pure white tiny icicles dangling from the roof. We went through red caverns then white and others full of autumnal colours. It really was beautiful.

Eventually we came into an enormous concert hall big enough to take 10,000 people and where they sometimes have concerts. Although not many as the musicians are worried about the 90% humidity damaging their instruments. They have more choral concerts apparently. In the corner of the hall is a shop and you are given time to wonder around before setting off back to the surface on the train.

It felt lovely to be back in the warm again and it took a few minutes to warm up but I must admit it had been good to feel the cool air of the caves. A brief look around the gift shops and we were off. We paid up at the car park machine had a quick cup of tea, put the TomTom on and we headed off towards the sea.

Our destination for the day is a place called Izola only 63km away and it was lunch time when we arrived. We were so lucky as we took the last space on the car park assigned for Camper vans. It is lovely to see the sea again and I think we have both missed it very much. We have no recollection of ever seeing the Adriatic before and when we came over the brow of the hill and saw the out stretched aquamarine sea before us, it was like a breath of fresh air. Not that there is much chance of that as the temperature is 34 degrees outside today.   

We settled Bertie in on the €15 a night car park and fed the machine with all the coins we could find in the van. Then we un-leashed the twins from the garage and went for a ride into the town to explore. Izola is a lovely town and sits nicely on the coast with a fishing harbour and a stony beach. We then came back and got changed into our beach gear and cycled back for an afternoon of relaxation and sun bathing. We are both turning a nice darker shade of pale. 

By 17.30 we made our way back to the van and had a BBQ on the Cadac. Even though we are on a car park we are going to stay the weekend here and hopefully chill a bit on the beach.

Oh one final thing, we are contemplating not going to Croatia this time. We have had some  reports of soaring temperatures and shocking roads. We are not on an obstacle course and we do need to think about the wear and tear on poor Bertie and of course ourselves. Mixed in with this are campsite fees in excess of €40 a night (too rich for our blood). We are amazed at the price of things here in Slovenia, camping costs are quite frankly a rip off. We have been to have a look at a site that is nothing more than a tented shanty town and the owner wanted €24 a night. I would rather sit in the car park with meagre facilities for €15 than pay their exorbitant prices. Finally, they are not EU and we cant be bothered to change our Euros to their currency. Bring back France and Germany and their beautiful free Aires, we love you.    

The Concert Hall

Human Fish

Saturday 3 August 2013

Phew  what a scorcher, 36*c today and it was hot from the start. We didn't bother to sleep under the bed clothes last night it was so warm. Don't get me wrong we love it, yes it's hot, sticky and draining but it beats cold, wet and windy any time. The weather has been so good for so long now we just take it as a norm and plan accordingly. We knew last night that today was going to be a beach day.

What we were desperate for were some beach mats and we have been looking all over the place for the type that fold up to a small carrier bag size. We went looking again today and found some, not perfect but they will do till the right ones come along. We saw the same ones in Bled for €30 each these were €10 so we felt we had picked up a bit bargain.

Izola is not a tourist trap and most of the people on the beach are locals or Slovenians. We have spotted a few Italians and three English girls walking along who were chatting amongst themselves about going back to School. Other than that not a lot.

Armed with our new mats we got ourselves sorted out and walked to the beach. We found a nice shady spot under some trees. Petra mostly read her book all day and I sun bathed and we swam in the lovely warm Adriatic with the fish. There's not a lot else to say really other than its nice to have stopped and relax for awhile. We were both ready for it.

Sunday 4 August 2013

Things are really starting to hot up, today it was too hot for sitting out in the sun all day so we walked to the sanctuary of a small clump trees over looking the sea and strangely on our own and relaxed all day reading and chatting. Oh, and dodging the ants which is probably why we were on our own!

In the evening we took a lovely walk in the town and around the marina it was still very warm, all shops and craft stalls open and we sat in a bar having a cold beer. It was a very nice relaxed hot sort of a day and we love it. 

Monday 5 August 2013

We have decided definitely not to go to Croatia this time for any or all of the reasons already mentioned. So it's off to Italy we go. Fortunately our destination of Trieste is only half an hour away and it sits very comfortably on a narrow spit of land between the mountains and the sea. It's an odd situation but if you study a map it soon becomes clear as the border runs along the whole length of the mountain range. So Trieste sits in a large bay on the Adriatic and is an atmospheric city with a long bustling harbour.

We had set the Tom Tom to go to a free camping area at the northern end. We first drove through the city which showed great promise and we arrived at the car park which unfortunately stated there was no overnight camping which was rather surprising as there were several of vans which had done so. So instead we drove back to the centre of the city and parked in a car park which allowed free overnight parking but we would have to pay for daytime parking. As it happens we didn't mind this as we wanted to look round the city. 

Today is the first day that we have experienced the big 40. 32 is lovely. 34 is getting hot. 36 you start to slow down. 38 you sweat a lot. But 40 is a different ball game altogether. Hotter than blood. To survive you have to drink copious amounts of water which of course comes straight out of your body in the form of sweat. It is possible to drink 4 litres of water an not go to the loo once. It's bearable if there is a sea breeze but this year is apparently unusual and there is very little breeze, certainly walking round the city there was not a breath to be had. At one point we went into a department store called Coin and were greeted with a blast of cold air. What joy! We stayed in that shop for quite some time even though we didn't make a single purchase. 

Trieste has some beautiful architecture and a lovely square with large ornate buildings, some gilded in gold and dressed in white stone. We would liked to have spent more time studying more buildings but is was simply too hot. We stopped for coffee in a shaded side street. 

Back at Bertie it was unbearably hot with no shade or breeze available. So we decided to go for a walk along the harbour wall to check out the beach. It was a mistake. We slowly made our way in the blistering heat the half kilometre or so towards the lighthouse. At the end of the road we found a high wall with an entrance reminiscent of an old entrance to an outdoor swimming baths. We looked inside and there were 2 turnstiles. To the left was women and children only and to the right men and women. We could not find the entrance for the men and children only? The gentleman in charge reeked of BO and his job was to take the €1 entrance fee. On balance and given the fact there was no shade on the beach we passed on by. 

Returning to Bertie we stopped at a supermarket to top up our beer and water supplies. It was still roasting hot at the van so we put the awning out enough to give us some shade and took a nap. When we woke up we decided to walk back in the city for ice cream. We had no problem finding the ice cream parlour and went inside to make our choice. Outside the shop were a number of empty tables and chairs which was a little surprising until we were told how much it would cost to avail ourselves of their chairs. 

One scoop of ice cream in a little plastic cup was €1.20. So 3 scoops which is the minimum requirement on such a hot day is €3.60. Now here's the twist. If you wish to sit down and enjoy your ice cream in comfort you have to pay an additional €2 per scoop. That makes €9.60 each or €19.20 for the two of us. We think that's excessive. As in a lot of large cities these days there are no benches to sit on which is probably why they think they can get away with overpricing. We found a comfortable stone plinth at the bottom of a column to rest or weary bones and enjoy our chocolate hazelnut ice-cream. 

There was a beautiful sunset that evening which set in the sea. We sat on a wall and watched as it disappeared into the millpond-like sea (see pic). Later a T4 parked next to us with a couple from the Netherlands. A lovely couple and we had a long chat about where we have all travelled, swapping ideas. 

One thing is for certain, we cannot stay here tomorrow and we desperately need to find shade. 

Tuesday 6 August 2013

Yesterday we briefly stopped at a car park with a parking area for campers. Which we believed did not allow overnight camping. It turns out that this rule was for cars only and campers could stay overnight. So, by 08.00 we has positioned ourselves facing the sea and harbour area sheltering under a tree and in the shade of another camper. Perfect.  

We met our new neighbours Mark & Sharon and their two children Gracie & Alfie. From Blackburn and travelling for a 4 week summer holiday. We spent the rest of the day in a shaded coppice at the edge of the sea, swimming, sunbathing, reading and eating more ice cream. The temperature is still 40 but easy to cope with by the sea. 

For many years Kevin has had a snorkelling set but it has never been used, we bought it with us for just such an occasion as today. The Adriatic is lovely and warm with lots of fish to look at. So after a prolonged period of fitting, adjustment, cleaning and so on the moment came when he took the plunge and popped his head under the water for the first time. The view was spectacular with lots of little fish going about their business spoilt only by the swishing around of water in the nasal cavity of the said apparatus. This completely caught him off guard resulting in a large inhale of the briny sea. He emerged coughing and spluttering, came out of the sea and spent half an hour with water running from his nostrils. Needless to say the snorkel has been put away until such time as he shaves off his beard.
So we languished is the sunshine and shade for the rest of the day eventually returning to Bertie for supper. Salad again - just too hot to cook. After which we went for a short walk looking for WiFi hotspots, of course none available. We need to sort this out next year. 

On return to Bertie our neighbours invited us out for a drink to the local beach bar only 30m away where we spent a lovely evening chatting. Mark is a lorry driver and Sharon is a teacher who used to be in a 90s chart topping pop group called Ruby.  (Little job for Josie - music download please). 

Wednesday 7 August 2013

So, a little confession. We have known for quite some time that Bertie has a gas leak. Sometimes it's worse than others but generally speaking there is a faint whiff of gas in the gas locker most of the time. All the connections have been tightened but still it persists. We think with all of the heat, expanding metals etc which we don't really understand much about the leak has become substantially worse and needs attention pdq. Mark, to whom we are eternally grateful, had spotted a motorhome showroom about 15km along the coast. So it was with great regret that we gave up our parking space at this lovely location and by 09.10 we were parked outside the showroom waiting for them to open at 09.30. 

What proceeded can only be described as some of the best service we have ever received  and we would like to say a big thank you to all the guys and señorita at Nord Est Camper. As Bertie was 'in dock' as it were we thought now was a good opportunity if possible to have some little jobs carried out which were on our 'to do' list. 

The first issue was obviously the gas leak. The owner said that he would send out "the boy" to do whatever we wanted. Before you could turn round "the boy" who must have been in his forties had the faulty component removed and discovered a piece of grit was lodged underneath the washer. He replaced the washer having made sure that it was spotlessly clean. He then used a special spray and showed that the leak had indeed been cured. How simple was that!

We have been toying for a while with having a new bike rack and in many ways we shouldn't because of the weight issue but there is a bit of forward planning going on here as when we get back to the UK we may sell the Brompton Twins and replace them with larger more conventional bikes that are easier to ride so we can go further on them. As luck would have it Nord Est Camper have a monthly promotion and this month was Fammia, an Italian company well known in the camper world for their quality products. Recognising already that the prices are cheaper here than in the UK plus the promotional 10% discount tipped the balance and all things considered we felt it was worth having, so went ahead.

What then ensued was a mammoth effort from "our boy" to install the bike rack onto the fittings which were already in place. There was a small charge for the installation but when you take into account the blistering heat, 40 degrees plus and the huge bag of components it was worth every cent. This is an example of how thorough this company is in dealing with us bearing in mind that we had literally come in on spec. It also highlights the perils of buying second hand. 

Whilst the man was tightening up the fixings to the bike rack he was not very happy as he felt that it was "spongy". Closed inspection proved that whoever installed the original bike rack had done so incorrectly and this has caused water ingress around one of the fittings. Basically it has soaked the polystyrene which in turn had weakened the plywood inner and the fitting was pulling through the insulation. When the inner part of the fitting was removed it was found to be full of rust and an indentation could be seen in the wood where the bracket had been. Had we have continued to use the old bike rack it is quite probable that we would have caused serious damage to the van. 

Without further ado a long metal plate was made to incorporate both of the top fixings and is was all bolted back together. Fantastic job. Finally he tested the area with his water meter and announced that it was dry and the sealant that he had used would for last for 20 years. 

Next, all of the door retainers which secure the doors when opened, the one on the habitation door has failed to secure totally. Whilst we were at it we decided to have all three changed. Finally, a constant problem we have had is with the water filling cap. On cornering to the right water can be seen pouring out of the filler cap to such an extent that it is possible to lose 30L of water, or a quarter of a tank, over a journey. We have had a replacement filler cap supplied to us by Premier from Dethleffs which was completely useless. We now have a new cap and different sort to standard Dethleffs. Unfortunately this has not solved the problem completely but has at least improved it.

By now it was 12.45 and we had had the use of the engineer all morning. Not once did they complain about our sudden arrival taking their engineer away from other work. In the UK under similar circumstances we would have had to make an appointment for the non urgent work. 

Whilst there we took advantage of the shop facilities and purchased a few things that we needed. For example Fammia corner steady plates, bike cover & reflector, Thetford products at half the price we have seen elsewhere and a replacement heater vent for the bathroom. 

We somewhat lighter of pocket as you can imagine but very satisfied with the quality of workmanship and friendly attitude of the company staff. It was pointless trying to get back to Trieste as not only would our car park space would be taken but it would be impossible to even get onto the car park. So we made our way to a free Aire in a nearby village where we spent a lonely night swatting mosquitos. Nuff said.

Thursday 8 August 2013

We decided that we liked Trieste so much, that if possible we would return to see if there was a spot available that we could use. Further, we would like to stay there as long as possible waiting for the time Jo and Paul come out to Venice. It really has everything we need and is totally free. Certainly from our expenses of yesterday a little respite from extravagances is called for. 

Fortunately, there was a space and after settling in Bertie we set about the serious business of relaxation and sun bathing.

Friday 9 August 2013

We woke up to spots of rain pattering on the roof of Bertie and was a little cooler. Not enough to send us hunting out to trousers and T's but, enough to make us think today was not going to be a day to laze about. The morning was spent catching up on washing bedding etc (lots of trips to the stand pipe) and the commencement of cleaning Bertie which lasted all day till 17.30 in the evening. Fortunately the showers didn't return after 10.00 and the day remained a cool working temperature of 33 degrees. By the time we had finished Bertie looked resplendent, like new and courted a number envious glances and comments from passers by.

During the day a nice old Italian man came over and raved over the van. He had a very nice van himself but had scratched it. He beckoned me over to have a look and asked if I could polish it out. The poor chap had scraped it against the wall reversing. (Easily done and no shame). I went and got my paint renovator and set to. To my surprise it really did a good a job and if you stood back you could hardly tell. The man was delighted and came out with a string Italian expletives. 

We retired to bed after a pleasant evening playing Scrabble, we were really tired but very satisfied with our days work and exercise. For the first time in ages we had a cool night so were able to sleep a lot better.

Saturday 10 August 2013

A new day brings more sunshine a bit cloudy and the temperature had plummeted to a cool 26 degrees. A real change, from previous days. The wind had picked up and swirled around all the fallen leaves on the floor. The searing heat of the last few weeks has take its toll on the trees.

More washing and fetching of water till it was all done. It was just about dry when a Police car pulled up and told us to remove it all, sighting 'there is no Camping' and 'this is a car park'. Fair enough, we had pushed the boundary too far and had our knuckles rapped. Still we have clean clothes which is nice. (Best keep low profile from now on).

Just before lunch the nice old Italian man came around with a large bottle of red wine. It was slightly fizzy and he announced he had made it himself. It really was delicious, clever man. He also showed us where to camp in Venice so we are set for the 21st August

The afternoon was spent in the coppice, looking at the sea, reading and watching the wind surfers rip through the waters on their amazing boards. We both agreed we would love to have a go and we could put boards on the roof as we do have a roof rack. 20 years younger perhaps.....

In the evening we walked down to the concert that was going on near the fountain. It was Elvis night. The band played well but neither looked or sounded like Elvis. There certainly was no gyrating going on. We ambled around the stalls and made a small purchase of a cotton shirt. The food stalls somehow didn't look inviting. If you like 40cm sausages 3cm thick covered in sauerkraut and a rock hard bread roll great this is for you. We moved on and before we knew it we were back at Bertie.

We had a very disturbed night, we knew it would be as the event was on and you couldn't move for cars. Then more vans would arrive and pandemonium would ensue whilst positions were sorted. We have never really liked our position in the car park as it is a bit far out along the run of vans and we tend to get cars parked all around us. The Italians really have no interest in saving the camper van spaces for camper vans. If there is a space to put their car or Vespa for that matter and it will go in, tough. We saw one young lady arrive and just pipped a reversing camper into the camper spot. No amount of reasoning could persuade  her to move it, she just collected her stuff together and walked off to the amazement of all the observers near by.

At 01.30 a group of girls arrived at their car next to Bertie and held a conversation at full Italian volume. Believe me we were not amused and they were give short shrift in best Brummie. 

Sunday 11 August 2013

Decided to move Bertie further down the line today. We were woken at 06.30 by our neighbour leaving who came in at some unearthly hour in the night and was clearly passing through. So we thought we might as well spread the joy and move ourselves. A French van moved from the space we had been coveting and we in there like a shot. Next to the nice old Italian man. All the excitement over, we are now set for another relaxing day by the sea.

Settled in our new spot we set about the day's work of having breakfast and preparing ourselves. We have decided to become professional sunbathers. We are quite new to this line of work and so look to the locals for inspiration, trust me they have it well under control.

Firstly, the right type of sun lounger. Not the heavy weight recliners we have no, they are the flat sort that fold out into a bed with the mandatory hood that comes over to protect the face. A big towel with 'Croatia' or 'Ibiza' written on it. Or, if you are posh, Georgio Armarni, or Vercarce. Next, a skimpy bikini that disappears up your bum and needs constant adjustment every time you breathe (top optional) and of course sensible trunks for the blokes. A water diffuser to spray yourself when overheating and lashings and lashings of top quality sun cream. Topped off with a rather fetching beach bag.

We are still nervous of spending all day in the full glare of the sun. Some people, I kid you not, arrive before we have even got out of bed and baggied their spot and literally don't move from it all day. Yes, they have magnificent all over tans but at what cost? We tend to spend no more than one hour in the sun before racing to the shade for a wipe down with a cold wet copy of the 'Camper and Caravan Magazine'.

Today when we arrived at our chosen spot (one of the only ones left) at about 11.00, some local youths had set them selves up with a big gazebo a music system, bar and enough towels to carpet a stadium. They were already drinking when we arrived and continued all day. The music was rather odd to us and seemed to be a constant drum beat with no melody or words. Once one track finished and that could take half an hour, another one started which was almost exactly the same as the previous but had subtle differences. It was ok and they certainly liked it but quite honestly by the end of the day we had had enough of it. 

The Italian people are animated speakers. When they group together they launch into very loud conversations all at the same time and one does wonder how anyone could keep up with it all. But it continues unabated till the conversation runs dry which is the signal for a kiss on each cheek and everyone goes their separate ways. To them it is of course normal but to a foreigners like us it is a bit bizarre.

During the day and every now and then we heard a really deep husky Italian voice, the type you associate with the archetypal Hollywood  gangster. I looked for ages for what I suspected to be an old man only to find it belonged to one of the youths. He was a good looking chiseled sort of chap with a six pack and black hair. Quite a surprise really. I even heard someone say 'Mama Mia' today, brilliant. 

We returned to Bertie at about 6pm, and had a chat in Italian to our neighbour (the nice old Italian man) he wanted to show me how he filled his van with water and produced the biggest pipe and funnel I have ever seen (see pic). We compared his to mine, why he had to have such a big one I will never know but there it was. It did cause quite a laugh so that was nice.

We are defiantly going to stay her for as long as we can, we really like it. Don't get me wrong it's not perfect by any means and it ain't no campsite but, that doesn't matter to us we like the people we are with and the you can't complain about the views. Facilities are available you just need to work for them and make it work for you. For example, water pipes are there but you have to walk 100m with a jerry can to fill your tank. If you fill the tank every morning it's not so bad. Don't use the toilet on board when there is a public one available, and finally, empty the grey tank every morning. No problem. 

Monday 12 August 2013

The days are starting to mingle into each other and to our amazement it has been 12 days since we last posted the blog. It's not from want of trying and we have touted our computer all over the restaurants and cafes in our location desperately trying to do it. The longer it goes on the more difficult and longer it takes to to down load. it is a real issue. 

We did have a tip off that there might be one hope so at 12 noon we arrived at the door of a Pizza restaurant to be told the password was too long for numpty foreigners like us to get our heads around so forget it. We returned to Bertie and put all our stuff away again. Tomorrow we will have to go into Trieste city centre to see if we can have more joy there.

The rest of the day was spent relaxing, reading and sunbathing by the sea.