Farewell Italy

Sorry for delay but just nowhere had internet, not even at Roma airport!! Italy was kind to us, we appreciate their weird and wonderful ways ...they all think they are formula 1 drivers and we spied out many times speedsters at 160kph on the autostrade, and reckless overtaking on windy hilly narrow roads, and we're positive they prefer driving on the left hand side as they always seem to approach us on our side of the road! Their cars dont have indicator lights we are sure! Elsie so enjoyed the way foodstuffs were always wrapped in crisp paper and sellotape (cheese, pastries, meat, bread etc) and a receipt is issued for everything! The quaint little shops that had no signage and you managed to find the specific shop you wanted by simply by looking through the curtain at the door! The delicatesseans were just amazing, a vast array of cheeses, wines, salamis and antipasto...personally I'd never seen so much and all locally produced. Now to the bugs, we think they drove us out of Roccalbegna...the climax was when Elsie discovered the biggest centipede ever! It was in my trackpants, and I screamed...Noel thought I was exaggerating and being a puss! ...until he saw it! He reckoned it was a big fat jelly that wouldnt die when he stamped on it many times. The wasps like b52's, ants the size of peanuts, every creepy crawly insect you could imagine we saw!!! Snakes, scorpians, wasps, bees, huge flies, slater bugs, they were just so abundant and massive in size, we used up nearly a can of flyspray in 5 days!!! We thoroughly enjoyed the Moretti and Peroni national beers! Different prices at different locations! We feel accomplished, Noel at driving and Elsie at navigating, and dealing comfortably with the language. Our only 'heated moment' which nearly led to divorce was at Roma airport when we had to return the car to Avis. We could not find where to take it despite driving around and around and around and asking 3 lots of people, until the only place left to look was in a carparking building! I kid you not! Eureka, floor after floor of car rental places in a carpark building! No signage anywhere...but we made it safe and sound with car intact what more could we have asked for! We leave you behind Italy, with the warmest of memories and hope one day to return to your beloved country. Our next adventure begins in Greece so until then thanks for all your messages, cheeky as they are! Arrivedecci Italy and yasas Greece!