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Because of restrictions the hotel have placed on this PC, I can’t upload any photos which show many of the things I have written about. We’ve filled 5 512mb cards so far, which some of you will have to endure all 5x 512mb worth. Hopefully we’ll get to a hotel soon where I can upload the photos to help fill the stories better.

Also, this is copied from a diary that we’re keeping so I apologise if I made mistakes in copying from the printed version to the electronic version. Ain’t technology great?

Wonderful day in Venice! By far our favourite city of the tour to date. Arrived on island of Venice for tour of Bridge of Sighs, St Mark’s Square, and some back streets. The local guide was very concerned about the rising of abnormally high tide (due to rain from past few days) and the rain this morning, so had to take particular routes across the square to avoid getting wet. Saw glass blowing in factory. By the time the glass blowing was over, and we looked at some glasswork, the rain had stopped but the tide was so high that St Mark’s Square was completely flooded to knee height. Much of Venice was flooded and not trafficaly except for certain places where the local government placed raised walkways, and to those who were fortunate enough to have through of buying gumboots!

We took a gondola ride along the grand canal and some of the more medium sized canals. Very … romantic, with 6 people on our gondola, the 2 couples couldn’t sit next to each other due to weight distribution, but none the less, very nice.

Walked around the rest of Venice all afternoon, went to the Rialto Bridge, markets, had cappucino and tiramisu in a small piazza, and of course we had to go shopping!

Unfortunately, we had to leave San Marino as it really is a jewel of Europe. We had to leave earlier than planned as bad weather caused flooding on the highways to Venice. Drove north to Padova, where we stopped at our hotel. We motorboated into Venice for dinner. Loved cruising down the main canal and seeing all the lights. Walked past the Bridge of Sighs, through to St Marks Square and Rialto Bridge.

Arrived back in Italy at the port of Ancona, then drove for a couple of hours to the Republic of San Marino, a tiny walled city state on top of Mount Titano. Had a delicious lunch of pizza and pasta in front of the Public Palace and houses of government before watching the changing of the guard. Walked all the way to the top of the city (very steep!) before spending the rest of the afternoon shopping and strolling the stone streets of San Marino.

Drove back to Patras and boarded the ferry in the afternoon … realised after a leisurely lunch and look through the shops that we still hadn’t left the port!

Megan had a nap through the afternoon, whilst I looked around the ship and found a flight landing simulator on-board! Just as I was about to finish landing, the stupid thing turned itself off and never turned back on for the rest of the trip.

Had dinner, and chatted to other people from the tour until midnight, then it was bed time.

Went on a cruise of 3 Greek islands today, spending the whole day cruising and stropped at Poros, Hydra (where the only transportation is by donkey), and finally Aegina. Tried to swim on Hydra (sneaky cruise people said it was the only island for swimming, but we suspect thise was to get people to go on an optional swimming excursion on Aegina). A rocky staircase straight down into deep, choppy water was too scary for Megan, despite the beautiful blue water. So she climbed halfway down the ladder, then straight back up only wetting her bottom half. I didn’t find it scary (mucho mucho man), and had a good swim.  She was disappointed that she didn’t get to swim, until we reached Aegina and realised the cruise lady was not quite honest and saw a sandy beach, leading out to green-blue clear water, which was much more to her style.

Drove to Athens today, stopping at Corinth Canal for lunch (at a very dodgy Greek restaraunt, which we suspect gives a kickback to Cosmos). Had a guided tour of the Acropolic (High City in Greek) which is now being restored and has scaffolding all over it. Unfortunately, many of the statues are destroyed or in the British Museum in England so we missed out on them. Also saw the stadium of the first Modenr Olympics in the 19th century, Houses of Parliament and the Presidents house, which is guarded by popular soldiers … luckily as today is Sunday, they were dressed in full traditional uniform, completed with 2kg pom-pom shoes!

After a brief moment of panic at 5:45am, when the ship called for all passengers to prepare to disembark (several thoughts went through our minds, mainly that there was an emergency), it became apparent that there was another stop before ours that we didn’t know about.

Had lunch in port-town of Patras. Drove to hotel in a village surrounding ancient Olympia and walked around the site of the first Olympics, seeing ruins of gymnasiums, the Stadium and the temples of Zeus + Hera. Were a little suspicious of the local guide’s honestly when she said that the ancient Greeks drug tested competitors by drinking their urine to test it’s acidity.

After a rare (and welcome!) sleep in, skipped hotel breakfast in preference to cappucinos and Italian pastries at a small village cafe.

Drove to Bari where we embarked on an overnight cruise to Greece. We were lucky with the room - unlike most others from the tour, we had a window and seperate beds instead of bunks!

Caught ferry from Sorrento to Capri with Leonarrrrrdo (as he called himself with a roll of the tongue), who was initially amusing but because rather irritating over the course of the day.

Took mini buses up windy, street, over-trafficed roads to Anacapri, where we took a chairlift to the highest peak. Spent time in Capri shopping and eating gelati. Plans for Blue Grotto dashed by choppy water (the company wasn’t running them today) so had to settled for a boat ride around Capri instead, which visited the (not so) famous Green, Coral and Stalatite grottos.

Drove to Pompeii today, had a fantastic tour through the ancient town and saw all the ruins and casts of the bodies. Stopped in the centre of Sorrento before heading to the hotel.

Decided to take a walk to the ‘beach’, took hours to walk there rather than minutes and turned out to be volcanic boulders and a huge swell rather than the sandy Mediterranean paradise imagined. After many, many, many …. many stairs, arrived safely back to the hotel.

Wake up call at 5:30am to be ready in time to line up for the Vatican Museum entrance, which opened at 8am. Saw plain clothed policemen chase a woman who was selling scarves on the street, a big no-no in Rome, she looked terrified for her life and dropped most of her scarves in the middle of the street. We had a tour through the museum, then on to the Sistine Chapel. After there, it was St Peters Basilica, the forum and the Colloseum.

One of the girls on the tour got lost at the Colloseum, and after waiting 20 minutes, the coach had to leave (at 3:30pm or so). At 6:30pm, the girl turned up at the hotel after calling her mother back in the USA to get the address. Frightening to happen in the middle of Rome.

Spent morning shopping in leather district of Florence (Firenze) followed by a tour of the city centre (saw the beautiful Duomo … but sadly statue of David was just a copy, albeit in the original statue’s place).

Afterwards, drove to rome and went out for a 5 (!) course dinner … thus far Italian food is easily living up to it’s reputation! Dinner has singers, and each lady was presented with a rose and a kiss from the waiter. Awww. Afterwards, we took in the Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps by night.  Lots of drunken Contiki kids!

Went to see the centre of Nice today, but the main boulevarde was blocked off for a triathlon for some very tiny competitors.

Watched kids race for a while before a tour of a perfumerie in Eze. Thought the perfume guide was putting on the hard sell a little too strongly, got confused and then went outside without purchasing anything!

Crossed into Italy and drove along the gorgeous Italian Riviera and went through Tuscany.

Went to Pisa and saw the Leaning Tower, did the obligatory ‘tourist holding up the tower’ pose, along with seeing the Square of Miracles.

Mario had troubles driving the coach down the small Tuscan streets to get to our hotel, had to reverse almost 500 metres because the street got too narrow for the coach!

Drove back in to the south of France, along the vineyards of Provence to Avignon, where we stopped for lunch. Beautiful Medieval walled city with tiny streets and a partially washed away Roman bridge.

Drove on to Cote d’Azur, finally stopped in Nice. Had a fantastic evening excursion to Monaco - saw the Prince Palace, Opera House and the glamourous Casino at Monte Carlo. Had a wonderful night, and now want to stay in Monaco!

Morning tour around Barcelona, saw some magnificant building facades in the Modern and Modernist styles. Stopped at La Sagrada Famila (Holy Family), which is still not complete. Interesting to see the different stages of completion. Took in views of Barcelona from the mountains, and parts of the 1992 Olympic Park. Spent the afternoon strolling through the La Ramba boulerarde with shops, markets and buskers.

Sad this was such a brief glimpse of Spain!

Bit concerned about the 5:45am wakeup call for this morning … but it never came (apparently a hotel computer glitch). Hadn’t set a backup, so woke up naturally at 6:15am, 15 minutes before the bags for due outside the door for the porter. Scrambled to get ready and resolved to set a backup alarm in future.

Lovely drive south through vineyards to Carcasrone, a village of boutique shops and restaraunts on winding roads within the walls of a fortress. Further south to enter Spam, arrived at a lovely waterfront hotel in Barcelona. A search for dinner along the water brought much more than we bargained for … a gay nudist beach, and a particulary well-endowed (more on that when we get home as it’s graphic) strolling the boardwalk in nothing but tattoed-on speedos!

Long day in the bus - drove from Paris to Bordeaux, going through the Loire Valley, where we stopped to see a Chateau (and search for Mars bars), then past Orlean of the old variety and Poitiers, through to Tour for lunch. Settled on Cafe de Moinsuer (ham + cheese sandwich, culinary delight) and eclaires.

Further south til we reached Bordeaux. After dinner, we went to see the monument for those beheaded during the Reign of Terror, lit up at night.

Started day off with coach tour around Paris - saw Notre Dame (where a keychan seller tried to give Megan his phone number, and invited her to move to Paris into his house), Eiffel Tower, the Opera House, Lourve, Champs d’Elysse and (just barely) the Arc du Triomphe. Quick lunch before driving our of Paris to Versailles and the Palace of King Louis XIV.

Went back to hotel before driving to Montmarte, where we took the furnicular to the top of te hill, which is where the best view of Paris is to be had. Dinner in a traditional French restaraunt, and feeling particularly adventurous, we both tried snails, frog legs and blue cheese. Surprisingly tasty.

After the restaraunt, we caught a taxi to the Eiffel Tower by night, to enjoy the light show and travelled up the tower. Worth the trip.

Hint #1, if a random man hands a girl a rose and insists, it’s not for the romance of Paris, it’s for 5 euros.

The tour begins!

Bit tricky trying to flag down a cab on Cromwell Road peak-hour, but made it to the Thistle Euston joining the hotel JUST in time to … wait. A few interesting characters already on the coach, mostly Aussies, Kiwi’s and Americans.

Scenic drive to Dover Port and the white cliffs before surprisingly short ferry to Calais. Met Clarisse, the French tour director and drove to Paris. Crazy drivers (including Mario, our Italian coach driver) everywhere! Hotel seems especially luxurious after easyHotel in London. Cabaret show at night, glitzy, glam and a tiny bit Eurotrash. And of course, the French can can, how Moulin Rouge!

After spending some days in London visiting the most common sights, we are now in France. I wonèt say much in this post apart from wère still alive, and this keyboard is quite difficult to use, hence the random accentures on the letters in substitute for appostrophies, my lack of placing an at symbol making it hard to email, but  anyway, having a fabulous time, and leave tomorrow morning for Bordeaux.

I donèt have much time at the moment, but I will endeavour to put photos and a more detailed entry when I have time.

We leave tomorrow! Excitement+

Will post more things up here on a couple-days-a-week basis, with piccies as we go along.