Brief rest until I fly out again

I'm into a  brief "no-blog" phase so there's no need to check up here until I hit Europe again  which is on July 15th, when I land in Geneva and pick up our leased Renault car a Megane station wagon. 

We need a car that can take 3 bikes and 3 people but having seen the narrowness of the streets in Italy, I think I might have to steer clear of driving in villages! (I'm still suffering from shock from getting lost in Agrigento in Sicily and having to drive along the ancient narrow and very very steep streets..27% downhill hair pin bend to be exact)

The plan for the next stage of 2010 travels is as follows:

Firstly with Alex, 

• 1 week in Bourg D'Oisans (and our apartment is actually at the bottom of Alpe d'Huez), so the French alps..we plan on driving over to Como one of the days to see the cycling museum and  Madonna d'Ghisalla church.

• then 1 week in the Pyrenees.

• then we are joined by my sister for 1 week in Tuscany and 

 Firenze, Siena, Pisa and Lucca are all on the menu and we're staying at Palaia which is the top one of the two red flags

• 1 week near Venice.  

 we're staying somewhere between Venice and Padova and plan on seeing not only Venice but also the ice man in Bolzano, the Pinarello factory in Treviso and if Alex is up for it, he will ride (and I will drive!) the Passo del Stelvio

• Alex then flies home 
• and my sister and I then have1 week in Slovenia ..nothing planned yet and
• 1 week in Austria (St Johann for the world road champs) after which she returns home 

• I fly to Manchester for 2 days then to 
• USA (San Diego) for 1 week and then home again

 finally one more thing I learned...and that is if you are 65 yrs or over it pays to have your Seniors card (and photo ID with birth date on) with  you in Italy 'cos you get into tourist places free!...grey hair and wrinkles rule... yeah!