DAY 81 RAIN,RAIN,RAIN,RAIN,RAIN

Today first the first time on this trip,I pushed the bike uphill.It was just too steep to cycle. Last night I was camped in a field full of orange trees. Tonight, the rain is hopping off the roof of the warehouse I'm camped in.I'm tired-Good night.

DAY 79

The original plan was to pedal south and around Naples and see Pompeii,but that plan changed for 2 reasons;1. Naples has the sea to the east,Mt Vesuvios(1277m) to the south and a complex network of motorways to the west and north. Biking on motorways is best avoided in Italy. Unlike at home,many motorways dont have a hard shoulder,so its no place for a bicycle.2. I hear ye are getting snow at home. Well, for the first time on this trip,I had to put on sun-cream. It was a day for the shorts,a T-shirt and the shades.
So, if ever there was a time to swing east and make an attempt to cross the Apennines mountain range,its now.(Or tomorrow to be more exact)

DAY78

ROME- Its been a full week since I updated this blog and the past week is now a blur of all the best things. I stayed at the best hostel since the start of the trip. "The Freedom Traveller" near the train station had it all and the soundest of people seemed to be in this hostel.Most interesting of all was a Japanese guy , Hikaru who had cycled 23,000kms from Japan to Rome and he's only half way through his trip. I got new tyres for the bike (That tyre I got in Cahors gave me about 10 punctures,so I put it in its rightful place-the wastebin),a new camera (as the old one was on the blink) and a heap of other bits and pieces.Cities don't come much better than Rome. It has it all. Genevieve came over for the weekend and our time was spent wandering through all the sights.Rome has got the Vatican,the Colosseum,Paethlon,and just endless sights.Rome is basically one huge,noisy museum full of priests.Its almost a case of overload on sights. I'd often go 50km or 100kms out of my way to see a particular monument, but in Rome,its a case of seeing mind-blowing sights within 2 blocks of each other. I'm camped up in a forest 100kms south of Rome where a river meets the sea.

Day 71

I made it to Rome

DAY 70; FLY-TENTIN'

For the first time since the trip has begun, I'm actually staying at a designated camp-site. Generally its a case of "fly-tenting" wherever takes my fancy. That is, illegally camping wherever I like. So far, I've fly-tented by beaches,rivers,streams,lakes,canals. I've camped on hill-tops,cliff-tops,the bottom of a valley, and all makes and sizes of ditches. Home for a night has included the grounds of schools,libraries,football fields, and everything from a car park to a national park. And it doesn't care whether you fly-tent it or whether you pay for it,everywhere seems to have a dog in the distance barking. About 2 hours before finding this campsite,I stumbled upon a 2000 year cave system that the Romans used as tombs. I was very close to camping in it (and wish I did, rather than be staying at this designated campsite),but I decided to push on while there was still daylight. This morning,I was fixing a puncture in the rain on a motorway,when a priest pulled up,chatted for a few minutes and then invited me back to his home that evening for food and lodging.(it was way to early in the day to be sorting out the nights bed and I was keen to get as near to Rome as possible so I thanked him but declined). I must admit,I enjoy my fly-tentin. I never know where I'm going to be sleeping the next night. Although,considering I'm only 35kms from Rome,I'm pretty sure where I'll be tomorrow.(I'm just not sure whether it will be by city park,by hostel or by invitation to the Vatican)

DAY 69 ALL ROADS LEAD TO ROME

The original plan may have been to continue on into the Appennini mountain range past Lake Transmino, Perugia, Assisi and eventually south through Terni and into Rome. But this bike ride is demanding enough without heading into more mountains than necessary in winter. And besides,I got a better offer. Genevieve will be in Rome next weekend so its a case of "All roads lead to Rome". In a country that is 75% mountain, it felt good to come out of them today. I hit speeds in excess of 50kph. Thats fast enough to warrant a speeding ticket. Obviously, the Italian passion for speed is contagious. I'm presently camped up by Lake Bolsena, 130kms north of Rome. The gentle sounds of the waves are been muted by a dog that has picked up my scent and will bark himself hoarse through the night. Time to put on the ipod.

ANOTHER DAY

Tuscany- How could I say a bad word about it? I'm just pedalling along enjoying the rolling hills. The morning began with a puncture but after that it was okay. I passed through many sweet towns, but Sienna certainly took first prize of the day. I'm camped up on a hilltop with views all around............... Blah,blah,blah... This tour is going so good,there is nothing interesting to talk about.