Tourism thread

[Daniel]

Thought I'd start a thread about tourism :)

I'll start off by saying "DON'T GO TO GENEVA"

1. It's boring and bland and not particularly unique or interesting
2. The road system is not the best
3. The people are extremely rude and show minimal signs of courtesy towards their fellow people

I could go on :)

On the plus side.... DO go to Finland (in particular Helsinki) and also Chamonix in France :)

[AndySpeed]

Unfortunately I've already been to Geneva and it's also expensive :\

[Daniel]

Unfortunately I've already been to Geneva and it's also expensive :\
I got charged 6 euros for some coke in Chamonix :mark: I think they actually charged me for a line of coke rather than Coca Cola :mark:

[J4MIE]

Chamonix is indeed lovely :up:

[Drew]

I got charged 6 euros for some coke in Chamonix :mark: I think they actually charged me for a line of coke rather than Coca Cola :mark:

Yet, you still paid it?

I think they saw you coming, boy!

[Daniel]

Chamonix is indeed lovely
You've been? :D

I have some photos of the view from our hotel bur can't be bothered uploading them right now.

But here's one which I found on the net which should give you a rough idea :)

http://blogs.warwick.ac.uk/images/naomihowell/2005/10/11/chamonix_looking_up_to_mont_blanc.jpg
Drew. Let me tell you if I had gone into a bar and had been told it was that much I'd have told them to shove it but it was at a restaurant so it was on the bill :( The pastries down the road helped me forget though :cheese: French pastries are without a doubt the best food known to man!

[Donney]

I would recommend going to Sarlat in France lovely medieval town and delicious local food.

[pino]

I got charged 6 euros for some coke in Chamonix :mark: I think they actually charged me for a line of coke rather than Coca Cola :mark:

Nothing wrong with that, you were in Chamonix and in a Restaurant ;)

[Flat.tyres]

Italys nice and friendly. generally its good food and reasonably priced but forget about good service in general.

very child orientated as well :up:

[Rudy Tamasz]

I have a nice adult movie which was reportedly shot in Chamonix. ;)

[LotusElise]

Rome is very nice, especially if you like archaeology, history or shopping. It is (in my opinion) the most affordable capital city to visit as well. There are plenty of cheap hotels and even the most affordable restaurants serve lovely food.

[Daniel]

Nothing wrong with that, you were in Chamonix and in a Restaurant ;)
How much for a coke at your place? :p

Is Turin worth visiting? :)

[Flat.tyres]

Rome is very nice, especially if you like archaeology, history or shopping. It is (in my opinion) the most affordable capital city to visit as well. There are plenty of cheap hotels and even the most affordable restaurants serve lovely food.

ahhh, I was in Florence a couple of weeks ago. again, good food but a little pricey as you would expect but what fantastic architechture.

then popped on the train to Piza and wondered, not for the first time, if any other place in the world has been made this famous for dodgy building construction.

finally, off to the coast for some classic Tuscany beaches and south of Livarno to some of the most dramatically beautifull cliffs and shoreline on the Med.

Not bad in 4 days but would have loved 4 weeks.

[AndySpeed]

Whilst we're on the topic, I'm already looking into travelling next summer (July-September) between my second and third years at Uni. Has anyone had any experiences organising travel while at Uni?

http://www.statravel.co.uk/cps/rde/xchg/SID-0A536D8E-9EE507D8/uk_division_web_live/hs.xsl/17074.htm

[LotusElise]

Whilst we're on the topic, I'm already looking into travelling next summer (July-September) between my second and third years at Uni. Has anyone had any experiences organising travel while at Uni?

http://www.statravel.co.uk/cps/rde/xchg/SID-0A536D8E-9EE507D8/uk_division_web_live/hs.xsl/17074.htm

I haven't used STA myself, but I did travel a bit while at uni.
I would advise booking flights and other travel as far in advance as you can to get all the discounts. None of the trips on that page include flights or transfers. Also, try and leave as soon after the end of term as you can to avoid "school holiday" prices.
I would definitely compare those prices with those from other adventure travel providers, because most of them include flights, transfers and sometimes full-board accommodation. There are a couple of good ones I would recommend: Discover The World and Explore!

[Drew]

Drew. Let me tell you if I had gone into a bar and had been told it was that much I'd have told them to shove it but it was at a restaurant so it was on the bill :( The pastries down the road helped me forget though :cheese: French pastries are without a doubt the best food known to man!

Haha, I bet you looked carefully at the prices from then on!

I'm not sure, I found a bakery in Cyprus and it was unbelievably tasty and relatively cheap too :)

I'm off to Berlin pretty soon, anybody have any suggestions, recommendations etc?

[Christina]

If you're in Geneva and dont like it, head around the lake a little to Lausanne. (if you're there looking at the lake, go left!) Oh my gosh! So pretty!!

Or even better, keep going around the lake till you reach Villeneuve. You get to drive on all these windy little roads through vineyards and tiny villages on the shore of the lake. And when you get to villeneuve, there is a little restaurant/cafe thing on the side of the mountain that the hang gliders and paragliders fly from. gives an awesome view of the sun setting over the mountains and lake and they serve an amazing cheese fondue with wine from the vinyards at the bottom of the mountain! Only the problem is that you get too happy drinking wine and eating fondue that you forget about the pretty sunset and only grab your camera when the best bit is over. Then you save the picture to your sister's laptop and she moves to the gold coast.. hmm..

It is awesome though!

[J4MIE]

Whilst we're on the topic, I'm already looking into travelling next summer (July-September) between my second and third years at Uni. Has anyone had any experiences organising travel while at Uni?

Go wherever interests you, anywhere is only roughly a days travel away. Decide on how much you want to spend, see where that could get you and go for it.

Personally, I couldn't do an organised tour and organise everything independantly, but do whatever tkaes your fancy :)

[pino]

Is Turin worth visiting? :)

Not really, places worth to visit in Italy are : Siena and Florence, Gigi's home city Livigno, Lake of Como, Rome, Perugia, and offcourse Sanremo and Bajardo (especially juring the rally) :D :s mokin:

[gloomyDAY]

Mexico!

The people are very friendly, there is plenty of culture, the women are sensational (especially if you have my luck and land a dancer), and the sights are amazing.

This thread seems to be on a fast track to dying because NO ONE has been posting their own pictures. So, here's to a long and healthy living thread.

Colima

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c123/killincommies/100_1071.jpg
Manzanillo

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c123/killincommies/100_1081.jpg
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c123/killincommies/IMG_1534.jpg
Armeria

[Tomi]

Gigi's home city Livigno :D :s mokin:

Strange, i tought he is home from Paris :)

[Alexamateo]

Mexico!

the women are sensational



Amen to that! In fact I married one! :D

[DonJippo]

Strange, i tought he is home from Paris :)

:rotflmao: me too...

[jarrambide]

Donostía, go on January and enjoy the "Tamborrada".

[CarlMetro]

I would recommend any of the Carribean Islands with the exception of Dominican Republic but I would especially recommend St Lucia and Antigua, both of them fantastic, but avoid in September, October as you're likely to experience a few tropical storms whilst you're there.

Cancun in Mexico is another fabulous place but I wouldn't want to spend more than two weeks there because my liver wouldn't cope.

Personally Europe for me doesn't hold much of a draw, perhaps because I've spent too much time travelling in it for work purposes.

[donKey jote]

I'm happy with Europe, but of course I'm a donkey :D
http://webcam.comunitatvalenciana.com/webcamvalencia-canetdenberenguer.htm?id_camara=19
The webcam is 200m up the paseo from where we spend most of our summer holls. At the moment I'm on the balcony, making the most of the 2 or 3 wifis in range, while I look out to the beach to check that the missus and kids aren't waving at me madly to get me lazy arsch over there and full of sand :mad: :p :
http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/16/16_3_166.gif

[LeonBrooke]

Don't go to Rotorua. It smells, is tiny, and has nothing to do. Mind you, when I was there I had no money. If I'd had money I may have been able to participate in the usual activities.

Mind you, Kuirau park is fun. It was so full of steam that I could barely see in front of me :)

[Erki]

Don't go to Rotorua. It smells, is tiny, and has nothing to do. Mind you, when I was there I had no money. If I'd had money I may have been able to participate in the usual activities.

Mind you, Kuirau park is fun. It was so full of steam that I could barely see in front of me :)

Yes, but the real question stays: to Taupo or to Nelson? :)

[Caroline]

I liked Rotorua..eggy smells, bubbling mud and steaming gardens. You don't see that in Wales.

Geneva, it must be said, isn't much of a destination. I kind of thought it would be more charismatic but it was just a disappointment. Best part was when we boarded a train out of the place and headed off into the countryside.

It doesn't matter how many times you visit continental Europe you get different experiences each time. Some better than others though.

[tinchote]

Thought I'd start a thread about tourism :)

I'll start off by saying "DON'T GO TO GENEVA"



I thought Geneva was ok when I was there, but that was 8 years ago. Now, if in Switzerland, I would say go to Luzern; we loved that place :)

[GridGirl]

Personally I thought Basel was worse than Geneva. I love driving through Switzerland on my way to Monza a few years ago so much so I'm thinking about doing it again next year. Such amazing scenery.

[Daniel]

I thought Geneva was ok when I was there, but that was 8 years ago. Now, if in Switzerland, I would say go to Luzern; we loved that place :)
Well it wasn't "bad" as such. Just totally unremarkable and I don't go on holiday to be bored :p

[millencolin]

heres a tip... dont study tourism as a university subject! its about as educational as watching jackass

but for a great holiday destination... FIJI! yeah i know theyve had political problems as of late, but its not dangerous. its a beautiful place, especially if you visit one of the islands off the mainland. the people there are very peaceful and friendly. i cannot recommend it enough, its just that great. i love Fiji

[LeonBrooke]

I liked Rotorua..eggy smells, bubbling mud and steaming gardens. You don't see that in Wales.

Did you know that the eggy smell can kill? People have died from being exposed for too long. And Rotorua hospital puts one in mind of what Florence Nightingale would have described as "sub-par".


Yes, but the real question stays: to Taupo or to Nelson? :)

Hmm... Taupo has the A1 GP race, but Nelson is the south island, which is kind of cool. Actually, I've never been to either place...

[Caroline]

Did you know that the eggy smell can kill? People have died from being exposed for too long. And Rotorua hospital puts one in mind of what Florence Nightingale would have described as "sub-par".



Sounds nasty. If you live there though, how do you avoid it for long periods of time?

[Christina]

Hmm.. my next holiday will take me to Birkfeld in Austria. Has anyone been there before? it's near Graz.

[AndySpeed]

Hmm.. my next holiday will take me to Birkfeld in Austria. Has anyone been there before? it's near Graz.

I think one of my mates has a house there or thereabouts, the place rings a bell, I'll ask.


In December I will be going to an area near to Mulhacén in southern Spain - anyone been there and how cold will it be?

[J4MIE]

My parents and my little brother were on holiday in Switzerland over a few weeks in July, their annual camping holiday.

Here are some videos we found on youtube when they were in a nearby campsite :s

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=QccKlOzlhwg
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=aBaL2PgvCkc

Hurricane force winds, hail the size of golf balls and just a bit of rain. Their tent (which they were trying to hold onto at the time) was ripped to shreds and my dad's new car which he had just got two weeks previously, has been written off :bigcry: It needed a new bonnet, four doors, a tailgate and a new roof :|

Other than that, Switzerland is lovely :D

[Mark in Oshawa]

Well I can say the most beautiful and laid back place one can visit is Kauai, the westernmost island of Hawaii. In an area that is 20 miles by 30 miles, you have a huge canyon, tropical rainforest, a high altitude swamp, the wettest place on earth (and yet 10 miles west a near desert condition), rain every day, sun every day, a nice soft breeze every day, whales mating, surf pounding, rare birds, and soil so fertile that you hear stories about how people say fenceposts would sprout leaves.

The people are fabulous, and although it is part of the US, for the most part you feel like you are in your own isolated world. Oh yes, the golf is great and the luau experience is a unique thing to see......

[Erki]

Well I can say the most beautiful and laid back place one can visit is Kauai, the westernmost island of Hawaii. In an area that is 20 miles by 30 miles, you have a huge canyon, tropical rainforest, a high altitude swamp, the wettest place on earth (and yet 10 miles west a near desert condition), rain every day, sun every day, a nice soft breeze every day, whales mating, surf pounding, rare birds, and soil so fertile that you hear stories about how people say fenceposts would sprout leaves.

The people are fabulous, and although it is part of the US, for the most part you feel like you are in your own isolated world. Oh yes, the golf is great and the luau experience is a unique thing to see......

Why did you return then? :p

[ettelbruck]

Donostía, go on January and enjoy the "Tamborrada".

Donostia was great even on June!

[LeonBrooke]

Sounds nasty. If you live there though, how do you avoid it for long periods of time?

It's not that bad - the gas is only that strong in small areas. You're in no danger unless you stay in the danger areas for too long. :)

[jarrambide]

Donostia was great even on June!
Donostia is great any time of year (but you didn´t heard it from me), I was just saying that watching the "tamborrada" is nice, but you are right, Donostia is great any time of year.

[Donney]

I think one of my mates has a house there or thereabouts, the place rings a bell, I'll ask.


In December I will be going to an area near to Mulhacén in southern Spain - anyone been there and how cold will it be?

I've never been there in winter, but near there you'll find Sierra Nevada Ski resort, where the ski world championships were held a couple of years ago. so it should be cold enough :p :

Check this page (http://www.cetursa.es/home) it might help you

[jarrambide]

Why did you return then? :p

Because he is Canadian, he will need a green card or get citizenship to stay there, but he will tell you it was because of the lack of an NHL team in the islands :D

[Mark in Oshawa]

Because he is Canadian, he will need a green card or get citizenship to stay there, but he will tell you it was because of the lack of an NHL team in the islands :D

It is the lack of a Green Card. If everyone who wanted to live in Hawaii did, it would be 50 million people stacked up. Believe me.....I had no desire to get back on the plane, and funny enough, the only thing I did miss was my Saturday night fix of hockey. That and the fact all sports are pretty much over by the time people are off work in Hawaii. To watch an NFL game on a Sunday from NYC, you have to get up at dawn in Hawaii.....so sports are local, or just not an issue. Of course, after laying around on the golf course or drinking a few maitai's, you could care less about a lot of things....

[schmenke]

Well I can say the most beautiful and laid back place one can visit is Kauai, the westernmost island of Hawaii. In an area that is 20 miles by 30 miles, you have a huge canyon, tropical rainforest, a high altitude swamp, the wettest place on earth (and yet 10 miles west a near desert condition), rain every day, sun every day, a nice soft breeze every day, whales mating, surf pounding, rare birds, and soil so fertile that you hear stories about how people say fenceposts would sprout leaves.

The people are fabulous, and although it is part of the US, for the most part you feel like you are in your own isolated world. Oh yes, the golf is great and the luau experience is a unique thing to see......

Mark, the missus and I had the pleasure of spending a couple of weeks in Kauai a few years ago (before the rugrats appeared :mark: ), and I agree with you... Kauai is one of the most beautiful places we've visited :) . I would love to return some day :)

[Mark in Oshawa]

Schmenke, I was on the North Shore for a week, and I did not want to drive down to Lihue to go home. I could hang out in Hanalei Bay all day and watch the rain come and go about 20 times a day..lol....never had so much fun being rained on. Apparently a lot of the rich and famous have places there, but to look at first glance, you wouldn't think so. Neat little town....the Euro's have no idea of the paradise because it is so far for them....

[Erki]

Do I need the Green Card to move to any US State?

[schmenke]

Schmenke, I was on the North Shore for a week, and I did not want to drive down to Lihue to go home. I could hang out in Hanalei Bay all day and watch the rain come and go about 20 times a day..lol....never had so much fun being rained on. Apparently a lot of the rich and famous have places there, but to look at first glance, you wouldn't think so. Neat little town....the Euro's have no idea of the paradise because it is so far for them....

Never did make it up north... we really had no reason to :D
We were staying in the south:
http://www.kiahuna.com/
Beautiful beach and not a spot of rain during our stay :D

[slinkster]

I just got back from Tokyo and I just fell in love with the place. Japan is a beautiful country. Everyone seems so polite and friendly there and if you can cope with the humidity at this time of year and a pretty long flight then I'd recommend a visit.

I miss it already! :(

[Mark in Oshawa]

Erki, you need the green card to get a job in the US. Now if you think you can be a bum on the streets of Honolulu, beware, there are lots of them now to compete with. Waikiki is plagued with the buggers...so find a good street corner and go for it.

[Erki]

Hmm... Taupo has the A1 GP race, but Nelson is the south island, which is kind of cool. Actually, I've never been to either place...

Is there anything else good besides the A1GP race at Taupo? And why is South Island kind of cool?

[LeonBrooke]

Hmm... Taupo has a lake but not much else to recommend it. The South Island is cool because it's... south ;) the whole of the South Island has fewer people than Auckland. It's often freezing cold down there. The whole allure is that it's something different.

Personally, I think the only place that's actually interesting is Auckland, but you may disagree if you have different interests :)

[Erki]

Hmm... Taupo has a lake but not much else to recommend it. The South Island is cool because it's... south ;) the whole of the South Island has fewer people than Auckland. It's often freezing cold down there. The whole allure is that it's something different.

Personally, I think the only place that's actually interesting is Auckland, but you may disagree if you have different interests :)

What's so interesting in Auckland? I get that there are about 1M people in Auckland so it's a pretty huge city? I'm not very much into megatowns, although obviously a big city can have a feel of a little village and vice versa, you never know. What interests(except motorsports) should I have to like Auckland?

[LeonBrooke]

There's Kelly Tarlton's, where you can see fish and penguins; there's the Sky Tower, the tallest building in New Zealand; there's the War Memorial Museum, where you can see artefacts from Pacific civilisations, and two World War II planes; there's the Museum of Transport and Technology where you can see an authentic 1960s F1 car, as well as lots of other cool cars, as well as a mock Victorian village.

You can even jump off the Sky Tower. You don't freefall, it's a controlled descent, but it looks fun.

I think everyone should come to Auckland for a holiday. But you're not all staying at my place, it's too small ;)

[Erki]

There's Kelly Tarlton's, where you can see fish and penguins; there's the Sky Tower, the tallest building in New Zealand; there's the War Memorial Museum, where you can see artefacts from Pacific civilisations, and two World War II planes; there's the Museum of Transport and Technology where you can see an authentic 1960s F1 car, as well as lots of other cool cars, as well as a mock Victorian village.

You can even jump off the Sky Tower. You don't freefall, it's a controlled descent, but it looks fun.

I think everyone should come to Auckland for a holiday. But you're not all staying at my place, it's too small ;)

Bah, South Island sounds cooler indeed - Penguins freely roaming around(so I can cry on their shoulders(do penguins have shoulders?)). :s mokin:

Probably the only reasons why I would go anywhere would be 1) people, and 1) nature&scenery. Museums bore the hell outta me. I wanna run around(clothed... altho South Island has pretty low density... :idea: ).

[LeonBrooke]

Well you could try it out, but the cold might be a little bit embarrassing but, as you say, no one will see you.

Apparently Wellington has free-roaming penguins too.

[A.F.F.]

I just got back from Tokyo and I just fell in love with the place. Japan is a beautiful country. Everyone seems so polite and friendly there and if you can cope with the humidity at this time of year and a pretty long flight then I'd recommend a visit.

I miss it already! :(

What was the purpose of your trip? Business or pleasure?

[Erki]

Well you could try it out, but the cold might be a little bit embarrassing but, as you say, no one will see you.

Apparently Wellington has free-roaming penguins too.

Is South Island freezing cold all year? :confused:

[LeonBrooke]

For most of the year. It might, however, be perfectly acceptable to a Baltic person. The only Baltic person I've known in real life went there in Autumn/Winter and had a great time :)

[Erki]

Remember, boys and girls: if you don't spot me on the forums for more than one month, chance is that I'm in New Zealand, on the South Island, co-mingling with penguins. Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!

[Flatcat]

Taupo is pretty quiet, I can only think of the following bits
Craters of the Moon,
The Big Lake, (sailing, swimming, fishing)
Skiing (snow in the winter) (water in the summer),
Bungee Jumping,
Wai A Tipu (spelling?),
Rotorua (1 hrs drive),
Trout fishing (lake and stream),
Tramping (Urewera national park, Mt Ruaphau, Mt Tongario etc),
Rallying,
A1GP,
White water rafting/kayaking,
Caving,
Hunting,
Jet boating,
Mountain biking,
that off road skateboarding (can't remember what it is called now).

That should keep you going for a bit anyway. :eek:

[LeonBrooke]

There you go Erki, how's Flatcat's list? Got you interested yet? ;)

[tinchote]

For most of the year. It might, however, be perfectly acceptable to a Baltic person. The only Baltic person I've known in real life went there in Autumn/Winter and had a great time :)

From what I find on the web, the winter temperatures in Omarama (the one place I know about in the South Island) are about 15 degrees (C) warmer than here, so I think I could be ok down there :D

[Erki]

There you go Erki, how's Flatcat's list? Got you interested yet? ;)


Taupo is pretty quiet

This one did. :p :

[slinkster]

What was the purpose of your trip? Business or pleasure?

Pleasure. My brother's wedding mainly... but we spent two weeks there to see a few sights and things around Tokyo. Absolutely wonderful time. :)

[LeonBrooke]

From what I find on the web, the winter temperatures in Omarama (the one place I know about in the South Island) are about 15 degrees (C) warmer than here, so I think I could be ok down there :D

The problem with New Zealand is that the houses aren't insulated or centrally heated. The climate is no worse than some other cold places on Earth, but the people don't seem to want to admit it...


This one did. :p :

Well if that's what interests you... go there and enjoy :)

[Erki]

I wonder how's the Kiwi people? I can't be with penguins all the time, can I? :s W(C)ould Kiwis like(tolerate) me?! :eek:

[Mark in Oshawa]

Leon, you saying New Zealanders are stubborn people who just might be delusional about their place in the world?? lol.... I like Kiwi's but I find this very amusing they don't want to admit that maybe their little islands can be cold on occasion..... Heck, they don't know cold, go to Winnipeg in January. Now THAT my friends is one cold city....

[Mark in Oshawa]

Erki, the people of the forum have put up with you this long...and we are an intolerant lot are we not?

[Erki]

Erki, the people of the forum have put up with you this long...and we are an intolerant lot are we not?

People on this forum... erm... people on this forum... people on this forum do a lot of things. Some even live in Oshawa. :eek:

[Erki]

Actually, stuff my couple last posts.

Q: If I want to go to NZ and just chill out, lie on a beach or a meadow, have generally good time outdoors - where should I go? (preferably in summertime)

See I'm not into McHolidays with 54 things to do every day. :)

[LeonBrooke]

Hmmm... I haven't travelled much within my country so I can't really help you too much there. Rotorua is nice because of Kuirau Park, but I don't recommend you lie there at all :p :

Western Springs Park in Auckland is nice, but the geese walk through it and leave their waste.

Queenstown is nice if you like skiing.

Mark - we are like that. It's sad. I don't really identify as a New Zealander though...

[Flatcat]

Erki
You could try the Bay of Islands.
It's like, well a big bay with some islands in it. It's about 2 1/2 - 3 hrs north of Auckland so the climate is a bit better, the main town or Paihia has about 5k-10k population (taking a guess here). You can lie on the beach, go deep sea fishing,lie on the beach, swim with the dolphins,lie on the beach, tramp in the bush, lie on the beach, go on bay cruises,lie on the beach, do some para sailing, lie on the beach, visit Cape Reinga, lie on the beach, visit/drive/lie/go fishing/swim on 90 mile beach (but it's only about 60 miles long).

Pick summer for the best weather (Late Jan to April) but avoid the first week in Feb because it can get a little heated, but not in temperature.

Or you could do the same in the Bay of Plenty (not sure of that name as I wouldn't say that there is plenty there :rolleyes :) , Tauranga/ Mt Maunganui

Or you could do one of Leon's earlier suggestions and go to Nelson and laze about in Abel Tasman National park.

Or if you want good weather and nice beaches you could go to Australia, but being a kiwi I didn't actually say that :o :o :o

[Erki]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30101964@N00/206531175

Christchurch, here I come! :laugh:

[fandango]

ahhh, I was in Florence a couple of weeks ago. again, good food but a little pricey as you would expect but what fantastic architechture.

then popped on the train to Piza and wondered, not for the first time, if any other place in the world has been made this famous for dodgy building construction.

finally, off to the coast for some classic Tuscany beaches and south of Livarno to some of the most dramatically beautifull cliffs and shoreline on the Med.

Not bad in 4 days but would have loved 4 weeks.

We're just back from campervaning in Tuscany. It's hard to describe the landscape, it's just so "right", almost too perfect.

The leaning tower of Pisa is a monument to stupidity, amazing how such a f*** up could be the basis of an town's economy, but there you go. It is nice to look at. And all the silly people doing the "look I'm holding it up" pretend photo. A nice city, though. I'd be annoyed if I was the architect of the stuff near the leaning tower, with all the attention going to the tilting cowboy job.

Lucca and Siena were my favourites. San Gimignano is nice too, but a bit overrun. Very nice food, although a little unvaried. And great when you have small children (with you, not as food!).

And I'd just like to challenge a stereotype that Italians are bad drivers. Okay, okay, continuous lines and speed limits are routinely ignored, but people don't mind if you do things by the book, they're nowhere near as agressive as the Spanish.

I'll go again, hopefully not in August.