Back to France

It was with great sadness that we left Pia and Dino for our return trip to France.

We allowed plenty of time for the road trip back to Rome, hoping to have lunch on the way. Just short of Monte Cassino we came to a halt and were stuck there for two hours. The tailback must have been enormous because when the road was finally unblocked it unleashed a massive frenzy of lunatics all trying to make up for lost time or, in our case, just trying to get to a toilet! The chaos at the next service station had to be seen to be believed. Cars abandoned everywhere as car parks overflowed and people fought for a place in the toilet queue. A lone policeman tried to instal some order but eventually gave up and drove off. It was lunchtime after all.

The next bit of the journey, up to Rome, was little better. Crazy Italian drivers, who can see miles of solid traffic ahead of them, with lights flashing, overtaking and undertaking to get a bit further forward. It was a dangerous and very uncomfortable drive but we made it back in time for our flight to Girona and the very windy drive home from Spain. The autoroutes in France seemed very quiet and tame in comparison. Bed never felt better.