Day 7 Sunday 17th October. 2010

To my surprise we made Padova by nightfall, although wild camping was very near impossible, as it is in Spain. So tent was pitched by a vehicle breakers by the side of the road.

The owner came out to walk his dogs and gave us a coffee we did not need it was really strong and was much appreciated.
Day 8. Monday 18 October

We made the site at Della Sessamina by one in the afternoon. A pleasant day was  had by all drying off tent and sleeping bags, washing and drying clothes. Robin and Helen arrived at five pm.

Day 9. Tuesday 19 October

Spent the day in Venice walking my legs off being shown glass shops and expensive jewellery. Venice may be the city of romance but after six hours we all had a guts full and headed home for a beer or five.

Venice, been there and done that!! Shame but true.

Day 10. Wednesday 20thOctober

Woke at 0630 and went to the loo as it was still dark to try out the water filter. Worked fine, as I guess as the water came out clear as a bell!

At day break tried to make coffee but failed as the stove was in need of a service and the tube was carbonised up. Cleaning it made not a jot of difference, think it may be scrap. Another thing I should have done but too disorganized. Hopeful will be able to play with it on the boat.

We got packed up and arrived at port. Met some other folks with some fantastic vehicles. I reckon this is the fastest booking we will have!

Diane and Helen went up with some gear and got the room number. The amount of gear that we had took us all a few trips to get it to the room. Robin and Helen managed to get a second room when we were under way.

We stood out in the sunny cool of the evening and watched Venice slid out of sight. The evening was spent sorting out the stove, successfully!!  and a beer, or one. I reckon the stove  may work now. Four more days to go!!

Day 11. Thursday 21st October.

Did not sleep very well and gave up at to play with netbook. Diane woke at 7ish and thinned out the kitchen by repacking the stuff in glass jars into plastic bags. We got shot of a lot of packaging and the result was a waste bin that probably weighed one kilo!!!

Later I  visited the deck to find a quiet spot to try the stove was  a failure, as too many crew floating around looking for a bloke with a petrol bomb.. Back in the room I started to feel sick, reckon it is hunger so fired up the stove in the loo cum shower as is the common practice. It has an extractor system that got rid of the clouds of black smoke!!!. Made a soup of lentils and spuds, very nice and felt better. Going to try to make chapati tonight. Stove is fixed for now but the notebook is really doing our head in. Bloody technology. Beautiful weather and were sat inside rocking and rolling on the waves, writing and trying not to be board.

Had a crack at making the chapati…. I ate them with jam and Diane ate hers with tomatos and onions it was OK as they are warm bread, yum.

Day 12 Friday 22nd October

Up at 0630, I reckon thatthe combination of nothing to think about and no physical exercise is melting our brains. When we dock its going to be full on with packing, finding the camp site and riding again.

Although when we left the camp for the ferry the bike felt terrible (very overloaded with food)  it did feel familiar, probably not a good thing really!

0730,  just been up on deck, warmish, cloudy and looks like its raining ahead. Checked  out GPS and the Europe map and we are north of Crete, heading east. Yesterday afternoon we were at Prescara, so when Diane said last night that the boat felt like it was turning  she probably was not wrong. Looking at the roadmap and trying to find Tartus on it I realized that this is the end of Europe for us.

Day 13 Saturday 23rd October

Had noodles for breakfast with chillie sause and soy. Packed up sleeping bags, tent and mozzie net an took the down to the bike as we docked in Tartus at ten O’ clock. A fair heep less to carry down on Sunady. Chris is from the Forrest and had been given by his auntie, six packs of welsh cakes….. He gave me two tonight as he want not to carry the weight, never would have imagined that I would be eating wesh cakes in Syria with a bunch of such nice strangers. Managed to save blog and photos to my stick, as Netty the netbook  is behaving ok this evening.

Sat out today in the quiet hot sun and my legs and feet have got a bit red. Oh not burnt feet again! Its a pity that we could not ride into Tartus but did not have Siryian visa.

Left Syria at 1800, cooked the last of our fresh food with some pasta….. Food all gone, weevils from now on!!!

Next stop for us is Alexandria in Egypt.