Dunedin

Nine years after graduating from Otago University, we returned to our old stomping ground.  Fresh memories triggered every few steps around the city and the campus (sites of old flats, parties and adventures).

Photos from St Clair beach and Otago v Canterbury at the very the impressive new indoor stadium.

And from the archives.  Graduation in 2003:

Bellagio

Last stop before flying back to New Zealand was Bellagio - a nice little town right in the groin of Lake Como.  The hair raising drive from Como to Bellagio was worth the experience at the end.  High quality gelato, a much needed haircut and a visit to the beautiful Villa Balbianello.

Bellagio:

Villa Balbianello:

(of Casino Royale fame)

Lake Carezza

Rifugio Puez

Our walk to Rifugio Puez and along to the Danterciepes gondola ranks as one of the best day walks we’ve done. Starting from at around 1500m, we blitzed through the early crowds in the valley and then sweated our way up the 1000m rocky climb to Puez. We were greated at the Rifugio by pasta, goulash soup, apple strudel and a pint of coke which fuelled the rest of our journey across the top of the cliffs to the Danterciepes gondola.

Sassolungo loop walk

The weather in the Dolomites has been very kind to us. On our first day here we knocked off a cracking loop walk at altitudes between 2000 and 2400m and had perfect visibility of the surrounding mountains above us for the whole day. Aging knees and a tight timetable for the chairlifts back down to our digs in Saint Christina meant we were against the clock all day. We were not helped by some dodgy directions but we made it to the lift with 15 minutes in hand and were safely in the company of a pint of beer shortly after.

Day trips from Venice

Villa Pisani:

Murano:

Burano:

Venice

Number of nights in Venice: 3
Ferry rides taken: 10
Gelato scoops consumed: 15
Mosquito bites received: 100*
Bridges walked over: 500*
Japanese couples having strange wedding photos with pigeons in St Marks square: 1
*indicates estimates used and prone to exaggeration

Chianti

On our return to Tuscany we rented a two bed apartment with the Wrights in the centre of Tuscany. We enjoyed catching up at the slow pace of Tuscan life, taking day trips to San Gimignano, Florence, Panzano and Radda.

Elba

We holidayed with the Italians, heading to Elba Island, Tuscany for a few days on the beach. We gave up pretty quickly on trying to get around any beaches on the island as they were overpopulated and parking was impossible and the beach closest to our hotel – Lido di Capiloveri – was outstanding. The beach experience was different to what were used to – the 300m of beach was covered 3 deep in umbrella’s and loungers with very little space for the public. The water was warm and clear so we were pretty tired after our days swimming and lying in the sun. Otherwise, the highlights of the trip were a kayak along the coast from Capiloveri, a walk up the hill above the Marciana Marina, finishing two books each and, of course, the daily gelato.

View from our loungers:
Gabrielle cooling off after our kayak trip:

Gorgonzolla pizza on the marina:

Marciana Marina:

From the ferry to the mainland:

Cinque terre

The Cinque terre (five fishing villages along Italy’s north western coast) exceeded our expectations. All the elements of a good holiday for us: good (but quite steep) walking tracks linking the villages, great coastal views, warm swimming beaches, fresh seafood, foccacia bread and gelato. As expected, the narrow walking tracks were overcrowded in parts which made for one average afternoon. Our digs were in Volastra, about 350m above the main villages and the coast on a really nice part of walking track with figs, grapes, peaches and all manner of other produce as well as terrific views out to sea. Three days was just the right amount of time to experience the highlights – after which our sunburnt bodies were ready to move on.

Afternoon sun in Volastra:
Views from the trail:

Beach in Rionmaggiorie:

Le Tour

Stage 19 of the 2011 Tour de France turned out to be a great place to make our debut on Le Tour: a huge stage in this years race, an iconic climb and a tremendous atmosphere. We arrived on the finishing climb on Alpe d’Huez 24 hours before the riders came through but the party had started well before then as thousands of spectators had already grabbed the best spots and were well set up with all manner of indulgences. We managed to slot the Peugeot in on the side of the road toward the bottom of the hill and set up camp. Gabrielle and I slept in the car with trucks roaring past right through the night and Dean and Helen pitched their tent on a slope that was outdone in gradient only by the climb the riders faced on the Alp the next day. But sleep doesn’t matter – it’s Le Tour!

After a nice campfire and a brief interlude commonly described as sleep, we strolled up the Alp and secured some prime real estate around half way up at around 1300m. Thankfully all weather forecasts for the day were woefully wrong and we spent the day in glorious sunshine. There were plenty of characters on our corner who had been partying for a few days in a row and showed no signs of slowing. Their resident DJ was belting out plenty of dance beats to keep the crowd and the thousands of amateur riders climbing the Alp happy.

In total, we actually waited around 7 hours for the riders to come but there were plenty of distractions: people watching, road painting, tv’s showing the race, baguettes, amateur riders and runners climbing the Alp. The last, and most famous, distraction was Le Caravane – a convoy of dozens of sponsors vehicles and a lolly-scramble-style giveaway. Being on the Alp for the day meant the anticipation really built and as the riders approached.

Actually, first the helicopters approach (we counted 8), then the police, then the press, then the motorbikes, then the lead rider – a speck on the switchback road below – but looming fast.
Then the crowd closes in and their shouting rolls up the hill in a wave. And then, wham, Alberto Contodor in yellow shades and with teeth bared whips past in a flurry, oblivious to the nutters sprinting behind him, he’s up off the seat and roars around the bend – catching him seems impossible. But the next man past, young Frenchman Pierre Rolland does just that. Then it’s a blur of colour as the remaining riders whiz past in bunches, la groupette bringing up the rear.

Le campsite and view from our corner:

Le fans:

Anticipation builds for Le Caravan:

And when the leader came (at that time Alberto Contador), the crowd went crazy!