La Dolce Vita

And it really is the sweet life I can assure you.

Today we have moved camp again and travelled south towards Rome. The campsite is called Roma Flash and is set on the side of Lake Bracciano, some 30 miles from Rome. The lake is crystal clear and very cold and is actually the resevoir that serves Rome. As such it does not allow motor boats to use the lake but we can swim in it as long as we ensure that we do not pee in it! Anyway it will be filtered well before it graces the tables of the Romans. The camp site is set among lots of trees that then emerge out into a pebbled beach area and it is lovely. There is also wifi on the site so we can sit outside the caravan and do our thing. Just as well seeing as we have to plan our route further along our trail, including Greece which means we put ourselves into the hands of the Gods (Greek Gods we hope) as there is little to find on the internet. The many campsites advertised on the internet grind to a halt when you look at Greece for some reason.

After setting up camp and the internet facility we drove to nearby Bracciano to buy ant killer. Yes, the blighters have found their way into the caravan on a big scale and are threatening to take over. They are getting bigger by the minute as well. I have some huge bites - one on my left shoulder and another on the back of my left hand - which may or may not be the ants but the swelling is becoming a bit of a concern to say the least. Or it may be that I am just developing a brain - I can always hope! They sting a lot as well. If the swelling doesn't go down soon we will have to cut my ring off!!!

We went to a shop in Bracciano, taking our lives in our hands on the way ( the Italian drivers really take the biscuit) and found Carlo who spoke English well. He told us that there are caterpillars living here, amongst other bugs, and nesting in the pine trees that march in line and when they bite humans it results in anaphylactic shock which can prove fatal. He told us that it is a real problem in the hospital here. My bites reduced immediately to something insignificant in the light of the present threat and we bought the ant powder and returned with a killer instinct. We did like the look of Bracciano though and vowed to return tomorrow to explore further.

After de-anting the whole place and eating and drinking well we settled down to a peaceful evening with the laptop. I spoke with my daughter Lisa and with my friend Pat on Skype and caught up with all the news. Then an early night - hopefully minus the ants.