changes

Malta was a round of swimming and eating, boats and earrings, fish and scuba diving, twistees and helva. Brilliant fun had by all, already planning next summer in our heads! The journey home through Italy was interesting to say the least, the children loved their first couchette experience, from Catania to Rome, so once again we missed reggio di Calabria, possibly my favourite region of Italy - top of the list for next time eh! Rome was memorable for several reasons, firstly that we were able to be looked after by Irma and Rizol (sorry if I spelt your names wrong!), at the b&b Villa Paola, which of course I recommend highly. A shuttle bus is provided from the local train station, from where it is a straight line to the piazza popola. Perfect. we walked the via corsa, stared up at vast monumental buildings, peeped down at ruins under the city, walked in awe a few times around the Colosseum, checked out the Trevi fountain, bought some souvenirs, ate pizza and ice-cream, pasta and grapes. Nearly a whole day at the Borghese park, after a quick visit to St. Peter's Square, hiring a bicycle for two, perching Ivor in front and ringing the bell as loudly as we could and shouting yeehaa, whilst challenging other cyclists to races, then a visit to the Bio Park (zoo). We managed to bring home some Parmegano cheese from Sicily, but failed miserably on anything else. Two days of wandering around Rome, then a day with Fabiana and children at the Lake Vico, a volcanic crater filled with beautiful clean water (no engines allowed). The 24 hour journey from Rome to Carcassonne was an adventure and a half. Leaving the Villa Paola at 9pm, as dusk fell, travelling with progressively more tourists until we hit the Terminus Station in central Rome. Sadly there were no couchettes left, so me and the boys had to sit or slump against each other all the way to Genoa, where we watched the sun rise and then trains all the way home, safe and sound. I hope the boys will remember some of their experiences this summer, Fabien reckoned that Vesuvius was his favourite part, Salix loved jumping in the sea at the Sirens in Malta. Ivor? I think he loved making new friends, speaking four languages, (scusi, grazzi, ciao, bateau, boat, fish fish fish (!) hello, hi, bonjour, sorry, l'eau, aqua, water, ilma) the scusi and the sorry were mainly whilst pushing past people at stations, on trains... The piece de la resistance for me was arriving at new stations, looking at new flights of stairs with a heavy ruck sack on my back, the pram (pink mothercare one bought at the charity shop in Malta - slightly heavier than the maclaren!) weighed down with water, sandwiches from Irma at the villa Paola, and toys of course, in front of me and the two stalwart older boys coming each to one side and taking the front of the pram to work as a great team to move us up and down stairs - lots and lots of stairs, especially when we made a mistake on the binario/platform/quai. And then we realised what Ivor was doing, leaning forward and holding his footrest - yes, he was doing his bit - helping carry his own pram. What more can I say.