SUN,SEA AND GRITTY SAND

19th.September..........ITALIAN RIVIERA-

Naturally, Sunday morning dawned without a cloud in the sky so at least we had a very pleasant run down through Italy to the coast, just west of GENOVA, and the last 60 miles was very scenic. Joyfully, the overhead signs with local info gave the temperatures as 25-26-27 and finally as we turned off the motorway, a pleasant 28 degrees. And then we got a result at the toll booth ! We had joined the A26 at VARESE, for some 250 kms and when the GF popped the ticket in the machine it wanted 18.80€ and we had opted for the Credit Card lane. Nothing happened so she tried the card in every possible configuration but it kept saying 'carte illegible', so we tried 3 more cards with the same result, pressed the help button and a voice in accented english kept telling us to try another card. I got out...against instruction as I later saw...and tried all the cards again without luck and then kept my finger on the help button. Suddenly, the ticket reappeared, the barrier opened, and a voice said 'I 'ave 'ad enough, arriverderci, go,go go'So now we will a)find a charge of 18.80€ on all four cards b) be on a motorway blacklist, arrested and fined next time we use the autostrada or c)get away with it........answers on a postcard.
Our destination was a small town called CERIALE, nr. ALBENGA. The campsite is another typical Italian one (see above, except electrics are good) but the family that run it are great, especially the son, Paulo, who spends all day squeezing outfits into impossible pitches, even driving them himself when faint-hearts baulk at his optimistic assessments of what we will go where. Our first night on Sunday was spent on a pitch near the road but the place was full and he assured us that a lot would leave on Monday morning and we could have our pick. The site is very shaded and everybody wants to get a satellite siting which is the bane of Paulo's life but he seems to keep everybody happy !