Final destination (until next time)

The Nice-Italy walking extravaganza



Yesterday's route

Sorry if people are getting bored of the walking, it's pretty much the only remotely interesting thing going on in my life. But anyway, yesterday was a milestone - I have done it - walked all the way to Italy... and beyond! Finally I have walked between two countries (real countries, not like Monaco or the Vatican City) - so that makes plane, bus, boat, train, car and on foot. I've also gone between continents by all of those methods except train I think (and yeah, all except plane were in Istanbul, so not all that impressive really).

Foolishly got off the bus too early, still in Roquebrune rather than in Menton proper, and thus added an extra 20 minutes on to my walk. Apparently Menton-Ventimiglia is almost 10 km, so with that and the fact that I went a little way down the wrong road in Italy before turning back, I'm claiming it as 10 km fo' sho'. Wolfram Alpha says it's 28.81 kms from Nice to Ventimiglia, presumably on the motorway. I'm going to say 30, plus the walk from Eze to Eze sur Mer, plus the bit around Cap Ferrat, plus the walk from La Turbie to the observatoire = quite pleased with self.

Nothing to report really, except I got beeped at maybe 5 times as much in Italy as in France, had to walk through long tunnels (the one I read the sign on was 832 m) which was kind of terrifying - loud and filled with Italian drivers, although there was at least a footpath, and went through a town called Latte, which warmed the cockles of my heart and also gave me the opportunity to stock up on some Italian chocolate at a supermarket which appeared to cater pretty much exclusively for Frenchies trying to buy cheap booze. I didn't check out the prices, but it's cheap enough here really! I only spent about 20 mins in Ventimiglia before taking the train home - it was a long round trip, probably between 3 1/2 and 4 hours not counting the walk, which took 2 1/2 hours, and didn't seem like there was all that much to see in Ventimiglia anyway.

I think next I'll walk up the Moyen Corniche to Eze, because the views seemed pretty amazing when I took the bus up the other day, then I might think about walking along the coast in the other direction. I wish I had better shoes though, mine are really more street shoes than walking shoes... But I have the walking bug, and the weather is improving, so should have plenty of opportunities! Maybe it will even cancel out the Italian chocolate and the fact that the lady at the bakery near work reaches for a pain au chocolat when she sees me coming... Ciao everyone!