Awful Ferry Trip & Arriving In Italy

Sunday 5th October 2014

Well this has to go down as the worst day of the whole tour. The Croatian kids finally shut up in the early hours but the seats are so uncomfortable they are impossible to sleep in. Eventually I lie on the floor in the corridor between the seats and get a few hours of fitful sleep.

The party deck

Morning eventually comes. My neighbour in the seats, Ari, is constantly checking with the crew, and reports that the captain is running slowly to conserve fuel and we will not dock in Ancona until after 7pm. It is a very boring day.

 

Steaming into Ancona

It is nearly dark when we finally disembark. Charly and K-H try try their best to lose me as we head out onto the autostrada. Then it's a blast north, way outside my comfort zone. I have done very little mileage after dark in Europe and find it very difficult to ride fast in these circumstances. Italian drivers take no prisoners.

I almost sail past the services where the other two have pulled in. But I just manage to spot a taillight and veer from the outside lane onto the slip road and pull up behind them. It seems they have decided not to carry on to Sud Tirol (it is another 500km) and have decide to stop for the night. I'm getting pretty pissed off with the lack of information/consultation.

In the event it's my navi that has a nearby B&B logged. So I am invited to lead the way.
The first location doesn't seem to exist. I find another B&B nearby, down a dark lane. The other two have turned round and are accelerating away. I chase them and they finally pull up outside the gates of a 4 star hotel.

 

Casa della Stella

It looks expensive. I decide it is not for me so I turn about and head back to the B&B I had just found. The Casa della Stella is perfect. Despite the lateness of the hour I am warmly greeted by the owner, another David. He and his wife Guilla are both bikers, KTM and Triumph Bonneville.
I am shown to a stylish and comfortable room and settle in for the night.  

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