Well greetings all for another exciting (or not) instalment of “Tails from Italy”. (Said slowly with a low booming voice..)
First of all this week has had its ups and downs. I had a brilliant weekend last weekend. Unfortunately on Thursday evening I received news that the husband of a colleague of mine from Melbourne had finally succumbed to cancer. Having been diagnosed close to 2 years ago he had relentlessly undergone treatment and I had no doubt that he would pull through. Unfortunately all the treatments had stopped working and the battle was lost this week. No matter how much time you have to prepare or how well prepared you think you are, it is always devastating when one of life’s inevitabilities finally catches up. My heart goes out to Tina and her two children. The funeral is on Monday and as I can’t attend Vilija will go and show our support.
Given this news, the frustrations with bureaucracy I felt earlier in the week are insignificant.
I also have to apologise for last weeks substandard report. I wrote it in a hurry prior to leaving work. On the way home I wish I had spent a little more time on it. I hope that it wasn’t too incomprehensible. The part of my brain dedicated to languages is struggling at the moment.
As I mentioned in the last report I went to the mountains with Ottavio and Chiara. Ottavio’s family have been going to a town called Vollon in the Italian alps for over 20 years and have a small mountain apartment there. They wonderfully invited me up for the weekend. Vollon is located in a smaller valley that leads into Valle d’Aosta in the north of Italia. Val d’Aosta winds its way to the base of Mont Blanc. A tunnel then leads you under the mountain and into France. The valley in which Vollon is located heads north towards Switzerland, though you can’t
actually cross into Switzerland.
We arrived on Friday night, there was very little snow as we approached the city. In the car we decided that praying to the snow gods was a good idea. As a direct result, I’m sure, when we woke up on Saturday morning it was snowing lightly and through the morning it increased. Adding to our good fortune it even cleared to blue skies in the afternoon.
On Saturday we made our way up the valley, stopping to curse and swear when fitting chains and stopped near the top. We went racketing (walking with big racket type snow shoes on) at the top of the valley. After about 2 hours of wondering around we found our way back to the car, had a quick lie down in the snow and then proceeded to start making a snowman.
Well, I don’t really know what the best way to make a snow man but I gave it my best shot. It took us a while but we eventually did it. I must admit, there is quite a skill involved. Having finished the snowman we then went for a drive up to the end of the valley and to the main ski resort called Champoluc. We had a walk around and it was pretty much what I associate with a ski resort; lots of people walking around in funny looking clothes and even stranger boots. Though apparently it was actually quite for a weekend.
After that we headed back to the OC’s house and had dinner. We had quiche with salad, cheese, bread, red wine and chocolate for desert. It was really quite yummy.
The next day after rolling out of bed (my muscles were sore from the workout of the previous day) we had a casual breakfast consisting of a big milky coffee with honey in it (It was delicous!!! I highly recommend it) and a few other bits and pieces.
It hadn’t snowed over night but was looking very gloomy and overcast. It wasn’t cold though. How could it be when I was wearing my tracksuit pants, ski pants over the top, two tee-shirts, a woollen jumper, scarf, ski jacket, beanie and gloves!!! I had bought new kicking boots for the occasion and they preformed beautifully! They paid for themselves, completely water proof and quite comphy. Chiara commented that “they look quite good!!” I responded, as good as hiking boots can!!
After breakfast we headed up the top of the spur to the west of the valley. We wound our way up the hill and when got to the top jumped out, dressed up with our trendy rackets and headed off along the spur towards the north of the valley. As we were getting ready it started snowing and unfortunately clouded in as otherwise the view would have been FANTASTIC.
We trundled along for about 1.5 hours in a winter wonderland. Christmas trees with a sprinkling of snow. A track covered in white powder. We past a small frozen waterfall and went through a tunnel along the way. I had a ball, running along, jumping and falling down into the snow. I think the OC must have thought I was bonkers!! We eventually turned around and took the long way back to the car. When we got back to the car I wanted to keep going but we packed up and headed off.
Later that afternoon we had an early dinner of spaghetti with home made pesto for dinner it was mouth-watering. Also finished off what was left of the cheese and chocolate. After that we packed up and jumped in the car at about 5pm.
Well… The ride home was unlike anything I have ever had before. The weather was APPAULING!!! The decision was made as we left the house not to fit chains as the weather wasn’t too bad, so we VERY slowly crept down the valley and cars with snow tyres roared straight past us. Places that we past on Friday night with no snow were covered! And the weather continued. Snow turned into sleet turned into rain and not just rain, torrential rain. It turned out that Genova had had appalling weather the entire weekend, continuous heavy rain.
The entire way home (300ish kilometres) we drove at about 80kms or less through heavy rain with HUGE flashes of sheet lightening in the sky!!! We heard on the radio that a travel advisory was out that all non essential travel should be avoided. We were on the road at this stage so kept going. We drove through rain, snow, rain, sleet everything you can imagine. It was quite phenomenal!! I am glad that nothing happened and arrived in Genova, tired but in one piece.
I have put photos of from the weekend on the web.
It is now home time on a Friday night and I don’t think this weekend will be nearly exciting. A weekend in Genova to relax, study Italian (any suggestions on good techniques to learn vocab are more than welcome!!) and shopping for bed sheets, pillows, blankets etc… Hopefully I can move into more permanent accommodation very soon. I will update you as soon as there is firm news.
That is about all from me this week. I hope everyone is well and those at the office in Melborne, please pass on my thoughts to Tina.
James
1. It snowed in the outskirts of Genova last week - yes in March - Spring!!!! Ahhh, global warming!!
