Ventimiglia 9 September 2017

Today I am tired the bells are ringing telling me it is 9.00pm.  We have just had dinner down by the beach in Ventimiligia, back at the hotel and I am going to do this before I put my head on the pillow.  I have taken off my dress given it the once over and you know it will do for tomorrow, very long journey tomorrow I am not going to see anyone I will ever see again. 

We left Lugano this morning for the 8.40am train to Milano Centrale. I was very pleased to be going thru Milan Centrale Station because it is absolutely beautiful and and I only saw it quickly on my way to Lake Como about ten days or so ago.  This was a regional train so quite civilized as no bookings required in Switzerland.  Lovely train and gorgeous crossing over the bridge on Lake Lugano into Italy.  This took us an hour and quarter, pretty, but not in the order of the last few days thankfully, it is exhausting trying to take in all that beauty. We arrived in Milano Centrale found a seat amazing really huge amount of people passing thru.  We waited for our platform number to come up because the minute it does a swarm of people go for it, all bookings mind you, we are in Italy now.  Our wagon was no 11 seats 9a and 8a no specific luggage compartment but there are spaces behind the seats, poor Sam this stresses him a bit, I am good at this get our luggage stowed, anor young Chinese couple looking stressed told them where their seat would be and to pop their luggage on top of ours, she was gorgeous said thank you, came and saw me later, it is interesting, we have met lovely young people, but it is funny really, wherever we are I always get asked for directions, anyway mostly I can show them on the map everyone is delightful, says  thank you and off we go. I guess all these things make ones journey. 

We left Milano Central at 11.10am arriving at Verntimiligia at 3.10pm, it was pouring with rain and no shelter on the station and stairs,  anyway we got down had something to eat and a coffee, checked the weather and decided to get a cab to our hotel, he was not too pleased as they do not like to take you if you are close, tough it was wet we ignored his displeasure and he took us, very funny it turned out to be the hotel we stayed at the last time.  We were exhausted had a sleep in between the church bells etc went and had some dinner down by the beach and now in readiness for our big day tomorrow to Collioure in France. I have decided we are intrepid travellers.  Looking forward to seeing Ash on Wednesday in Madrid to start the Camino on next Sunday I think we will sleep for a month when we return.  All the best Sabine and Sam