Home again

Well after a lazy day on Wednesday and a lovely dinner cooked by Laura and her flat mate, on Thursday we went and visited the birds Laura is going to look after while their owner is away, an eight month old african grey and a very chipper blue love bird.  In the afternoon we went for another walk around Pescara over to the magnificent foot bridge and back round to the town. For the last evening we went to an american style burger bar and enjoyed the best burgers in Pescara, meeting a few more of Laura's friends. Home not too late as we had an early start on Friday, 4.45 in the morning. So we waved bye bye at 5.15 and arrived back in England just after nine o'clock and back on the island just after three.  A good time had by all but think Laura was glad to have her house back! Hopefully next time we visit we won't have to slip and slide everywhere in the ice and snow or cook in temperatures of 40 plus.

Tuesday

Ok so no scrabble last night, but a walk to the pizza restaurant which was very good.  Then back home for Laura to have an early night. We had a discussion about what to have for dinner before bowling and I said I would cook something so that when the two girls came home from work it would be ready for them.  So we went shopping this morning for ingredients and then this afternoon after a walk to the remaining old town Andrew and I are on a mission to get some knives. Will let you know later how we got on.

Sunday night, Monday morning

Last night Laura arranged for a group of her friends to come and pick us up and go for arosticini, sheep kebabs, so the canadian friend was contacted and yes he'd be fine to drive us, gets snow ten times worse in Canada so no prob.  Half hour later he phones to say the car is stuck in the car park!  Other friends arrive at Laura's flat and other arrangements are put in place.  After a quick drive around Pescara we arrive in a nice restaurant on a hill somewhere, very pretty with all the snow around, one hour later than our booking. This isn't a problem as this is quite normal for Italy. Lovely meal and good company, Laura seems to have made some lovely friends while here.  Then a drive back home arriving just after 12.30.  What a great night we had.
After a good sleep, coffee and fresh orange juice, Laura took us shopping to the local shops.  Very slushy out as snow is starting to thaw and it is a lovely sunny day.  Goods bought we pop into a local cafe just round the corner, very good coffee.  Then back for lunch aa Laura has to get to work.  After she left we walked down to the beach which is covered in snow and I say to Andrew that last time I was here the sand was too hot to walk on!  Back to flat to rest and wait for Laura to finish work, pizza and scrabble booked for the evening.

Flight day

Up at six and down for breakfast.  Check on Pescara airport and yeh the flight from Pescara to London left on time, which means it will be here for us to go back on.  Bus to airport then through with no probs to departures where I buy a cover for my Kindle from duty free, just a quick check and it’s a bargain, I got it 90p cheaper than from Amazon!  Onto plane, flight with occaisional views through the clouds then baggage collection where through the automatic doors we see Laura and her flat mate waiting. Ours is naturally nearly the last bag to come off and then we’re out and big hugs all round.  Bus to the flat and Laura knocks up a quick lunch and being the doting parents we are, we both fall asleep.

Holiday Inn Express

Well, after a very interesting drive across London avoiding the M25 (Andrew was not impressed and we’re not going back that way!) We arrived at the Holiday Inn Express and parked in the snow laden car park. We booked in and went to our room which is pretty standard for any chain hotel.  We then went and put the car in the designated car park and were driven back to the hotel in our own personal bus.  Having settled in and had a quick nap we ventured downstairs for dinner. So far so good, drinks bought food ordered.  Sat listening to conversations around us and realized there were a few disgruntled families. Food was taking forever.  So an experienced hotel chain at the beginning of a half term holiday don’t employ enough staff to cope with the number of people they have booked into the hotel and who will all be wanting food and drinks!  How come they are still in business? Oh and the heating only works when the key is in the light slot and you can’t get BBC1 on the telly which seems to have a mind of its own! Hope this is not how it is going to continue!

Well here we are about to embark on this year's first adventure.  The bags have been weighed several times and are now just about the right weight.  Pescara airport is now open but flights are still a bit delayed, so hopefully by tomorrow it will be fine.  Laura has been having fun in the snow and thinks I might find it a bit different as last time I visited the temperatures were in the low 40s!  Having looked at Pescara's webcam I think she might be right.