This is the view from the van. We are parked in a car park right on the water in Rosignano, Tuscany, Italy where the Etchell Italian Championships are currently being held. Next weekend the worlds are on.

We rocked up here on Friday night after a solid drive through mountainous terrain. Stick to the highways and everything is fine!

I have Tom Tom on my ipad, which makes life pretty easy when you are trying to figure out where to find things … Like marinas! We lucked in to a great park, ran straight into some west Australian Etchell guys that John knew and we went out for a late dinner with them. The next morning John went to the yacht club and jagged a ride on a coach boat … Some New Zealanders have a Swedish coach and he was keen for someone else to go out with Him. John was happy to oblige.

I have a bit of a cold, so spent most of the day reading and sleeping. Last night we went and had a drink with Dave and Jill, Aussies who keep a yacht in the med. John met them in Sydney when he was doing his survival at sea course. Dave is competing in the regatta.

Today John is off again and I am going walking along the sea front.

During the week we will head In to the Tuscan countryside. Then the worlds are on from next weekend (I think)’ so we will be back here. The weather is sunny, but it is still quite cool … A whole lot better than rain though.

We now have Italian sims for our iPads … Internet on tap … So feel free to email and tell me what you have been up to.

If anyone has read a good book lately … Do let me know. I just finisned dan brown’s Inferno ….didn’t love it.