So, after breezing through the airport in Venice, we headed off to Lozzo, where we would spend the next couple of days before setting off for Spain.
The trip from the airport was quiet ( yes quiet not quite) an eye opener, more eyes wide open and very little small talk. Due to the rain, the signs along the motorway warning drivers to slow to 80km/hr were apparently missed by our driver, not surprising really as they were just a blur at 140km/hr!!
But we arrived safely and were deposited right outside the house. Now all we had to do was to collect the keys from the neighbours, turn on the gas, water and electricity - get the hot water going and that would be that.
Well, not quite. First problem, we arrived on Wednesday when most of Lozzo is closed. Second, we arrived during the afternoon siesta so our neighbours, Stefano and Sabrina weren't home, but the good news was that Jean packed a down jacket and she could huddle out of the rain in the driveway while we waited. Fortunately we only had to wait 10 mins or so and Stefano turned up, but he didn't have the keys, Sabrina had them and she had gone off to pick up her daughter from school. So after 30 mins of Italian language practice over a coffee, the keys arrived and so began the next part of our Italian adventure.
Upon presenting at the front door, we found that we were not the only ones who wanted to get in. A family of wasps had the same idea only they didn't have keys either so they had decided to set up home in the key hole of the front door, filling it with a mud nest. With Stefano's kind assistance, together with half a can of WD40, we almost flushed out the lock, but still couldn't get the key in far enough to turn it. So, after another 30 mins in the rain, it was time for plan B... phone a friend, well Stefano's friend the locksmith. At least I think that's who he was, he had a small van with lots of tools. He spent 30 seconds looking at the problem and reverted to plan C....remove the door from the hinges, which he did with surprising ease. Makes one wonder why we have locks in the first place. With the door off its hinges, he dismantled the lock, cleaned and oiled it, put everything back in its rightful place and was gone.
Now, water on...check. Power on...check. Gas on ...check. All that's left is to figure out how the hot water system works. No problem, once again, Stefano and his mobile phone to the rescue. Two more calls and we have lift off, and all of the past couple of hours were behind us. With warmth and shelter in hand, it was down to the supermarket to get something to eat for dinner and settle in for a good night sleep.
Ahhh, it's good to be back in Italy.