56.66km – 7H58’
Altitude : 10m
Ciao Italia !
A short stage due to our terminus and embarkation, which we are waiting for as I write these lines. The ferry will leave at 7:00 PM and we embark at 5:00.
We did not meet many people in Italy. We saw hundreds of cyclists and a few joggers, many Italians with enormous sun glasses, even when it was raining or in the metro.
We crossed thousands of cars hurtling along the road, their drivers in a hurry to die, so it would seem.
Serge was able to inspect the roadsides, which were more or less clean and in some cases close to being a municipal dump. Dogs, especially in the south, rocked us to sleep with the incessant barking and caused trouble for Serge at the roadside. We had all kinds of weather and varied scenery; everything from tourist sites to isolated countryside, on a scale from splendid to dull. Italy is a country of contrasts which we were able to admire. We will remember the warmth and hospitality of the Italians we met; smiling and always ready to give a hand. Yesterday, without any questioning, property owners gave us permission to set up our camp on their land.
We wonder what the roads of Greece will hold, mystery. Serge dreads the hordes of dogs that he met in the north of the country during the Paris-Tokyo race.
Tonight we land at 3:00 AM in Igoumenista and we will see how we organize the next stage.
Till tomorrow for the continuation of the adventures of the Around the European Union Footrace. Greetings from the whole team.