We're moving to Italy

The big concrete box that has kept us in Spain over the last 18 months is sailing away to Italy....so we go too. With just over 3 weeks to go, we are deep into the process of packing up gear to go into storage, clothes to take to Italy and sorting all those things we have picked up and don't really need (and furthermore can't work out why we collected/bought them in the first place).

To ensure we actually have somewhere to live when we arrive, we headed off to Italy a few weeks ago - house hunting. It was actually difficult coming up with options on the internet (which was a bit surprizing)....so using the great forums on traveladvisor.com I asked some of the locals for suggestions. One of the recommendations was for a place called Castel Venezze. This wonderful old villa (dating from the 1400s) has been "done up" as a hotel with the associated buildings converted to apartments.

We stayed at this wonderful place, got to know the fantastic lady who owns and manages it - Contessa Maria Giustiniani, and eventually arranged to make one of the apartments our home for the next .....well however long it ends up being. The gardens are really impressive and just to top it all off....Maria runs cooking classes focusing on the local Italian cuisine. So far there doesn't seem to be much down side - other than Ian will have about 40 minutes travel each day - but he seems very happy and looking forward to the experience.

The next few weeks will be flat out - what with study, shifting, the work requirements of the Paris contract, and finding time to watch the Olympics - but we are both looking forward to the next adventure - even though we will be sad to leave Spain.