Just woken up from a snooze back on the road to find we’re in a traffic jam on the freeway – hopefully brief. Yes we’re off again. Apsley Ski Lodge was very comfortable and Jimmy the owner was most accommodating. The freeway through Austria is an amazing piece of engineering negotiating deep ravines with humungous continuous viaducts. 
We seem to be near Innsbruck… Ahh just crossed the border into Italy yay!! I am now in this country for the duration – auf wiedersehen Austria, bonjournau l’Italia. Our guide on this leg of the adventure is Kerri (without an e) from Glasgow and, believe it or not, she is an F1 nut, especially Italian! She has just been filling us in on a bit of the history of Italy, the language and the high carb food – oh dear, there goes my diet! Brief service station stop – prawn sandwich for €1.99 can’t be bad. We have to make up some time for hold ups at the freeway toll. Now beginning to see villages sprouting out of rocky hilltops and acres if vineyards sprawling down the hillsides. Was very hot at the service stop but I see black storm clouds looming over the mountains up ahead.
The forecast today for Venice is storms, just to add to my concerns about negotiating Venice to find my guest house. Alex, who runs it, was way too laid back in his email before I left the UK. ‘No problema, I can help you’. We’ll see! We have now driven through about 50 miles of acres and acres of vineyards on both sides… no wonder the Italians like their wine! This region is Lavis, Trento according to my GPS. 2nd service station stop, huge slice of pizza and we’re back on the road. Might settle down to a movie – Will Ferrell. ……movie is rubbish, will settle for a music channel and the scenery as we close in on Venice. Just passing Verona and I am reminded of “two gentlemen of Verona”! Just received text from Alex asking what time I will be arriving at his guest house this evening. How the heck do I know, depends on how I get on with his Vaporetti! I am now sitting in a little restaurant somewhere in the back streets of Venice enjoying the best and most deserved glass of vino rossi ever!!!
Back to the bus some 5 hours ago…. we were hit by a serious thunderstorm just after Verona which continued all the way to Venice with exceedingly heavy rain. Many vehicles had stopped at the side of the road it was so torrential but our bus continued carefully. The land either side was like paddyfields. It was always going to be stormy in Venice so I wasn’t too surprised but it didn’t help my concerns for finding my bed for the night. Alex had texted that he would leave the door key in the little window so I could arrive when I liked, which didn’t exactly inspire confidence.
Anyway the bus finally arrived at Camping Jolly in the pouring rain about an hour late and a bus full of young people plus two pensioners immediately made a queue to check in. The Busabout guide helped me with my onward journey on to the island but alas the last shuttle had already left. Another couple, who I later learned were Amanda and Michael from New South Wales (wouldn’t you know it) also needed to get to the island. They were going even further than me to Lido. It was still chucking it down with rain. Why on earth did I send my umbrella home in that package?! For a moment we thought about staying here at Camping Jolly for tonight. The rain eased off slightly so we all decided to follow Kerri’s directions to get the Number 6 bus into Venice. After all we had paid an awful lot for our Venice accommodation and didn’t want to waste it. I covered my backpack with my remaining bin liner (you may recall the other was used to send package home but rejected by German post office worker). I managed to get my asparagas canvas bag containing a change of clothes under my waterproof. The others were more suitably dressed although Amanda had only a thin waterproof poncho. They both had umbrellas! Finally we made a dash for it…. take a left outside gate, under tunnel, right, then left up to roundabout, take a right, then go to tobacconist for ticket and get bus just across road. Well half way there the heavens opened again and we dashed for a tree. Then lightning and immediately a deafening clap of thunder. I commented that I remembered being told as a child never to stand under a tree in a thunder storm. How stupid was that?! The three of us got to know each other quite well under that tree during the rainstorm. As it eased off we proceeded. Now was it right at this roundabout? We consulted our trusty GPS on iPhone. Amanda and I thought yes, but Michael was not so sure. Eventually I asked a woman who was sheltering nearby, firstly if she spoke English – no, what about French then, I asked hopefully remembering I was in Italy and why would she speak anything other than Italian. ‘Oui, je parle Francais, she replied. Ok so somehow between gauches and droits and a good soaking we got our Number 6 bus across the causeway to the Tronchetta. This is our first view of Venice. 
Here we needed to find a Vaporetti to take us further afield which is when we parted company, vowing to keep in touch on Facebook, etc. They had to get the yellow line number 3 to Lido while I bought my 7 euro ticket for the red line number 4.1 to Arsenale.
While waiting at the E terminal I checked with a young Italian who was waiting there, that I was at the right place, and we got deep into conversation. His English was good and he was so helpful. To summarise, he pointed out all the landmarks and places of interest along the way on my first Vaporetti trip until he had to get off to go to a theatre production that his friend was taking part in. 
He left armed with my business card saying he would like to see my artwork and comment on my blog. His name was Abramo.
Eventually we were all told to get off at Zaccarini. But I need to get to Arsenale I said to the Vaporetti guy. “Walk” he replied doing the walking thing with his fingers. It was still raining lightly and my sandaled feet were cold and sodden, but I was so enthralled by my surroundings I just couldn’t stop taking pictures. 
By now night was falling and lights began twinkling all along the canalside reflecting in the water. I really needed to find my way to Calle…. what was it? ….before it got dark and before the battery ran out on my GPS (iPhone). After much crossing of bridges, going up exceedingly narrow and quaint alleyways (wanting to take pictures of lovely old doorways) finding myself not able to go where the GPS said because it was a dead end or a canal, anxiety again began to set in. I finally showed the address to a waitress in a small back street restaurant, rain dripping from my hood. Ah yes, she said, come this way. She led me through a side door into a very dark and narrow pathway and pointed to a door. ‘Here it is’, she said. I just couldn’t believe it! Such relief and there was the key, as Alex had said, and it opened the door and I found my way up to the third floor passing the shower room on the way to my room on the right. There was only one other room on the left. I opened the door to such a welcome sight…. 
a basic but nonetheless delightful little room with shuttered windows to two aspects overlooking my favourite Italian terra cotta roofs. Inside a single bed with freshly laundered linen and big soft white towel and map of Venice, all as Alex had said. There was a socket to charge up my phone and I just took off my wet things and sat down for a moment to triumph in my achievement.
Next back down to the shower to wash my feet in warm soapy water and change into my only pair of dry canvas shoes, a change of top too, then back to that nice little restaurant for a well earned vino rossi. It arrived quickly and did that go down well. Viva Mo!! 
Feeling hungry now, it was about 10pm, I asked for a simple spaghetti dish and a second wine to wash it down. I was so relieved and chuffed with myself for finding this delightful little corner of Venice.
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