Day 144 Lovere
We started the day by eating a leisurely breakfast outside and were treated to a march past by an air force band and various local groups with standards.
Today is, probably and very hard to believe, the last day of rest before the end of the stroll from Gravels Bank to Ponte Caffaro. Although, finding a place of rest for tomorrow night has become a greater challenge than we had thought it might be. Janet had discovered a possible resting place for tomorrow night and we were expecting an email response from the proprietor. Until we had received the reply we were going to be in limbo and in some difficulty. We did have an alternative place to stay but it was in the ‘wrong’ place and could mean lots of extra strolling and climbing. I strolled out to the tourist office after breakfast for some advice about mountain huts and refuges between Lovere and Bagolino, in case we didn’t get a reply, and was presented with a map full of these elusive blighters. One cursory glance at the map was all that we needed to tell us that, where we are going, there is only white space.
When the reply arrived from Janet’s email, telling us that there were beds, we were delighted, we can stroll tomorrow and sleep in comfort tomorrow night. We hope that the people with whom we shall stay tomorrow can suggest the following night’s refuge or perhaps a starry sky could be our bedroom ceiling.
Having settled our place of rest we could enjoy the promised air show and the rest the day.
The doggy rescues of yesterday were repeated, with helicopters dropping people into the lake to be rescued. I’m still not sure that the dogs are ready to operate independently though.
The doggy rescues were followed bya fabulous display of low level aerobatics which took my breath away. The whole thing was finished with a concert by the band of the Italian Airforce (Milan). I really must learn the words of the Italian National Anthem.
One last stroll around and then an early night.
I cannot believe you are so nearly there, brought a tear to my eye because it doesn’t seem that long ago we were waving you off into the white yonder. Have so enjoyed your ramblings on every level, another 6 months or so and we will be welcoming you home.xx
What a lovely comment, Anne. Thank you. We can hardly believe it ourselves. We keep saying to each other every time we arrive somewhere, “We have walked to this point all the way from Gravels Bank!” in a voice of amazement.