Wake up to a dark angry sky and a very strong wind. No shorts today.
It is too windy to sit outside on the breakfast terrace this morning and too hot sitting inside as well!
We leave at 09:00 and take the motorway to Ventimiglia and then the coast road to Hanbury Gardens, a gardens designed by and englishman Thomas Hanbury, that meander down the rock face to the sea.
It is awkward drooping off here as there is no designated space so I quickly drop the group off while I block the road and they go into the gardens. I then drive the short, but stunning, distance into France and the resort of Menton. I have only driven through here before and want to find out where the coach park is and what arrangements there are for dropping off and picking-up.
I park alongside a sports stadium on the edge of the town and walk along the promenade with its lovely beaches slowly filling up as the sun has now come out and it has become very hot.
I have a map with me and am aiming for the Tourist Information Centre when I spot a traffic Warden (or whatever they are in French!) and approach her for some information. She speaks less English than I do French so we don't get very far. I am under the impression that there is parking spaces back the way I have come and on the main road off the Promenade to the right. I continue on through the gorgeous old town with its many restaurants and shops as well as a large market that seems to be everywhere. I am having a bit of difficulty finding the TIC as I am at the point of the map where it should be but it isn't. I ask a policeman and he speaks less English than the traffic warden! When I mention Office de Tourisme he points to an open space behind me where a building has obviously just been demolished! I walk back to the coach.
By now it is still windy but extremely hot and I am starting to perspire! I really must lose weight!
Back at the coach I decide to drive down the road I think the traffic warden meant but there are no parking bays at all. This road does bring me out at the other side of the town near the Casino and more modern shops. I rejoin the coast road to find a Lucketts coach parked in a bay by a bus stop. I stop to speak to the driver but there is nobody on board so carry on back to Hanbury to pick up the dirty dozen.
I repeat my journey to Menton and am able to point out the places I had seen earlier and as we are such a small group I stop on a bus stop close to the old town, harbour and promenade and let tyhem loose again!
I have had enough of looking for coach parks and go back to near the border and park on the promenade overlooking the sea and town. A lovely spot.
Two and a half hours later I drive along the promenade to pick them up hoping they are all there as it will be awkward to wait for long on the bus stop. They are all there but as I pull up the alternater light on the dashboard has come on which probably means that we have lost a fan belt. I check when I stop and we have lost three belts!
I get everybody on and drive the short distance to the border where there is plenty of space away from the traffic and a cafe if anybody wants a drink.
We carry a full set of belts but I am not the best mechanic in the world (Ray says that I think God lives under the bonnet!) and am very glad of the help I receive from Les Collins, a proper mechanic!
In 45 minutes we are driving back to Italy with all new belts on.
I decide to go back via the coast road and we are rewarded with a lovely drive made even better by the strong wind crashing the sea against the rocks of the shore.
Everything is such a beautiful colour from the sky to the sea to the flowers that line the roads.
Everybody has enjoyed Menton and I must say it is a beautiful resort with something for everybody and I will definitely be back.
Once parked up I check the belts and they all seem fine.
It is too windy to sit outside on the breakfast terrace this morning and too hot sitting inside as well!
We leave at 09:00 and take the motorway to Ventimiglia and then the coast road to Hanbury Gardens, a gardens designed by and englishman Thomas Hanbury, that meander down the rock face to the sea.
It is awkward drooping off here as there is no designated space so I quickly drop the group off while I block the road and they go into the gardens. I then drive the short, but stunning, distance into France and the resort of Menton. I have only driven through here before and want to find out where the coach park is and what arrangements there are for dropping off and picking-up.
I park alongside a sports stadium on the edge of the town and walk along the promenade with its lovely beaches slowly filling up as the sun has now come out and it has become very hot.
I have a map with me and am aiming for the Tourist Information Centre when I spot a traffic Warden (or whatever they are in French!) and approach her for some information. She speaks less English than I do French so we don't get very far. I am under the impression that there is parking spaces back the way I have come and on the main road off the Promenade to the right. I continue on through the gorgeous old town with its many restaurants and shops as well as a large market that seems to be everywhere. I am having a bit of difficulty finding the TIC as I am at the point of the map where it should be but it isn't. I ask a policeman and he speaks less English than the traffic warden! When I mention Office de Tourisme he points to an open space behind me where a building has obviously just been demolished! I walk back to the coach.
By now it is still windy but extremely hot and I am starting to perspire! I really must lose weight!
Back at the coach I decide to drive down the road I think the traffic warden meant but there are no parking bays at all. This road does bring me out at the other side of the town near the Casino and more modern shops. I rejoin the coast road to find a Lucketts coach parked in a bay by a bus stop. I stop to speak to the driver but there is nobody on board so carry on back to Hanbury to pick up the dirty dozen.
I repeat my journey to Menton and am able to point out the places I had seen earlier and as we are such a small group I stop on a bus stop close to the old town, harbour and promenade and let tyhem loose again!
I have had enough of looking for coach parks and go back to near the border and park on the promenade overlooking the sea and town. A lovely spot.
Two and a half hours later I drive along the promenade to pick them up hoping they are all there as it will be awkward to wait for long on the bus stop. They are all there but as I pull up the alternater light on the dashboard has come on which probably means that we have lost a fan belt. I check when I stop and we have lost three belts!
I get everybody on and drive the short distance to the border where there is plenty of space away from the traffic and a cafe if anybody wants a drink.
We carry a full set of belts but I am not the best mechanic in the world (Ray says that I think God lives under the bonnet!) and am very glad of the help I receive from Les Collins, a proper mechanic!
In 45 minutes we are driving back to Italy with all new belts on.
I decide to go back via the coast road and we are rewarded with a lovely drive made even better by the strong wind crashing the sea against the rocks of the shore.
Everything is such a beautiful colour from the sky to the sea to the flowers that line the roads.
Everybody has enjoyed Menton and I must say it is a beautiful resort with something for everybody and I will definitely be back.
Once parked up I check the belts and they all seem fine.
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