I did indeed have a restless night because of the heat and will have to speak with receprtion about possibly changing my room.
We are going out at 09:00 today and breakfast is served from 07:30.
Hollie and I are down at 07:30 as is most of the coach, and there is not a lot of room!
The breakfast room is on the first floor and comprises of two rooms with a small buffet laid out. The buffet is okay but there really isn’t a lot of room. Why is it here and not downstairs where there is ample space and it is more light and airy. The room with the buffet is tight for space, warm and windowless. The drinks are all from a machine and I make myself a cappuccino which comes out without milk! I tell the waiter who kindly makes me one form the kitchen but doesn’t seem to do anything with the machine!
With a lot of people coming down at once the waiters need to be on the ball and keep the buffet topped up, something they fail to do. I am not too happy about this and hope it is just a blip with them being a little overwhelmed by everybody coming in together. I don’t think it is but you never know!
Hollie and I order a taxi to take us to the coach where we clean the inside and windscreen and I plan today’s route.
Normally on the first day we would have a free day of half day out but as tomorrow is market day in Desenzano I have decided to go out today and have tomorrow free.
We drive down to pick them all up on a much quieter morning than it was yesterday evening.
The sky is blue and everything seems a lot better now most people have had a decent night’s sleep. Most people but not me! I had a word at reception and am told I have probably not switched on the air con correctly and have probably just got it set on recycling the air and not on cold. Apparently there should be a snowflake figure on the unit and I don’t think mine has. The receptionist says to leave it with her and she will see that it is sorted.
We depart at 09:00 and begin our drive to the northern end of the lake and Riva del Garda. We are going to drive along the southern end of the lake and then along the beautiful eastern side to Riva. There is a road along the western side but it has a series of tunnels that I am not prepared to take a coach through. I have done it once many years ago (when there was no air con units on the roof!) and recently drove a car through but if you meet oncoming traffic in a couple of the tunnels it becomes very tight. The tunnels are very rough and unforgiving and on a busy day like today I think it would be madness to go that way.
So we go the other, prettier side. We pass the turning for Sirmione, normally a place we would stop, but continue on today as it is a place easily reached by boat from Desenzano.
After here we come to Peschiara, another lovely town that has it’s market today so I take the road that bypasses the town and promptly miss my road the other side of the town! Doughnut!
I realise almost immediately and only lose a couple of minutes by the time I have turned around and rejoin the correct road.
From here we drive close to the lakeside and with the mountains on the other side it is a drive I will never tire of. By the time we reach the town of Garda it is time for a stop and one of the two coach bays on the promenade is free for us to stop for an hour.
Garda is a glorious little town with a superb promenade lined with many cafes and restaurants with little alleyways branching off with lots of small shops and more cafes! A lot of the shops sell the same merchandise but they are lovely to visit as most are air conditioned and that is a welcome relief from the hot sun.
Hollie and I go for a stroll and sit at one of the promenade cafes for a drink. I just have a water and coffee while Hollie decides she wants an ice cream and a cold drink. She chooses from the menu a glass of strawberry’s and ice cream and when it arrives there is enough for the whole coach! It is an enormous bowl full of strawberry’s and delicious ice cream!
While we are here I receive a text from Wendy saying she can’t find Pennies details in the computer.
I reply “Penny who?”
To which she sends back to me “You knob! The Pennies Explorer details, I need to send the letters!”
She meant the forthcoming tour to the Pennines called the Pennine Explorer!
Ha! It made us laugh anyway.
We depart Garda at 11:30 for the hours journey to Riva. This part of the ride is the best as nearly all of it is alongside the lake, passing through pretty towns and villages, and seeing all of the holidaymakers enjoying the sun and water at every available piece of beach. This part of the lake has a seaside feel to it and coupled with the lovely sunny day it is a real pleasure to drive.
The lake is also framed by mountains on the far shore and the further north we travel the more mountainous and fjord like the scenery becomes.
We are in Riva for two and a half hours which will give everybody a taste of this delightful resort.
I used to come to Garda often and we always used to stay in Riva so it is always with fond memories that I return.
Hollie and I have a walk about the town before deciding on a restaurant away from the lake for our lunch. Even though it is hot we plump for a pizza each which were delicious. When in Rome and all that!
I am returning here in a couple of weeks for a two night break with Wendy and have booked a hotel, the Astoria Park, for a couple of nights. My assistant and I go for a stroll to have a look at the hotel that is farther from the lake than I realised when I booked it! Lovely hotel though with a very inviting swimming pool I would like to try.
Back at the coach there seems to be a storm brewing with dark skies, muggy heat and the wind but nothing materialises by the time we depart at 15:00.
The drive back is quiet (sleepy heads!) both on the coach and on the road and the journey is half an hour quicker than the way here.
There are temperature signs along the road and it is now 36 degrees! That’s only about 101!!
As we approach Desenzano I come in from the opposite side to the way I came in yesterday and once again carry on past a right turn I should be taking! I know straight away what I have done and it only takes half a minute to put it right so not too embarrassing!
Hollie and I walk back to the hotel from the coach park and see lots of people still on the beaches close to the town.
It is still hot in my room but now I know what to do with the air con I turn it to 18 and have my little snowflake on the control unit.
Before dinner we have a drink in the bar outside with Dot and Norma and then, rather apprehensively we go into dinner.
It is not so busy outside tonight so we have a bit more attention from the staff and we have a fan in the room to keep the temperature down.
I did have a moan last night about the service and it is better tonight but whether that is to do with me having a word or the lack of people outside I don’t know but at least it is an improvement on last night.
Once again we go for a walk and a coffee and then return to the bar outside the hotel for a drink. We are sat right outside the hotel entrance and I soon learn that the supposed tea/coffee after dinner is not happening! By all accounts the room was not open last night after dinner and tonight some of the passengers had to ask for it to be opened and then the coffee machine needs to be switched on and then needs to warm up! Not good. Another word needed!
At least when I go to bed my room is very cold! At last I have air con!
I actually wake up in the night cold but after the fuss I made am not turning, or even touching, the unit!!
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