Sunday 06 October
2013
We are departing at 08:00 today so I wander down for
breakfast at about 07:15 and we are sat in the same places as dinner last
night. The Jewels group are also close by in their same seats and the buffet
breakfast looks okay.
Even though we are close to the other group we have a
separate buffet and this raises alarm bells in my mind. I have a wander over
and check our hot food and we have some sausages but no bacon and no egg but we
do have rice! By the time I have seen all of this most of my group have already
eaten. I am not too interested in a hot breakfast personally but I certainly
don’t want to be going down the Burma road! Surely this is for the other two
groups.
I check the Jewels breakfast and they have eggs, bacon
and sausages but no rice!
I know this may all seem a bit petty but our hotel
voucher clearly states a hot and cold buffet breakfast in the main restaurant.
I go out to see the receptionist and she says we have
only the cold buffet and that is what we had ordered. I disagree with her and
ask her to look at her copy of the voucher. She does this and in plain black
and white it states we have a hot and cold buffet breakfast in the main
restaurant. She is not too impressed to discover that she hasn’t read the
voucher properly and through gritted teeth offers me an apology of which I
begrudgingly accept but inform her it is all too late. To be quite honest I
just can’t be arsed to argue anymore.
Why, oh why, do the bloody French not just put out a hot
and cold buffet for everyone instead of causing problems with bits here and
there and parts we aren’t allowed near. It doesn’t make sense and I truly hate
staying overnight in France as it seems to be a problem and a battle every time
we stop! The Novotels in Germany knock the French ones into a cocked hat and
they are cheaper!
We leave with a driver who has the hump, but never mind,
a different hotel next week!
It is raining heavily as we begin our journey.
We drive south towards Macon and then join the Mont Blanc
Autoroute (White Mountain Motorway) where I have a short stop to top up with
fuel before continuing our journey.
We are going to drive through the Mont Blanc Tunnel and
ever since the terrible fire/accident a few years ago all commercial vehicles
have to go into a holding area to have their size/engine type checked before
being allowed to proceed. It is very quiet today and I drive up to the barrier
and show my log book to the man in the office who then gives me a Euro 4 sticker
for the windscreen and instructions on how to go through the tunnel.
Just before we reach the tunnel I pull into a lay by for
a photo stop. The sun is out and you can see the top of the magnificent Mont
Blanc. It is a stunning sight being so close.
As you reach the tunnel there is a toll booth where you
pay your toll to drive the seven miles through the tunnel. I pay €148.00 for a
single journey! The cost of a return is €231.00. I will drive back along the
coast to Marseille and up through Lyon!
As soon as we are through the tunnel we cross the border
into Italy and stop for lunch in the well known ski-ing resort of Courmeyer.
This always makes a good lunch stop as we are off the motorway and there is a
multitude of cafes/restaurants to choose from.
I indulge in a fantastic homemade lasagne
From here we rejoin the motorway as it snakes its way
through the mountains and seems to be either through a tunnel or over a very
high bridge. Great scenery all the way down to Genoa where we join the motorway
that runs parallel with the Mediterranean and head towards our destination of
Diano Marina.
I have a short stop once south of Turin at a small
service area. It is okay for us boys but the girls have a bit of a problem with
a lack of loo roll! I think someone has taken some from the boys loo and is
handing out strips as they go in!
As I pull off the motorway I pay my toll at the peage and
continue on into Diano Marina. As I’m at the peage my phone goes off, it is Sue
the guide I have booked for Monte Carlo, and decide to call her back when I’m
at the hotel.
I reach the hotel and drive down a dead end road which
ends at the hotel with no space to turn the bus! There is a Swiss coach in and
he is facing the right way. You obviously reverse down and drive out!
We are staying at the Grand Hotel Diano Marina.
I would normally have checked the hotel out but for
whatever reason didn’t manage to do it this time. Because of this I am a little
concerned about rooms and meals.
I needn’t have worried as the hotel is excellent with a
very efficient staff who make my job very easy.
The porter is waiting to help with luggage as I arrange
the room keys and soon everyone is off to their home for the next six nights.
I can leave the coach where it is at the front of the
hotel which is a bonus.
I go into the hotel and the charming young receptionist
asks what times I would like for dinner during our stay and then prints out an
itinerary for the week including our meal times and any entertainment that is
going on. Very impressive.
I go to my room and am again impressed! A lovely room
with a very large balcony overlooking the sea and swimming pool.
Before dinner I join Dot and Nicola for a drink at the
bar only to find a large decked area where you can sit and enjoy your drink as
you watch the sea gently splash against the shore. A lovely spot. And when you
receive your drink you also are given a plate of crisps, sandwiches and small
tapas like goodies. Nothing too shabby about this!
I call Sue back and she said she called me to tell me to
reverse down to the hotel!! Bless!
The food was very good tonight with a dessert choice to
melt your taste buds!
I like it and feel immediately at home here. Happy Days!!
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