Napoli - Formia - Rome, 21 September

After breakfast at the hotel, looking over our amazing view across the bay of Naples to the Vesuvius, we repacked our bags and left for the train station to go to Formia (half way between Naples and Rome, on the coast) to have lunch with Valeria, who I caught up with very briefly when I last came to Italy, 12 years ago.

On the way to Formia, I explained to the girls that Valeria was a really fantastic cook, and true to form, we arrived at her home to a huge spread - pasta, mozzarella and an assortment of vegie dishes and breads.  Followed by a stroll around the garden, to collect home-grown figs and grapes.

Claudia spent the afternoon chasing lizards, collecting insects and climbing a tree to check out what was inside a nest.  Valeria has done a lot of work and made a lot of changes to the house, it all looked amazing and was lovely to be back there after all these years.  And we also caught up with Carolina, who has helped Valeria around the house for at least 20 years and who I saw a lot of all those years ago.  Lots of fun - we are having a such a lovely time.

We caught an evening train to Rome and checked into our little apartment in Via Della Pace, just near Piazza Navona, in the historic centre.  Very, very happy with our 'home' for the next 5 nights.  Great location, lots of space, two decent sized rooms, a huge bath tub and a complimentary mini bar - though I haven't told the girls that yet...  We will be calling my sister, Georgina (who lives 5 minutes from here) late morning tomorrow, to hopefully meet up for a coffee and for the girls to catch up with their Italian cousins.

Claudia has somehow managed to get Ava to agree to be her "personal slave" for tonight and tomorrow, for all of 4 Euro.  So far this has included her carrying Claudia around everywhere she wants to go on her back, as well as unpacking her case.

Tobes is arriving on Friday lunchtime, and has just Skyped with the surprising news that he has (together with lots of help from his sister Lu in England) got the girls and I tickets to the (sold out) Rihanna concert in London.  All very exciting and the girls are now both saying they "just have to go shopping" for something to wear.  The girls' first concert - I'm thinking more about how not to lose them in the crowd!..........

Breakfast at the hotel, and the girls in heaven!

The view from the breakfast terrace, across the bay of Naples to the Vesuvius

Lunch in Formia with Valeria!!

Carolina and Valeria

The girls with their necklaces from Marina (Valeria's daughter), living in Mozambique

View from Valeria's garden to Gaeta

With some home produce!

Pops and I

Studying Italian insects

Pops - looking grown up and gorgeous

Gaeta close up

and the American naval base

with Valeria!

At the station - heading for Rome

On the train to Rome

In our very cool hotel in Rome - the girls watching some English tv for the first time in weeks