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Our second day in a row not hitchhiking, Julia and I realised how much we both missed it! It's such a big part of our trip, and just like everything else: you don't know what you have until you don't have it anymore! The thing about hitchhiking here is that it is more exciting, more of a social and intercultural experience, and you are usually forced to speak Italian. On the way to Pisa we made a quick stop in Volterra, a city associated with the Twilight series, something I now have to get familiar with. Julia was really excited to go there and visit the home of the vampires. It also has stunning views of the surrounding landscape.

We stayed in Viareggio, the town that had the terrible gas explosion two weeks ago. On our evening visit to the beach and promenade, we passed several families out for a night-time cycle. There is a jolly feeling to the place, even considering the recent atrocity. It was the most popular holiday resort in Italy in the 18th century, before Venice took over the number one spot! Omar and Eleanora hosted us; probably the sweetest couple I've ever met. Best Wishes for the future guys, I hope all your wishes come true.

Pisa, well..the leaning tower..it's still standing..

On arrival in Rome we were so tired that if the weather hadn't been so hot and close, we would've slept for 24 hours straight! Sunday night we went for dinner with the Bellonese family..thanks so much Lucia for a really lovely meal. Afterwards the younger Belloneses brought us for a night-time tour of Rome with another friend. I hope we meet again some time; my Roman family! We met the Italian version of "The Bachelor" and Flavia (our new Italian sister) was delighted to get a photo with him :)

The next day was a really touristic day for me. I went to see the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican in the morning with Julia's friend Florian who lives in Rome, and then was treated to a "free tour" of all the central hotspots in the afternoon. I recommend the free tour, as it was both entertaining and educational; whereas I've heard that some of the paid ones are not worth it. You can give them a tip afterwards of course if you want. It leaves at 5.30pm every day from Piazza di Spagna. The Pantheon has to be my favourite of all the historical gems I was treated to in Rome. It's just an unbelievable structure, more than 1800 years old and still going strong.

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En partant de Napoli, les premiers qui nous on pris en stop nous ont laissé sur l'autoroute, sur une aire d'arrêt d'urgence. C'est illégal de faire du stop sur l'autoroute en italie. Une voiture de la police s'est arrêté en nous menacant de nous mettre une amende. On a fait semblant de pas comprendre et on leur a demandé de nous emmener jusqu'à un autogril. Ils ont finalement accepté et ils roulaient a 190km/h ! Ensuite ils ont accepté de faire une sceance photo avec nous. C'est a ce moment que Tommaso a vu notre panneau et nous a proposé de nous emmener jusqu'à rome. Il s'est révélé très sympa et nous a parlé de ses enfants qui ont notre âge. Le lendemain soir on a donc été invité a manger chez lui dans une vrai famille de romains ! Lucia, sa femme, nous a préparé plein de plats extraordinaires. Plus tard on est allé en centre ville avec ses enfants Flavia et Simone, et Alessio,  un ami de Simone. Rome by night est absolument magnifique. On a ecouté 3ou4 fois Indietro de Tiziano Ferro. Avec Flavia on a parlé danse, vie sociale, langues, voyages.. Quand aux 2garcons ils étaient scotchés aux vitrines et on a parlé mode et shopping, leur autre passion était le calcio (foot) mais j'ai évité le sujet !