We spent he day today travelling from Lake Iseo in Italy for a s long as DB could go towards Barcelona. The day started out overcast but quickly changed to rain of different intensities throughout the day . Please see a little description of the day in the life of an Italian driver. They travel through many tunnels but whilst in the tunnel they consistently overtake a line of 6 or more cars at once over double unbroken lines. Not many options when the truck comes the other way. But they keep on doing it. Someone always lets them in. They like DB as there is always a gap to move in to in front of him. But he drives them insane in 30km zones and they keep surging back and forwards in annoyance trying to push him faster. As you can imagine, this doesn’t work. They only know 2 speeds, fast and stop.  They sit 2 feet from your bumper waiting for smallest gap to overtake. Besides that they are very good drivers, just fast.

DB said “I have had fun driving, it has been a big maze to work around.” Then a little later “We are going to pay for these tunnels. I am sure they press another button when you are from another country. Toll X 2 times”

Next moment our GPS said “Cont. along the A180 for 245km”, seems amazing to continue along the same road for so far.

DB again “Where do we want to go. Vegemite.” It was really Vermiglia. Hehehe!

Yay. The ocean after 5 weeks inland.

Must have gone through a hundred tunnels. Tunnel. Blinker. Bridge windscreen wipers on. Trucks trucks. Tunnel. Wipers off. And again. Tunnel. wipers off. Blinker. Bridge windscreen wipers on Trucks trucks. Tunnel. Wipers on. And again. Tunnel. Blinker. Bridge windscreen wipers on Trucks trucks. Tunnel. Wipers off. No time to fall asleep which is good.

Tolls were amazing it felt like we stopped very frequently throughout the day., 9 tolls throughout the day.

We started at 1066km to Barcelona and paid the following tolls in Italy
14.50 euro at 993km
28.30 euro at 698km
Total 42,80 euro in Italy.

We are in France now
2,40 euro at 676km
1,50 euro at 657km
3,00 euro at 639km
14,40 euro at 497km
4,40 euro at 435km
5,60 euro at 368km
4,60 euro at 293km.
Total 35,90 euro in France

Db’s description of approaching the toll gates. “Time to scramble for a slot. Grab a ticket and scramble for your lane. And don’t get behind a tourist“ says the experienced DB. “We have paid 7 tolls so far today.” Some of the toll gates were 15 or more slots wide. Once you had been through a couple it was pretty easy. They took credit card so mine got a lot of use today.

We arrived at Agde, France for the night after travelling about 809km today. DB was amazing I read my book a bit as he was concentrating so much it was difficult to talk at times.

It was very wet in Agde and the thought of going out for dinner was not inviting. Oh well. Had to eat. It looked like there were some restaurants open along the river, but how to get there, the roads were dark, very wet, very very narrow and went round in all different directions. One way and very, very difficult driving conditions. We decided on a restaurant and couldn’t get down to the riverfront street. It was blocked with a gate. Oh well, just have to find a parking space. Done. Now about a 400m walk, the weather was kind to us on the way there, just drizzling rain. The river had almost burst it’s bank at one spot. At the restaurant, minuscule amounts of English, but they had an English menu. Thank goodness as we hadn’t downloaded google translate for France. I had an interesting, but quite nice meal, even though I wasn’t always sure what I was eating. DB did as well. Whilst at dinner the heavens opened up, the downpour was torrential with lightning and thunder. How to get back to the car, remembering it was only 400m. Lovely distance on a warm, moonlit, dry night. Tonight it was heads down and move quickly. All part of the adventure. Nighty night.