It's bloody hot in Milan!

And probably the best day of the trip yet! Kicked off with a trip through Monaco (yes I went through the famous tunnel and possibly around the hairpin!) and the road there was great enough, climbing up and up and along the coast...really gorgeous and a perfect morning to boot! Then I decided to take a hilly looking road to Sagnon from the coast, well suffice to say that was the best road I've been on yet. Lots of switchbacks, very hilly and just so much fun...almost ground out the footpegs a couple of times around the bends (boots brushed the road a few times!)...probably the fastest I've ever ridden going round corners but it was so much fun it was harder not to!

Ended up chatting to a couple whilst eating dinner (on my own, nice) last night - the lass made the remark that there's something about motorbikes that makes you want to go off exploring. I've been thinking about this a fair bit today. The point I made at the time is that you feel a much greater connection with the environment and the overall experience than you would in a car which is understandable. However there's more than that I think - it's the freedom of being on 2 wheels - you can breeze past a lot of traffic, a lot faster than in a car. But you just feel so much freer and I think it's this that encourages the touring "spirit" - you feel like you can go anywhere and it makes you want to go anywhere - and everywhere!

Anyway made it to Milan today - it's been so warm since I arrived in the Med yesterday. It's no warmer than we get in the UK (sometimes!) but the air itself it so warm it doesn't make a nice experience when you arrive in a city in all your biking gear not knowing where you are! As mentioned previously you end up a sweaty mess in fact! Heh.

So before I get to bed a couple of observations about Italians. They appear to be v.similar to UK drivers - i.e. they like to drive fast and they are a bit crazy/idiotic (delete as appropriate). And so far I think I prefered the French! ;-)

Favourite discovery in Milan - the fact that there exist cafes where, for the price of a drink, you can help yourself to an all-you-can-eat buffet. And we're not talking your typical crappy party buffet - this is proper, and proper nice food!

PS - this post written on a slightly less crappy PC than yesterdays - have a flat screen monitor today - the luxury!