AUG 17th

My few gentle words with the hotel about the noisy kids certainly had an effect. I think they must have been told that they should not go running around the corridors shouting and screaming at one o,clock in the morning so they played football outside instead - right outside the window of my new room in the annexe. It was a particularly noisy game of football because it involved the fountain and most of the action took place in the water. Should I leave the window open and listen to Dante's Inferno or close it and cook and suffocate? Dante's Inferno is the only answer. The fact is I slept well and woke up ready for the penultimate lap. Silvana was on duty this morning and she is the angel at reception and I love the way she calls me Mr Mike. All packed and ready to go and the sat nav has been told to take me to Diana's house. I hadn't gone far when I came to a railway crossing and I get excited about things like that and here is a picture of the train crossing the road. Within a few minutes I was on a main dual carriagway which took me all the way to Diana's house. For once the journey really did take as long as the sat nav said it would and not the two hours longer that I usually take. It only took three hours. I told Diana that I would arrive at 5pm and I turned up at 4.30pm and she was out doing the shopping for our supper. Pasta, aubergines, mozzarella, rughetta. I have landed in a small corner of heaven and tomorrow I will do the last lap and go to the centre of Rome. Diana is coming to take charge of the photography and the sat nav has been 'stood down' for the day. Fortunately Diana doesn't play football in the garden and she doesn't have a fountain. And it is hot - oh lordy! - it's hot. Im lying on top of the bed clothed only in a gentle warm breeze. Good night.