Cargill Travel Blog

Got up at 7am, as we approached La Spezia in Italy. Sat on balcony while Lisa slept some more, it is so peaceful. Italy is stunning. Little islands, mountains, boats, forts, forests, hillside communities; so much eye candy. Someone on an adjacent balcony farts. American voices having a discussion about what religion someone is.  Sounds of breakfast spoons on china bowl. We’re into port at 8am and Lisa joins me.

We chat about what is possible today and what is not. We think La Spezia town is possible, so we get ready.

Lisa emerges from the shower in good form. Suddenly Pisa looks possible again. We pack a bag and head for breakfast in the Wind Jammer. Lisa is still moving slow. She necks paracetamol at breakfast. I neck a fried egg muffin.

We head for the gangway. A nice American lady tells us it’s not like other ports; you get a coach to the terminal and there’s no restroom. Our plan is to get a cab to La Spezia Centrale Station, and train it from there. I’m apprehensive but sure we can figure it out. As we enter the terminal there are some coach companies offering tours. A petite leather-skinned and leather trousered lady with long black hair tells us that there is a tour going direct to Pisa in 5 minutes, €40pp. Get in! She tells us to queue on other side to pay, which we do. She rushes off with a paddle sign to lead a large group off to the coach. There is a group of 3 in front of us and they are dicking around asking all sorts of bullshit questions, wondering if they can go to Florence etc. “Can we pay by card?” No was the answer. This takes more than the 5 minutes and we are getting agitated. Just get out of the way assholes. I am waving cash, you inefficient dipshits. They go, we pay (quickly), leather lady reappears and takes us to coach. “Grazie mille!” I say over the engine noise. “Prego” she says rushing off in another direction. I am happy with my first successful bit of Italian exchange. I can thank The Trip to Italy for that.

The coach is warm, we sit near the front. The air vent grilles are too loose to retain a direction, and swivel back to a useless position. A kid kicks off. We’re just happy to be on the coach. Some bint in front of me fully reclines her seat, and it really does recline, her stupid noggin is virtually on my lap. I fake cough, sniff loudly, rustle the map on her bonce a lot but to no avail. I listen to a scouser behind talk about light fittings. Guide Gianni (looks a bit like Gianluca Vialli) gives facts about Carrara Marble and Michaelangelo. I write some of this blog.

Gianni gives us his mobile number just in case. We’ll have 2.5 hours in Pisa. We will park at a coach park and walk for about 7 mins as a group. All very clear in his instruction. We feel looked-after and in no way stressed about missing the boat, these guys are organised. We’ve landed on our feet (pardon the pun).

We arrive and it is very hot and we head off, Gianni with his paddle sign held aloft. I guess there’s about 40-50 of us. He says he’ll go slow, but before long we’re at the back, Lisa struggling with the pace. We catch up at a level crossing and Gianni acknowledges our struggle and says it’s not far now. Lisa is a trooper and powers through the pain.

We arrive at the city gate which is to be our meeting point in 2.5 hours. We fend off tat sellers and head straight to the tower area. Lots of people doing that propping up pose, we do the same, badly. No way we’re going up the tower, just see it close up and marvel at how messed up it really is.

Need a slash, this costs €1pp. We then wander looking for a cafe to sit and chill with a drink. This takes a while and I talk Lisa out of opting for McDonald’s. At the café we decide to eat as well, sharing a margherita pizza which is ace. Lunch is a mere €25. We then shop, we both get hats. I managed to knock €3 off Lisa’s, job done. We go back to the tower area for last half hour, taking goofy pics in new hats.

We then meet Gianni and leather lady is there too. While we wait and african tat seller wants to sell me a crocodile belt. I say no thanks – I like crocodiles, and he asks where we’re from, and he says he’s from Kenya. I say “Mombassa?” and he says yes. Was a lucky guess. He then says something I didn’t understand. Then he calls Lisa the boss and offers a free gift of a “lucky” bracelet. He insists it is free, seems a little put out in is not accepting. I say that’s nice and we’ll give him a euro for his kind gift (Lisa quite rightly cautious about digging out money in front of him, but I’m ok with it, he appears ok). We dig out a €2 coin and he hands is another bracelet. We part ways, nothing bad happens. Maybe the bracelets are working.

We follow leather lady (apparently called Jennifer) back to coach park and she is fast so we’re quickly near the back again. Lisa does even better, and we’re back at the coach park in no time. It’s hot, and sticky, and the lunchtime beer has made me tired. I do the nodding head thing on the coach back. Lisa sleeps most of the way. We’re dropped at the terminal, and then onto the “cruise coach” to get from there to ship. Up the gangway, then security, and in. Time is about 16:30.

We decide to cancel dinner in main dining so we can spend time in pool and go to the American diner later. We swim, chill, and I don’t move any sunbeds. We explore the ship a bit, call family and then change for dinner, casual tonight.

The diner is great and the burgers & onion rings so good. Lisa has a milkshake. We share a sundae.

We hear some bad singing and it’s the sweaties watching SCO v UKR which is on all of the screens in the Playmaker bar. There’s about 50 screens. Seems overkill.

We wander, Lisa plays basketball (again). The street is very quiet so we investigate what show is on. It’s a tap dance show, and there’s room for us so we join. It’s pretty lame until a contortionist does some freaky shit with his arms and neck. An acrobat does difficult looking handstands. A family sits in front of us and start filming on phones. We get bored and leave early.

Then a brief walk along the jogging track, and bed. The day has surpassed our expectations, and we’re feeling blessed. Lisa’s foot a lot better, not 100% but we can take on Rome tomorrow without fear.