The ferry from Porec, Croatia to Venice was full, so if you do ever use that route book ahead as people were getting turned away. Interestingly a lot of people do the trip as a day trip and so the ferry company also gave a history lesson and introduction to Venice during the journey, including dont sit in the famous restaurant in San Marcos Piazzo as it could cost you 100 euros for 4 coffees. A good bonus all the history and tips. Its only a 15min bike ride from the San Basilo terminal to the Tronchetta ferry terminal in Venice that takes you to the Lido, luckily, I had no idea there were 2 terminals! We saw on arrival to Venice at San Basilo the damaged river day tripper boat and the cruise ship that had lost control and crashed into it, a few days earlier.Scarey..

Our hotel in The !ido was great, the manager said our bikes would have the best garage ever, they were parked in the Salon amidst the chandeliers!!Hubby also asked for a good coffee spot and the manager said I’m meant to say our hotel but I go across the road, very funny. We ended up with a room on the 4th floor with a balcony overlooking the lagoon, heaven.I have discovered that quite a few cafes do a barley latte, Orzo, for when I get fed up trying to get a decent cup of tea.So good substitute for any of you noncoffee drinkers out there.

Lido is a great island to cycle around, the huge sea wall has a cycle path on it and there is quite a good beach area. The following day we took the water bus over to Venice for the usual tourist attractions, Hubbys camera worked overtime running hot in fact it was his first visit to Venice so very excited.

Today Friday we heading off to the southern tip of el Lido and caught the ferry to the next island along, Pellestrini. Pellestrini was meant to be a rural fishing island which allows no cars. It certainly was very picturesque but did have industry and a big fishing fleet and quite a few cars.I nearly lost my bike , parked against a lamppost it took off all by itself down towards the water. My topbox flew open but luckily passports didn’t cascade out into the sea. Hubby rescued bike and contents of topbox with plenty of mutterings about not parking against round poles.!!So not the rural landscape I was expecting still it was beautiful to cycle along. At the end of that island we caught the ferry over to the mainland Chioggia. We’d watched several primary school children being taught outside the large church in Pellestrini, they were all so colourful not having to wear a uniform and so animated and not one fat child in sight.

We had decided as our first day cycling in Italy to take it easy and take a train from Chioggia to Adria.We hunted for a railway ststion the railway lines were overgrown and a few old train carriages were parked behind the post office, which was probably the old railway station.No railway to be found. Cycling out of Chioggia was manic no regard for cyclists, road rules or anything. I had read not to cycle on the direct route to Adria tbe SS309 as trucks hurtle along it, so we meandered out of Chioggia on cycle routes then saw a signpost to Adria as a cycle route but it was 68kms away not 35kms. I checked google maps and decided we could cut across on country lanes and not do 60kms but still stay off the busy main road. We were heading into the countryside but still hadn’t had lunch. We were regretting our leisurely ride along the islands this morning and having booked accomodation in Adria.

It was getting warm when we cycled into the small village of Ca Lino and saw a few bicycles parked at a cafe and lunch being served. Even better it was a menu of the day with starters and wine.The owner apologised saying the salmon starter was finished, we thought oh well no starter and then he produced this tasty tempura coated seafood for us!I did forego the wine with the heat, as it was, after seafood pasta a huge salad and the tempura seafood I was ready for a nap, no such luck.Google maps then lead us onto some tracks by the river and yes Italy also had had copious amounts of rain in May, so some parts were underwater, mud again!!

Trying to find our accomodation proved a little tricky with so many rivers to cross and if there was a bridge you wanted to use you couldn’t get to to it as it would be high above you.The last 10kms were back on a main road, cars would be so busy overtaki ng they would be heading towards you at full speed hardly realising you were tnere so intent on overtaking.

Eventually we reached our bed and breakfast we had picked up a salad at the supermarket knowing it was in the middle of nowhere, so a chilled night in the countryside after our 64km day , so much for a gentle 30 km ride. Tomorrow we hope to reach the Po cycle route and be off the roads, phew.

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Orzo”