Big Billy Trip 12 - Rome to Bologna

ROUTE - Rome to Bologna
Distance - 389km (2,436km total)

So the plan is afoot. Basically, my aim is to get out of Italy as soon as possible (not because I don't like it; just in the name of variety) and get into Switzerland and onto Germany. So today was basically just about doing miles.

The drive from Rome to Bologna was 250 miles straight up the A1 motorway. You could ask for more simple, more boring driving. The iPod kept me company obviously, and I treated myself to a stop and a break every 50 miles. Wow, what an exciting life I lead.

The campsite I chose was Citta da Bologna campsite - basically a huge municipal car park of a place, alongside the city's massive trade fair centre. Very uninteresting, and staffed by very grumpy men. So I didn't hang about there, I got the bus into Bologna for a few hours in the city.

Bologna is a mixture of really old stuff a la Rome, and bustling cosmopolitan university town. The demographic was significantly younger than anywhere else I've seen in Italy, and it was also a lot quieter. Apart from the usual old Piazzas, churches and towers, the most interesting thing was a trio of streets selling gorgeous Italian foodstuffs. It was a kinda Borough Market for Italy. I bought some tortelloni, salami, and some bread, and cooked it up when I got back to Billy later that night.

So tomorrow I think I'm going to head for Milan, and try to go beyond it if I can. It all depends on what campsites are open and what the best routes into Switzerland are. I'm going to do all that research now, as I watch Casino Royale on my DVD. Night!