Italy - and on to Matera

We arrived in Rome yesterday after lunch hoping to pick up our cars and reach Matera before night fall..

Unfortunately we did not anticipate a few hold-ups.  Walking 500 miles to pick up our bags then another 500 hundred miles to reach the rental car building.

All ok until we reached the Avis counter.  Hmmm a lot of people and not many people on the service desk…

We had to pick a number and wait.  112 was up on the board and we had 125.  Ok… but wait the people with number 101 were still at the counter trying to get their car…. In true Italian style, we were provided with entertainment while we waited - some people waiting for a car had a small dog who decided to do 'its business' on the floor. We were somewhat stunned when they completely ignored the result until someone complained to them. That resulted in the husband and wife having an argument about who was to clean it up - brilliant on a whole lot of levels!

Unfortunately they also had a computer glitch… Anyway, 2 hours later and into the Italian traffic.  Madness!! but eventually we cleared the city and finally arrived in Matera after dark.

Saturday night in Matera- more madness! People and cars everywhere and the GPS tried to take us down a road that didn’t exist anymore.  Luckily Christina saw a Tourist info centre (open at 9.30pm!).

Upon their recommendation we abandoned the cars and used the GPS to navigate ourselves by foot.

Things worked out eventually and we ended up out for dinner at a restaurant at 11,30pm - which seemed quite early by Matera standards - the place was packed and we had to wait at the door for a table.

We ended up at the ‘royal table’ which was a great laugh and a great meal.

Matera looked amazing in the night light and we are looking forward to exploring tomorrow.

Eating pizza at the 'royal table' above the other diners..

Outside our accommodation in the old town.