Murphy's law ................

And once again the Law of Murphy tried to prove his/its point.

Just finished doing the inventory by a temperature of 30 or more and than I got a nice arrival: Leonie and Laurens, who stayed on Pini last season, to pass by for a few days before heading home. I still hear Leonie asking me (last season), Rita, when is the sun going to shine? When are the temperatures nice? When will the clouds be gone?

Around 14,oo they arrived at the campsite for a short reunion, coming from Lake Garda, and as Murphy's law could predict: after finishing the job of the inventory AND the time Leonie and Laurens arrived, the clouds came over the campsite carrying rain and thunder and lightning!!!!!

A quick round jogging around the terraces to put everybodies laundry and things inside the tents, just finished before the rain really got in the mood of pooring down. It was a short shower, but for sure all the dust is gone with it!

Spend a real nice evening (inside the tent) with Leonie and Laurens, catching up and joking about the sudden change of weather: Leonie already stated: must be me, taking the clouds and the rain with me to this place. But, tomorrow the sun will shine again, all the hard jobs done, just playing with Leonie that again bad weather is following her: there will be sunshine again and every one will say: pfffff, hot day today ( I hope).

Tomorrow a day with no arrivals, so the plan is to go to Loano with Jolanda, do some window shopping, city-seeing and a little bit of beach, topping up my in credit for the internet. Have to be back at the campsite around 17.00 for some check-outs for early in the morning (5 or 6 o'clock) next day, dinner, bye bye to some guests and then an early sleep, for I have two busy days coming before Stef will be here to assist me.

Love you, miss you all, please let me know how you are doing, hope to see you some time some where

Baci baci (kisses, hug), Buonne Notte

Rita xxxxxxxxxxx

And another week gone...........

The days are coming and going so quick.

First it was strange to wake up at Pini and no kids passing with their smiles and 'Good Morning Rita'. All the German families gone, except one and they also felt a bit 'lost' with all the new faces around.

Now Pini is international: Polish families, Dutch, French and 2 Danish families.

Yesterday again I had the chance to leave the campsite for a while. I drove to San Bartolomeo al Mare and there I found a boulevard from where you could see the sea (no bath-houses blocking the view) and a beach where you could walk, lie down for free. Very small pebblestones. Beautiful and peaceful.

A swim in the sea, a bit of sunbathing, but somehow I was too restless to stay long.

On the way back a little sad cloud came over me: I am fed up being single I was thinking. The only medicin I could think of was...... shopping and so I did. A pair of new shoes for only 10 Euro and a bikini for only 15 Euro. That made me feel a better and I was back blessing my being single: no one to ask if I was allowed to buy those things and most of the time I bless my freedom.

Anyway, not that I am alone.......... so many nice people around me on the campsite.

When I came back Mirjam and Marcel invited me to come and sit with them. In a short while the French neighbours joined the company and we had a funny conversation in Dutch, French and Spanish.

Around 21.00 I started to make something to eat, but then Camello - the security man - came to collect me: an arrival. It was the family that was supposed to arrive 3 days before!

So, I ended up having some food around 22.15, read a bit and time for sleep.

Another beautiful day passed by.

The temperatures are going up and up. In the morning already around 25, going up to 32-35 and the weather forecast for this week is hot, hotter, hottest.

I am not looking forward to it, but today I have to spend some time in the reception tent to make an inventory. I will be melting in that hot tent, but as said the weather forecast is only that the temperatures are rising, so better get it over with.

Baci Baci, Rita

Pini Party

Last night we had a Party at Pini, a disco for the children.

In the afternoon already my Reception tent was occupied by the children, one of the fathers taught them a cardgame and they have been playing the game all afternoon.

Then in the evening the father of Sara and Sina came with a portable cd-player, I turned on the light of the party tent and in a while all the kids were dancing and showing their skills.

Limbo-dancing at first, later the girls showing their dances (which they have been practizing the evening before, the boys doing a break dance show.

We also got a bit of acrobatics of them.

All had great fun and around 22.30 the show was over, all the kids fast a sleep after so much fun and jumping.

European Championsleague Germany

Wow, it's been a busy week!!!

Well, I can say I have done my fitness: in 3 days 28 arrivals, which means going up and down the road in front of the cars to show the guests where their tents are. Then cross-country down over the terraces to pick up the next guest and up the road again.

By the end the weekend was done, my knees were done.

On Wednesday evening my one knee was swollen, red and warm and I could hardly walk.

That was a pity, because the children on Pini organized a badminton champions league and they wanted me to join the competition. No way, as said, I could even hardly walk!

Then Jakob, one of the boys who was a great moderator and organizer came to get me: I was announced the Luck-Fairy, I had to draw the tickets with the names to decide who was playing against who.

It was fun to watch them. There was an European league (for the little ones) and the Champions league.

The supporters cheering on the mothers, fighting for the Title.

Jannis, getting a massage and a peptalk from his trainer Jakob,

and see him move!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jakob, the number ONE of the Championsleague!!!!!

One of the guests set me down on a chair and gave me an ice wrap for my knee. With some Ipobrufen I was knock out for the night.

Next day I have been doing it easy to give my knees a rest.

One more busy weekend ahead, again with sporting and climbing up and down the road with a big change-over of guests. After that a few change-overs, 2 or 3 a day and by the time the next big change-over is there, Stef will be here to support me. From then on I can take it easy, welcoming the guests, while Stef will be cycling up and down on his mountain bike to show the guests their accomodation.

Yesterday I had the chance to take a day off. No arrivals, no departures.

I went with Jolanda, she was also guest here last season, to San Remo.

As stupid as I can be, I did not use my rare day off to sit down with my legs on a chair: no instead we went with the train to San Remo.

Map of Pigna, which we followed as good tourists from bottom to top.

Arriving there we climbed all the way up through Pigna, to the castle and the 17th century sanctuary of the Madonna della Costa with its polychrome church-square.

The ancient heart of San Remo, is nested in Pigna, the medieval quarter which clings to the hillside. It was built in concentric rings made of ancient houses, alleys, covered passageways, silent little squares, flights of steps and arches.

The via Palma leads you to the seventeenth century church of San Giuseppe and to the most sacred building of Sanremo: the pro-cathedral of San Siro.

Half the way down my knees started to complaint again, so slowly we moved on with a few rests in between.

The most famous building is the Casino, built in 1905. It was Italy's first casino, built in Liberty style, it was based on a design by the French architect Eugene Ferret.

A bit further on there is the Russian Orthodox church of Cristo Redentore and Santa Caterina, with its dome, golden crosses and polychrome majolica spires.San Remo's international success began in 1874 when the czarina Maria Aleksandrovna decided to spend the winter here.

After a refreshing drink at the Port we made our way back to the station for the train back to Albenga. One tip when you travel by train in Italy. Never, ever, try to get off the train by walking in the opposite direction as the other passengers to end up at a door that will NOT open while you are at a stop, so you have to run as fast as you can through the compartments to the door that was opened by the other passengers and you can jump of the train just in time, while the trainman is already blowing the whistle. We almost ended up in Loano as next stop, while the car was waiting for us in Albenga!

Back at the campsite we had a small bite to eat at the terrace of the bar near the swimmingpool, where Rob and Marian joined us for a glass of wine and then I was absolutely ready for my bed, after a nice day in the real world without any blue and green 'houses' surrounding me

The lemoncello test

John and Maud had a great idea: some of the guests at Pini had bought a bottle of lemoncello (an Italian Lemonliqeur), but all of a different brand. So, John invited them to sit down in the evening and to try which one was the best one.

Of course after a few bottles, no one knew anymore which one really was the best, but they all had a good time.

We already planned a BBQ for the next day, but now they all got the know each other a bit better.

The BBQ was again a cozy evening. Jos and John took care of the grill for most of the time, while we all enjoyed the food, the wine and the good company.

As said before, a great start of this season.............................

The first guests leaving..........

We all had a real good time. Sharing a coffee in the morning, chats in between. Jos and Gazynka were my last guests last season and my first guests this season. We had some lovely time together. After 2 days Paul and Merel arrived and also with them always a chat.

Last night it was the last night of Paul and Merel and they invited me to their BBQ. Also Paul's parents were there, they stay on a campsite nearby with their own caravan. A nice evening.

Every evening around 18.00/19,00 we all gather together at the receptiontent for the owl-watch. Since about 2 weeks we hear a sharp noise, sounding like a baby bird that's hungry. And then we spotted where the noise came from: a big owl with two or three little ones. You can't imagine how wonderful it is to see them sitting in the trees. I see it as special that this family is joining us at Pini (the field were my 13 tents are situated). Okay, it would be nice if the babies would be fed a bit more, because now they squeek all night and keep some of us awake, but still... it;s great to watch them. We call them the Vacansolowls (Vacansoleil).

So far we did not succeed in catching them with our cameras, so we can't share the sight of this family with you.

By now Pini is fully occupied and despite of the rain and thunderstorms we still are all in a happy mood. It's real cozy, everyone chatting with each other, still every one doing his own thing. When the weather is nice on Thursday we will have a BBQ with all the guests - also the ones that are in the tents on the terraces) together.

For me this was a great start of the season. It is so different than later in the season, more people than but also more distances in the contacts.

I have been out for dinner in Albenga with some guests, Piet and Lia. Also their company will be missed.

Slowly my tents will be occupied. Sunday (12-06) it will be 'full house'. As you can imagine to takes up a lot of time giving information, socializing, in the meantime final clean for arrivals, but I love it. I love people and it feels just good to be able to make sure that every one is having a good time with just a little extra. They all thank me for caring, but I thank them all for the sharing - watching the owls and the fireflies, the little talks during the day, the coffees, the joys. A busy season ahead but that includes the many joys, laughters and cozyness.

A lot of people coming and going, but all of them will leave a footprint in my heart, each in their own way.

Here I am again, one month later - I know - but.... with 10 fingers and work done!

Sorry that it has been such a long time, since I wrote something. No special reason for it.

Just been busy constructing/building up the tents, which was a hard physical job, but I loved it! During the construction/building I gave myself a lot of stars, for special tasks accomplished. Fixing kitchenunits, fighting with metal that will not bend and using all my creativity in some tents, to get them levelled (later I will post a picture of my 'favorite' tent, nr. 25, where I had to use really all my imagination to get it done).

Before! Where to start?

Hanging the ceiling.

Yes, it IS LEVEL!!!

Ready for arrival. (It IS Level, only the window makes it look like not straight

Thursday my first guest will arrive and by that time I am afraid I will fall in their arms and talk them deaf. After all, I have been almost two months in solitary. Enough meditation, talking to the ceiling of my tent, thoughts running through my head, no one to talk to.

I know, I know, soon I will wish for a moment of peace and quiet, but now I am really looking forward to the season to start.

The temperatures here are crazy: every day around 26 up to 30-35 degrees.

Today I went into the village to buy some plants for the reception (see picture) and on my way back at 18.00 the temperature outside was still reading 37 degrees! So happy that the constructionjob was done, before this heat came along.

(Marion and Janneke, are you coming to take care of the plants again???). I will try to do my best to keep them growing and flowering and yes.... now they are all HANGING baskets

As said, not much to report about: fixing tents, making the planning (which guest in which tent, too many requests to consider), reading books (I hope the guests will bring some) and trying to deal with the temperatures. It is even too hot the last week to spend some time at the swimming pool.

Yesterday I had an Italian hairdresser-experience. Not sure if I am so happy with the hairdo they gave me: I look like a leopard, with 3 kinds of colour in my hair and not like stripes but more like blocks........ Also they cut it very short. For sure this expensive experience does not need to be repeated soon, because it will take for sure 6 weeks before I need another haircut or even before it starts to look like something good again. Sorry, no pictures of that on the site, although the girl who 'fixed' my hair was so proud that she made pictures

The week Ineke and Astrid were here passed by too quick. In the mornings they helped me with the tents (as a joke at arrival I layed down some uniforms on their beds) and in the afternoon we went to the swimmingpool to get a fair suntan. (which now is fading a bit, because it is too hot for me to sit or lay down in the sun). Ineke and I had a bad bad day (or night) spending by turn on the toilet. It was my idea, when we were one afternoon in Loano, that we should have an Italian icecream. Stupid!!!!! Around 23.00 Ineke started to go up and down to the toilet, at 3 at night it was my turn. Lucky that her digestion was quicker then mine, otherwise we sure would have had a problem, with only one toilet on board. The next morning it took me till until 14.00 to get back a life a little bit, but I was fit enough to take them to the market in Albenga. I was only not fit enough to fit on some shoes, I almost fainted bending down...............

On the evening of my birthday we tried to find a restaurant. Or they were closed or they were full. Finally we ended up in a Pizzeria on the way to Albenga where we had a nice meal.

After this week of nice company I moved to my tent, where my solitude started. In the evenings it was still chilly, during the day it was nice to be close to the tents where I did my work.

Who needs a rich old man? I don't: I have my villa situated on a beautiful area with pinetrees and eucalyptus around me, open kitchen area, walk-in wardrobe, office-area and a nice terrace in front. Private swimmingpool and jacuzzi.

dining area with open kitchen (with even 'running' water that I've fixed. On the right side is my bedroom.

My office, as you can see a bit in Nepali style.

Well, that private was until a week ago. Every afternoon after the job I went to the swimmingpool to have hydromassage in the jacuzzi. One day, believe it or not, it happened: 26 sunloungers are around the jacuzzi. I placed my towel on one. 4 People arrived and yes..... of course they had to lay down on the sunloungers right next to mine!!! Can't believe it. Why is it that they always have to sit on top of you? Don't think it was my gorgeous body they wanted to be close to......

Anyway, I got out of the jacuzzi, grabbed my towel and went back to my guaranteed private terrace at my 'villa'.

Tomorrow I am thinking of spending one last day at the swimmingpool, (if it is not too hot) and after that I will have to go to the beach if I want some time off.

Nothing else to tell at the moment. I am ready for the season, looking forward to it, counting the days that Stef will arrive. Hope you are all healthy and happy,

Ciao for now, Rita

Here is your reporter from Villagio Turistico C'era una Volta (Rita)

(voor Nederlandse tekst scroll naar beneden)

And here I am again, your reporter from campsite C'era una Volta (means: Once upon a time), with my adventures, my stupidities and happenings in this fairytale in Italy.

The first of April I left Holland. I drove with my yellow car (yes it is still running) to Frankfurt (Neu Isenburg). There I loaded my car on the train and at 19.00 the journey started.

I shared a compartment with 2 ladies and they ordered me to sleep up in the bunkbed. Good thing I didn't need a toilet during the night, because the two spinsters took away the ladder!

8:00 in the morning we arrived at Allassandria - Italy. A great way to travel: sleeping while you get there and for only 140 Euro. Driving all the way would cost much more: petrol - toll - vignet - hotel. Hopefully at the end of the season DAB will have the same special offer again.

From Allassandria I drove to Desenzano at Lake Garda.

Because my tents at Villanova were not set up yet, I worked one week on a campsite cleaning tents, unpacking and installing everything. Good excercise to get in shape agaibn. Especially with this beautiful weather with temperatures around 28-29 degrees!!

(looks very much like Fishtail, Lakeside Pokhara, but it is at Lake Garda)

The second week I helped Lex & Lilian at the campsite San Francesco where I had a mobilehome. They are taking care of 48 mobilhomes and I helped them by cleaning the bathrooms, toilets and windows (only because I knew I don't need to clean toilets anymore with my tents

Saturday I got on my way to Albenga- Villanova d'Albenga.

After a 4 1/2 hour drive I was 'home' again. A warm welcome at the reception and a mobilhome was already made ready for me. That is where I will be staying until maybe the end of the first week in May; then I will move to my Villa (tent).

Today (tuesday) the montage team left and it was time for me to start assembling, cleaning, unpacking, setting up my 33 tents.

What's this picture, you might think.

Well, my dear friends, that's the first damage (and I hope the last) at my hands.

Yes, I know, I am very proud of myself. I started to work at the first tent (nr. 13!!!), (is that a good excuse for this injury?) without mio gucciono (my nephew) Stef. That means that I need to level the fridge, built up the cabinets and level them by myself, a job Stef did last year. Now I understand the swearing he did. He might have learned a few new expressions while standing next to me today

With trying to cut the tyerip of the electricity-unit with a Stanley-knife (I was maybe only just 10 minutes at work) I already cut my finger!!!! Is this why those workinggloves are in the toolbox?

The first cut is the deepest, the song says. Well, baby, I know!!! No plasters at side of course - they are still in the mobilehome, very clever girl! - so with one hand I tried top put a bandage. For a moment it looked it needed stitches, but finally it stopped bleeding, so it will be fine.

How about making a good start, hu?

The lesson I learned today is don't use a Stanley knife if you want to keep your fingers, just use a scissor. I think I will blame it on the fact that this was my first tent, then it was tent nr. 13 and the Stanley-knife was not sharp enough for the plastic (although it was for my finger, haha). Better don't try this tric again, cause I don't have 33 fingers!!!

After this stupidity I have been wrestling with the cabinets to get them levelled - anyway I think they are level now: the doors don't open by themselves and if I open the doors the glasses and plates are not moving.

Without any more injuries (for today at least) tent nr. 13 is ready for the first guest!

On to the next one, only 32 more to go.

This was my report for today. I will keep you posted about my adventures, stupidities and happenings here at C'era una Volta, a fairy tale with dragons (Stanley-knives), princes (the first one still to arrive), but most of all : a fairy tale with a happy ending end of September.

Bye for now. Love from Rita, with 9 1/2 fingers and a box with 30 pieces of plasters in her pocket.

Hallo Allemaal,

Hier ben ik weer, jullie reporter vanuit Villagio Turistico C'era una Volta in Villanova d'Albenga, Italie.

Op 1 April stapte ik mijn in gele autootje (ja, het rijdt het nog steeds) op weg naar Frankfurt - Neu Isenburg. Daar zette ik mijn auto op de autoslaaptrein en om 19:00 begon de reis naar Allesandria - Italie. Ik deelde het compartiment met 2 Duitse dames die mij meteen meedeelden dat ik in het bovenste bed moest slapen! Gelukkig hoefde ik niet naar het toilet 's nachts, want die tutten hadden het trapje weggehaald!

Om 8:00 's morgens kwamen we aan in Alesandria- Italie. Een prima manier van reizen: al slapende ben je zo in Italie en dat voor 140 Euro! Zelf rijden had veel meer gekost qua benzine, tol, autobaanvignet en een overnachting. Ik hoop dat op het eind van het seizoen DAB weer zo'n mooie aanbieding heeft.

Van Alesandria reed ik naar Desenzano aan het Gardameer.

Mijn tenten op Villanova waren nog niet gezet, dus werkte ik 1 week op camping Tiglio, waar ik 40 tenten schoon moest maken en in moest richten. Prima, om weer in vorm te komen. Vooral met die temperaturen: 28-29 graden! Pfoe.

De 2e week heb ik Lex en Lilian geholpen op camping San Francesco, waar mijn caravan stond. Zij hebben het beheer over 48 caravans en ik heb ze geholpen door de badkamers en toiletten en ramen schoon te maken. Wetende dat ik het hele seizoen geen wc's meer hoef te doen met mijn tenten (haha).

Zaterdag ging ik op weg naar Villanova. Na een rit van 4 1/2 uur kwam ik weer 'thuis'. Een warm welkom op de receptie en een caravan stond al klaar voor me. Ik zal wrschlk tot het eind van de eerste week van mei in deze caravan verblijven, totdat ik verhuis naar mijn Villa (tent).

Vanochtend is het montageteam vertrokken en was het tijd om te beginnen met het opbouwen, schoonmaken en inrichten van mijn 33 tenten.

Wat die foto is denk je misschien?

Wel, lieve mensen, dat is de 1e verwonding (en hopelijk de laatste) aan mijn handen.

Ja, ja, ik weet het, ik ben ook heel trots op mezelf. Ik begon aan de eerste tent (nr. 13 notabene!) (is dat een goed excuus) zonder mio gucciono (mijn neef) Stef. Dit betekent: waterpas zetten van de koelkast, kastjes opbouwen en waterpas zetten, een klus die Stef vorig seizoen heeft gedaan. Nu begreep ik al zijn vloeken, hij had een hoop nieuwe 'uitdrukkingen' kunnen leren als hij vandaag naast mij had gestaan.

Bij het lossnijden van de tyerip van de electra-unit met een Stanleymes (ja, ik was al zeker 10 minuten aan het werk) snij ik toch in mijn vinger! The first cut is the deepest, dat liedje ging door mij heen, en ik zong (nou ja): baby I know!!! Eerst dacht ik dat ik het zou moeten laten hechten, maar het viel achteraf gelukkig mee. Maar ja, de pleisters lagen dus in de caravan (duuuuuh). Dus met 1 hand geprobeerd het bloeden te stelpen met een gaasje en meters tape er om heen. Voor zover: een goed begin is het halve werk (haha). De les die ik vandaag geleerd heb: gebruik gewoon een schaar i.p.v. een bot Stanley-mes, hoewel scherp genoeg voor mijn vingers.

Kan ik het gooien op het feit dat dit mijn 1e tent was en dan ook nog tent nr. 13? Beter dat ik deze truc niet nog eens uithaal, want ik heb helaas geen 33 vingers!

Na deze stommiteit heb ik heerlijk geworsteld met de kastjes om het tussenschot ertussen te krijgen en ze waterpas te stellen. De deurtjes vallen niet open, het servies komt er niet uit als je de deurtjes opendoet, ik denk dat ze mooi waterpas staan (eindelijk).

Zonder verdere verwondingen (vandaag) is tent nr. 13 klaar voor ontvangst van de eerste gasten. Op naar de volgende, nog maar 32 te gaan.

Wel, lieve mensen, dit was mijn rapportage vandaag. Ik zal jullie op de hoogte houden van mijn avonturen, stommiteiten en alles wat hier gebeurd op C;era una Volta; een sprookje, compleet met draken (Stanley-messen), prinsen (hoewel, de eerste moet nog op komen dagen), maar vooral een sprookje met een happy end eind September.

Groetjes voor nu, Rita met 9 1/2 vinger en een doos met 30 stuks pleisters in de broekzak.