A relatively uneventful day today in terms of cycling. In the morning I got up around 8:30, partook of a huge buffet breakfast, said goodbye to Francesca and walked the streets of Venice for the last time. I stopped for 20 mins in a post office to send off my postcard, then continued on to my bike storage. It cost me 20 euros. Not too bad. My bike had, however, for the third time in my travels developed a puncture and a flat tire while it had been unused in storage [It was the first flat of this cycle however]. I took off the wheel, removed the tire and put in a new inner tube, without checking the inside of the tyre. I worry this was a mistake. I have a feeling it will go flat again. Tomorrow will tell.
Fixing that, soaking my shirt in camelback water, and repacking my stuff, I only got out of Venice close to 12. The cycling, as I have said, was not up to much. This area of Italy is very flat and very built up. I was winding through towns all day. I stopped to get a coke and cake, then some snacks from Lidl, but that was about it. Towards the end of the day I joined Eurovelo 8 for the first time, which was nice, but the quality of it doesn’t inspire me with confidence. Road and pavement riding predominated, overseen by a constant light drizzle all day. I got to the campsite I had selected on the coast by 8.
This may have been a mistake. It’s a kind of resort. I think it will cost me almost 40 euros tomorrow. They’ve taken my passport as insurance. That’s not fun. I did however, after setting up my tent, take a dip in the Adriatic. It’s warm and salty. I felt I had achieved something, although the beach too was built up and strewn with chairs. I could probs have slept on it under the stars for free come to think of it. Maybe I’ll do that from now on.
After the beach I took a lovely warm shower [and lost my soap again] and got a carbonara and beer from the camp restaurant. I feel I’m living in luxury. It’s a shame I have to pay for it.
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After that I went back down to the beach and lay on one of the loungers in the dark. A couple of youths passed by and went to the lifeguard station. Wind blew an inflatable towards the sea but I saved it. It got very windy. I went to bed.
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