We checked out and finished breakfast by 10.30. Another beautiful day with a high of 34C. 

I successfully negotiated the motorway back to Livorno with Jen’s navigational assistance.

We got to the ferry terminal in plenty of time but there was nowhere apparent to park the car. The ferry queue man told us to park on the side of this traffic island thing and we trooped across the road and upstairs to the Hertz counter which was closed. The sign told us to photograph the odometer and leave the key on the counter. Jen did that and saw the Hertz man, who was happy with where we’d deposited the car. 

There were several places to show our passports and tickets and a walk across the docks in baking sun to board the ferry, which is enormous. None of us has thought through about suntan lotion and Mike had no hat so it was an uncomfortable journey across all the queues of cars and trucks to board. 

We got a message from Mark. He’s been reunited with his luggage at Pisa airport. Thankfully, as he has 4 more weeks in Europe including a holiday in Albania for his birthday. 

The ferry journey is 41/2 hours and was very smooth. Flat calm in fact. No security or passport control at the Corsica end. It was just like disembarking from the Cook Strait ferry. 

Getting the rental cars was probably more drama than necessary. We did not have the Hertz booking number available as it was saved to my computer and I couldn’t remember the company we got the insurance from so we couldn’t check what it covered.

In the end we paid for no excess and roadside assistance, just the same as we would in NZ and it cost about the same. It took Hamish and Sarah about the same time also so it wasn’t just us. We have a white electric Citroen automatic which is easy to drive. 

We joined Hamish, Sarah and  Finn for pizza before setting off. Craig, JenY and Pauline have got a car from another airport as that is the one that Craig and JenY will leave from, so it was cheaper. That airport is only just outside of Bastia which is where the ferry terminal is. 

The trip to Calvi, which is near where we are staying ( it’s the local big town) was over the hills/mountains along a very windy road. By this stage it was dark and increasingly tricky to drive. My stress levels were raised considerably when we encountered a car coming up the hill on our side of the road as we went down. There was a little bit of room off to the side that I drove towards but it it was uncomfortably close when the oncoming driver realised it was on the wrong side of the road. I was very glad to reach the seaside village where we are staying at a stunning AirBnB with 5 bedrooms, 3 ensuites, a fabulous pool, spa pool and outside area.

It does have some odd design features though. Like the clear glass windows that look directly out over the pool area. Or the clear glass windows that behind the tv in the master bedroom (which has been designated the honeymoon suite and is huge with a large deck looking over the pool). At least those windows have curtains. Not so the door to the master bedroom which is essentially yellow glass and very see through. Fortunately JenY has some sarongs! Weird.

Overall this is bliss.