Hi all,

Sorry that i haven?t been able to wrote the last 3 days, but i have had no internet access at my accommodation and so haven?t been able to get online (or more to the point, the accommodation wouldn?t give me the password to allow me to get online). So therefore i am having to post from Milan now about Florence
Florence really is quite a bizarre city, because everything is crammed into such a small space. Therefore literally all the sights are 10 minutes walk from anywhere in the city, and there is really no ?main street? as such. Therefore, it gives quite a different atmosphere to any city i have been in so far (almost comparable to a little town, the land space would be much smaller than Hobart). Even more strange is the fact there is a great big church plonked right in the middle of the city, which totally disrupts the flow of everything, because it is right where all the streets merge and yet at precisely that point no traffic is allowed because it is a pedestrian area. Quite strange.

I suppose the main thing I have done here is visit Michelangelo?s ?David? probably the most famous sculpture in the world (certainly Italy anyway). That was certainly impressive, although at 10 Euros it was kind of a rip off as there was nothing else of note in the gallery, which was itself quite small.

Unfortunately the lineups here are horrendous to get into anything, as the Italians like to not let anyone into anywhere for about 40 minutes, then they let 30 people in before waiting another 40 minutes not letting anyone in again. The result is ridiculously long queues, although when you do finally get inside you almost have the place to yourself as no-one is in there. Honestly, if they worked like that at the Louvre the line would be 10km long and you would never get in.

Anyway, onto Milan now for the next day or so and then onto Verona for 2 days to finish off the Italian section of my trip. Only 2 more weeks till i get home now, on the final stretch!!