To Cinque Terre

We wake to drizzling rain, though it is still warm. We have an early breakfast at 8 am and check out at 9.45. Lake Como and Menaggio has been great but it is raining and we only follow the sun!
We walk to our water taxi and head across the lake to Verenna. It is about a km walk up a hill to the train station, but the path is relatively smooth. We take our time and arrive by 9.20, our train is 10.37 so we have ample time to recover. After the last effort of the six of us trying to board at the same time, we decide to split up and board at different doors. This works well and we are all able to get a seat and stow our luggage. The train was a few minutes late but we have 30 mins at Milano before we head off to Cinque Terre. Unfortunately when we arrive we have less time and we have to go straight to our next train. We had planned to buy something at the station to eat on the way as it is a three hour journey. Anyway we board ok and luggage is stowed. We have to change trains at Monterosso and we arrive about 3.10 to a crowded platform. There are no lifts, so Ross and I head off to find the ticket office. We purchase our tickets and the next train for Riomaggiore is due in 5 mins but on the same station we got off. We head back with the good news just as the train arrives and manage to force our way onto the train. It is very crowded and not easy travelling with six suitcases! We finally get to Riomaggiore and now we have to find our hotel. It is very crowded and we follow the crowd to leave the station, we walk via an underpass for over 500 metres and then come to a junction. We find a place to reorganise and Luggy goes one way and I the other. Luggy goes up some steps while I head off up the hill. After about 150 metres I look around and see La Dolce Vita, I notice the street number is 167, this is the address!! I go back and bring everyone up and our host is waiting for us. Our rooms are another 50 metres further on. We are on three different levels and the stairs are steep. It is tough going carrying the suitcases up but we all make it eventually. The rooms are spacious and comfortable and overlook the main thoroughfare, it is a hive of activity. We rest up and agree to meet at 4 for some well earned beers!! While the boys down some beers the girls enjoy Aperol Spritz. We end up talking to some aussies from Sydney (actually a scot who migrated to Australia and an Irishman who migrated to Australia when he was 12). This place is marvellous, we can feel the ambience, the vibe, the Mabo!
After a couple of hours drinking in the sun we head off to eat and find a restaurant selling hamburgers!!
To finish the night off we head down to the water for some amazing views, unfortunately I did not have my camera. Hopefully should be able to get some pictures tomorrow. As we walked back at 9pm the temp was 21.