July 18, Wed. Roommates and On to the Dolomites

10 hour train/bus from Cinque Terre to Bologna to Bolzano to Selva/Wolkenstein. Beautiful trip, and our room/chateau balcony look right out into the peaks we will be trekking on over the next two days. Pics to follow if we can find a place to get them uploaded. These mountains are so spectacular --- predominantly limestone. It´s in the mid 90´s, but we´re used to it and getting fitter every day. Planning or 6 to 7 hour hike tomorrow. More later.

PS Stu left from Milan this morning and had a great time so we are down to three. Separate post will follow on his snoring. Great input from several other young travelers who we´re in our room at the hostel in Cinque Terre.

Roommates oung folks in our room were traveling for months by themselves or with a partner. They included two recent graduates who will become 1st zear teachers (one from Boston and one from Vancouver BC. Had wonderful conversations with them. A pair of sisters from Spokane went to L&C HS in Spokane and were fiends with Brittnez Henry recently set the U of O womens hammer throw record. Another mate was from Boston and recently returned from 3 years service in Iraq. And, on the trail and train(s) we´ve met and had conversations with many people from all over the world. This is just an amazing experience and those young people are so wise to see the world before they settle down. We asked them how they afforded it and many said they were using their left-over student loans in some creative ways. That´s proof to us that they had a good education.