Hampshire County Youth Fiati e Archi Orchestras Italia Tour 2002

Day 1 / Monday 19th August

1100: All dutifully arrived at Henry Beaufort School in Winchester laden with at least 5 items each (a selection from: instrument, stand + pegs!, backpack, suitcase, raincoat - just in case, pillow). Coach no. 1 with tiny box - like trailer was waiting and older players settled down into their seats. Meanwhile, the other coach had arrived in the top car park, so younger players trudged up steps and eventually found their seats on coach no.2.

12ish: Hurray and off we set (already half an hour late, but never mind).

1500: Arrived in Dover and met our coach drivers for the tour. They had extremely thick Welsh accents - would we ever understand them? As if deciphering Italian wasn't going to be enough!

1600: On ferry with a very calm crossing thankfully. Adults ensconced in coffee lounge while players roamed ferry. Shopoholics began mission.

1830: Arrived in Calais. Immediately driven to local cash and carry for refuelling, loo stop and adult wine hunt.

1900: At last the journey through northern France, and into Switzerland had begun in earnest. Out came the walkmans, cross stitch and videos (some more exciting than others depending on coach!) After a couple of refreshment stops and driver changes, it was.......

Midnight: Off went the lights inside the coach and snoring could be heard from some quarters, mainly at the front and on the floor! No hope for the players at the back!

"Not many people slept well - it's really tricky to get into a comfy position!"


Day 2 / Tuesday 20th August

0600: Breakfast stop in Switzerland. Most of us ate sensibly - croissants, freshly squeezed orange juice (wonderful machine) and coffee, while others devoured chocolate covered marshmallow heads - Spike?)

am sometime: Comfort stop, still in Switzerland by a very picturesque, refreshing stream. Time for a quick paddle to soak smelly feet - much relief for sensitive noses.

"It was like melted ice - it probably was - and made your feet go numb and also made you need the loo!"

pm: Crossed the Swiss / Italian border with no fuss perhaps due to the angelic smiles on coach 2? However, we were falling behind time considerably, having made a great number of extra stops and then following the coast road through Italy with many tunnels and windy roads rather than the motorway.

1830: Many videos and snoozes later, a weary and very jaded couple of orchestras arrived at Montecatini Terme in Tuscany. We were met by Ermanno and Patrizia, our local English speaking couriers and lots of ancient Italians also staying at Hotel Europa, who seemed to find great enjoyment tweaking children's? cheeks, ruffling hair and addressing them loudly, forcibly and tediously in Italian!!!!!! Helen had made a marvellous job with sorting out the room allocation. The only problems being with the adults, but they sorted themselves out pretty quickly, with Dr Rachel and Karen agreeing to share - a good idea or not? Time would tell). Everyone went off to unpack.

"The first thing Patrick did was to balance a bouncy ball on his belly button!"

"We think the bathroom's great. Who could ask for more than having to go to the toilet with your feet in the shower, that's if you can actually get to the toilet without falling in the lake which mysteriously appears on the floor. Also it's really fun having to turn the shower off every 10 seconds, so that the non- existent base doesn't get flooded due to the drain being clogged up, mainly by the shower curtain. That's the shower curtain that's on the pole, which is only attached to the wall in one place. The bidet can be used as a bin for the bath mat as well as a haven for any dry stuff, which survives the trek across the lake. Hmmm!"

"Flushing the toilet causes great pain on fingers ? don?t ask how!"

2000: Dinner: Hmmmmmmmmmmmm....

"As we walked into dinner the wonderful Italians applauded us. Why they did this no one knows!"

"Always pasta for starters - very tasty - then meat and just fruit, usually hard."

....followed by a "Roger talk."

"We are now pondering whether 15 Euros is worth a trip up the leaning tower of Pisa."

2100: Much to everyone's delight Spike and David requested a rehearsal! (mainly to check safe arrival of instruments, stands, music etc.... or so they said!) There was disappointment for Jess whose violin had become unstuck in transit due to the heat. She was lucky enough to be offered another by Mari, so didn't miss out on the subsequent performances. The wind orchestra played in the hotel's bar area, while the strings rehearsed down in the gym along with the sodden carpets due to leaky air conditioning - very select!

"Were made to endure a mandatory, insensitive rehearsal after a 30 hour coach ride in a very damp gym where the carpet is completely soaked through!"

2200: Everyone in their rooms relieved to lie on a flat bed and have a good night's sleep.

"The beds are not that big. Sarah's bed, which is about 2mm off the floor, also had the cheek to bite her. It's also quite an impressive V shape!"

Not a lot of adult patrolling was necessary. However ......

"When we settled down for a proper good night's sleep, Anna pulled a drawer out and it landed on her toes. She ran it under the cold tap and complained she was in agony. As she pranced around the room, her roommates couldn't take her seriously. She sat down on the bed and then bumped her elbow on the cupboard. Before this she was laughing hysterically at one of her own jokes, threw herself backwards and hit her head on the bed!"

Day 3 / Wednesday 21st August:

0800: Continental breakfast (followed by a "Roger talk") for everyone except room 425, who at 0830 were all still snoring away blissfully! What a shame to wake them up!)

"Discovered Smokey, our cleaner, who seems to think that it's fine to have a fag hanging out of your mouth while you make beds!"

1000: Off to Lucca for the morning. Beautiful walled city - our first real taste of Tuscany. Time to wander with a map, buy lunch and a few souvenirs, while adults sat at cafe in a square chilling out, so players knew where they were. Everyone discovered gelati!

"Stracciacella - chocolate plus chocolate sauce! Coffee and coconut was a favourite too"

"Karen had bought her husband a very fascinating apron of Michelangelo's David which she wore as she strutted up and down the coach aisle looking very chic - or not!"

1400: Returned to Hotel for rehearsal. Course T-shirts given out. Managed one each for the coach drivers too. One Italian lady spied upstairs with her fingers in her ears and a mutilated expression on her face! Were we really that bad?

1530: Walking trip down to Montecatini, a very pretty spa town specialising in a variety of therapeutic treatments (hence the number of wrinklies staying at the hotel). Sweltering heat and not many shops open due to siesta time, so most of us had a beer or ice cream depending on age and chilled out a bit.

"David and Anna went into a fountain pod, got completely soaked and had lots of fun until David realised he'd drenched all of his money for the tour. Luckily it dried out in the sun!"

1730: Dinner. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. (Followed by a "Roger talk".)

1830 Off to Borga a Mozzano in concert dress, apart from some members of staff who insisted on changing on the coach! Set up and rehearsed in an open-air piazza. Met by the coordinator of our concerts who bore an uncanny resemblance to Ricky Tomlinson, spoke only a little English and loved the sound of his own voice!

2115: Concert began - played magnificently. Audience arrived in dribs and drabs (Italians are not good time keepers it seems), but then the Italian speeches and presentations! Players dropped off to sleep one by one, only to be woken by an unexpected encore!

2330: Packed up and returned to coaches, only to be invited to local wine festival! Trudged down road to community centre and drank much appreciated soft drinks.

"There was man singing along to his keyboard - pretty cool! Italian youths were very friendly - kept patting people on the head!"

Midnight: On coach back to hotel. All players really high!!!!!!!! Ahhhhhhhh - too much noise!

"There have been reports coming in that in certain places on coach 1 it has been raining flutes! So far there has only been one casualty, which wasn't fatal. Reports on coach 2 state that it was raining stands instead!"

0100: Quietly snuck into hotel and rooms for the night.

"Guess what? It's boiling hot and our aircon in our room doesn't work!"

Staff on patrol for seemingly ages! Where did the children's energy come from?

Thursday 22nd August

0830: Breakfast, (plus "Roger talk") followed by complicated morning consisting of swimming, relaxing and visits to Monticatini, all of which were brill and brought a much-needed rest.

"As we were trying to write postcards, with our legs up on the table trying to get a tan, a weird Italian lady came and struck! She told us that we were too white and that she would offer to show us the exact position in which you should sunbathe in Italy: hands spread apart, legs apart (bent of course) and feet up. Then the key point is sit back and relax!"

1300: Lunch - slightly better than dinner maybe? (Then a "Roger talk".)

"Tea / dinner / lunch - whatever you wish to call it - seems to consist of a dish full of pasta, which is usually good, just not very interesting day after day. Then comes meat - well, it is supposed to be - and generally fake potatoes or salad. How appetising!"

1330: Set off for Pisa, making sure everyone had brought concert material too. Two groups climbed the tower - just reopened after 11 years of restoration to stop the lean. Strange sensation of being pulled outwards on one side and towards the centre on the other. Great views from the top - Galileo thought so too!

"There were lots of steps and it was quite hard to climb because the steps were really uneven. You felt a bit lopsided when you came down from the tower."

Purchased own snack tea in Pisa.

Serenaded(???) on journey to Forte dei Marmi by Jess, Amy, Catherine, Laura and Hannah (the boss) who had composed a rhythmic chant about all the places visited.

1900: Arrived at Forte dei Marmi for evening concert. Met once again by Ricky Tomlinson. Set up and rehearsed in magnificent open-air walled courtyard of San Francesco Convent on high stage. Almost like an oil painting. Some lucky staff disappeared to find gelateria!

"Wind orchestra lads decided to bring some style to the concert by all forming Beckham style mohicans and wearing shades! Tim and Steve decide to exchange instruments for the minuet in the Music for the Royal Fireworks with (catastrophic?) fantastic effects.

2115: Concert began, this time in two sections: string, then wind, followed by joint with strings standing at foot of stage. Staff mesmerised by moon rising through open windows of courtyard. Beautiful setting and superb concert. Much appreciated by Italian audience - standing room only. Shorter speech this evening by Ricky Tomlinson, plus a book presentation to Spike and David.

2300: Packed up and returned to hotel. In the coach children as high as kites! AHHHHHHHHH!!!

Midnight: As last night, quietly snuck into hotel and rooms for the night! Why didn't some rooms need their sleep?

Friday 23rd August

0830: Continental breakfast. (Followed by a "Roger talk").

"Admired David Woodgate's shirt, made by the top designer Bennio Woodgates"

1000: Off to Siena - beautiful cathedral (duomo) and interesting piazzas where The Palio (horse race) is held twice a year in the main town square. Also home to Nannini, the creator of delicious pastries. Ate too much!

1500: Back on coach. Began to rain and then pour! Just as well this wasn't yesterday as most of us were up the leaning tower! Also just as well that tonight's concert in inside. Beginning to grow a little fed up with Italian rhythmic chant.

1630: Arrived back in hotel. Air much clearer and less humid. Rain completely dried up.

1730: Dinner Hm.............. (followed by a "Roger talk".)

"Yuk", says Imogen. "It looks like squashed toad!"

1845: Changed into concert dress and set off for Lucca. Raucous singing on the coach. Jess lost her voice! Coaches not permitted inside walls of city so had to park outside, load larger instruments into trailer and walk to venue: San Giovanni E Reperata, a church-like museum with a suspended floor over Roman excavations - very interesting. Bit of a mix up with the temporary disappearance of Jemima's double bass stool and Jack's sax, but eventually rectified. During rehearsal, soon discovered that acoustics were fantastic.

2115: Wonderful spine-tingling concert. Best yet. Packed venue. Standing ovation by very distinguished looking Italian gentleman. Several fans from England attended - so good to know we have a keen following. Yet another speech by Ricky Tomlinson plus another local dignitary. Presentation of huge card to a representative of the orchestras - a very surprised Jemima!

2330: Arrive back at hotel and bed, even though players are still very high after concert. They are advised to start packing ASAP, but perhaps not tonight. Staff in for a heavy night!!!!!!!!!!!

Saturday 24th August

0830: Breakfast (followed by a "Roger talk", this time with more advice about packing and tidying rooms - made a change from the usual!)

0930: Off to Florence. Not that rhythmic chant again!!!!!!!!!

1100-1330: Guided tour of Florence, (with 2 local guides) which included inside and outside the duomo, Michelangelo's David and the Ponte Vecchio.

1400-1700: Free time to explore Firenze (with maps). Most visited the market, while a few visited the Uffizi art gallery, which houses the largest collection of Italian Renaissance art in the world and a few climbed Giotto's Tower (926 steps). A beautiful city, but rather large to explore in half a day!

"Florence was a bit scary, cos Carole almost got pick-pocketed. Hannah saved the day!"

1900: Arrive back at hotel for packing, dinner.......

"Doesn't this look riveting?" says Jenny, "Chicken crumble!" Becky's quite excited about this meal, as it's actually warm! Unfortunately every silver lining has a cloud and, as usual, the veggie meal looks like someone's had an accident on the stale bread - BEAN SOUP!

...... and another speech by Roger followed by presentations of wine etc to staff!!!!!!! Most unexpected and a delightful surprise. Did we really deserve it? We were all having fun too!

2000: Concert to hotel guests (not to the same standard as rest of tour, but tremendously light hearted, especially enhanced by extra percussion accompaniment with the Beatles compilation, elevated brass section, string orchestra dance movements as well as conducting by coach drivers and old Italians)! Interesting and heated argument over keys to instrument room with loud, domineering receptionist, who eventually admitted that she had had the keys all along!

2100: Off to Monticatini Alto by funicular, a short walk from the hotel. Players on an exceptional high judging by the volume of noise whilst ascending!

"Part way up the cable car, the view emerged. You could see for miles, especially the lights of Montecatini"

Very pretty place, quaint streets and wonderful night time view of Montecatini. Spent time wandering around and soaking up humid nighttime atmosphere. Struggle on the descent with some sharp Italian elbows, but eventually arrived .......

2300: Back at hotel for yet more packing and SLEEEEEEEEP!!!

Sunday 25th August

0800: All bags lugged downstairs and onto coaches. Straight into breakfast (was there a "Roger talk"?), then upstairs for a room check and teeth clean.

0900: Bade a tearful farewell to Ermanno and Patrizia, also David, Helen and Ben Woodgates, as well as a couple of players who were carrying on their holidays in Italy without us! Lucky them.

0915: And off we went on our journey home, this time making good progress using motorways (not winding coastal roads), and only stopping for essential stops. Spike (and at other times Rachel) changed coaches, out came some more videos (as well as some repeats) and the time just seemed to pass.........

Monday 26th August

0600: Stopped at Calais cash and carry for adult emergency alcoholic rations and chocolate.

0630: Checked in for return ferry crossing to Dover. Sea slight to moderate - only one sickness thankfully. Overdosed on caffeine, full English breakfasts and gossip from other coach!

0800: Arrived in Dover, said goodbye to Welsh drivers, who were not very happy as the hire car they'd been sent to take them back to Wales was far too small to fit all their luggage in! Not a joyful farewell.

1000: Comfort stop at Fleet services, as by this time coach 2s toilet was dysfunctional and extremely smelly! YUK! Huge coach litter collection session in order to see the actual floors of the coaches.

1100: Arrived back at Henry Beaufort, weary, but happy and healthy. Lots of hugs and kisses, then off home for a well earned sleep! All agreed that Tuscany was "belle".