Last day in Venice :(

My last day in Venice today - I wish I was staying longer, but in one way I need to go, this place is so damp and mouldy that my asthma is playing up something chronic and keeping me awake coughing at night. It will go as soon as I am away from here, but I love it here too - next time (Ha!!) I would stay somewhere different, not on a canal or on the 3rd floor, away from the damp.

I had dinner along the grand canal last night, very civilised and it was lovely, nice and cool and a nice meal too. There are just as many people around at night, I thought it would be quieter with most of the tourists gone for the day. There were six ships in the harbour yeterday, everyone was converged around San Marco - ridiculous!!!

I have had the "Italian" run-around today! I went to the post office closest to me - there are two here, one nearby, one on the other side of Venice - I went to buy a box to bring back here and pack some stuff to send home. I got there and the prick behind the counter said the section that sold the boxes was closed today, try the tobacco shop. I went to the tobacco shop and the guy there looked at me as if I was from another planet and told me I had to buy a box from the post office, I told him that section was closed today and they said to get one from him. He said no, post office. I went back to the post office and asked the woman behind the counter how long she was closed for, and she was closed for the whole day. I asked where I could get a box from. The rialto post office. The one on the other side of Venice.

I got the vaporetto to the Rialto and eventually found the post office after asking about 6 people "Dove Posta" (where's the post office)? The chick there sold me a box which I stuck in my own plastic bag, found my way back to the vaporetto stop, got back on the vaporetto to the train station then walked back here, I am practically a local now, I didn't use the map once today - not that it helps when I do!

I then packed the box, filled in all the stupid forms and stuck it in my shopping bag and lugged it all the way to the post office closest to me, ready to get back on the freaking vaporetto if I had to. Get to the post office, I have filled the forms in wrong! Eventually I got it right and it has gone thank goodness, and it has created heaps of space in my case so it is worth it. Although, I had a horrible thought before, if I have filled the forms in wrong, I hope I have filled the address boxes on the carton correctly or the box could end up back here in a couple of months!!!! I will have to somehow warn the non-english speaking landlord - that should be fun!

Then I've come back here, found a different laneway, went up that and found a whole other town I didn't know existed just next door!

Tonight I went for one last wander and to have a last glass of something in Venice, I went to the bridge near the station and took a couple of last photos

(My last night in Venice - the time as gone so fast)

until I realised I had put my top on inside out!!! After bursting out laughing (remember I'm on my own!), I came home without a glass of anything nice and nothing to nibble on!
Now I'm back in my place, starting to get my bag packed and ready to get going again in the morning, I'm off to Bologna tomorrow for two nights. I think I will get the 10.57 train if possible - the landlord is coming at 10 to collect the key and do a check and give me back my 50 euro security deposit - hope he doesn't try the toilet seat! Then I will haul my bag back across the white bridge, one last look at the Grand canal, and get on the train to the next stage of my adventure!

(Ambulance in Venice)