#MyTopThree: Countries. 3. ITALY

Started fairly obviously with vehicles so this week it’s countries. I’ve driven professionally in 18 countries (not a boast just an observation!) and that is what this list will concentrate on, countries that I have driven professionally in and it not just based on driving, it’s a number of factors, attitude and friendliness, ease of getting around, food, services as well as the obvious driving. Number 3 may shock but bare with me……..

3. ITALY! I’ve been obsessed by Italy since my childhood when I had a hobby business breaking Fiat Pandas and selling the parts, and from my very first visit it has never disappointed. From the very get go that you have to drive through one of the worlds most famous mountain ranges to driving in a stunning country.

Fun and frolics in Naples

Now I know what some of you will mention, Italians can’t drive!! Well actually they can, and they are rather good at it. If you approach it with the right attitude you’ll get on fine. Basically lose any road rage you might have, if you try and drive in Italy with a British attitude you’ll be heading for a heart attack. What I love is simply how anything goes. As a truck driver having to manoeuvre in tight busy places don’t treat it like other countries, just do what you need to do and everyone will sort themselves around you, nothing to stress about plus they aren’t so uptight about the odd bump. In other countries if you accedentally fold a wing mirror back but not damage it they want to take you to the cleaner, in Italy you can literally dent a car and they’ll shrug their shoulders and drive off!

Then deliveries and collections. With Virginia and Whites it would be Multidrop, often with 1,000km between first and last drops. If you’ve never done it how long do you think between 13/14 drops over up to 1k km would take? If you start Monday morning you’ll probably be empty by Tuesday evening, the sort of fact that highlights what a disastrous place the UK is to drive in for so many reasons. In Italy you can do 3/4 drops or even more in time it usually takes for a U.K. drop. 90% of time it’s turn up, manoeuvre into position, they whip it off and you’re on your way in 20 minutes. The idea that a drop in U.K. could be done in 20 minutes is hilariously comical!

Roads are fairly decent, bit rougher the further south you go but not a problem. Meat drops are often to small butchers so these can be hidden in some very interesting places. From on a mountainside to the centre of Naples to remote villages you need to enjoy variety, that’s very important. One of the stranger reload locations was ice cream from Naples where you had to give up your passport to get into industrial estate. I know most of you will say ‘I’d never do that’ but at the time you just do! But again not stressful if approached the right way.

One of things I like most about driving there is their non stop toll barriers. With a tag you can go through at 50kmh though being narrow it can be a little nerve wracking! And on the odd occasion the tag doesn’t work trying to stop a loaded truck in a straight line from 50kmh in what feels like 10 feet sure can be interesting. Another thing that people are often surprised by is hardshoulder parking! They have little lay-bys, emergency refuges and you’ll often see trucks in them on a break! I often have myself as great when pushing for time. You’ll often see trucks in them parked overnight but I’ve never been brave enough to take that risk. And away from the motorway just park anywhere you can find a space rally, it’s only the UK that has a shitty not in my back yard attitude to trucks.

I’ll just have 45 on
hard shoulder!

Police are about but rarely stop you. I’ve only been stopped a couple of times in Italy and all they want to see was that days card (days pre digital).

And finally it has some of the best food in the world so eating well really isn’t a problem. They are very serious about their food and very proud of it and Italian being one of my very favourite foods I’m in my element.

I also did lots of Italy as a coach driver, mostly Interski school skiing trips to Aosta which I always enjoyed. The hotels would always be doing dinner to a price but it was always tasty and Italian. Used to be overnight runs with two drivers. Leave U.K. Saturday eve, arrive Sunday week at resort they back Saturday. Really enjoyed those tips and hope to do some again some day.

So yeah I adore Italy. Everything about it from driving to food it’s win win. I’m interested in others favourites, comment below! See you tomorrow for number 2.

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Usually Meat Down Fruit Back. They’ll Never Expect You To Be In Back With Pump Truck

Dark Diamond on her last trip for Whites

Stunning scenery around every corner at end of every tunnel!

Mont Blanc waiting for escort. Narrow tunnel so fridges need to go through in escorted groups

Mmmmm is that a bowl of pasta I spy

Been to Italy lots on coaches too, skiing 

Coming up to Traforo Monte Bianco / Mont Blanc Tunnel

Writing this made me crave cheesy pasta

So I made some of this delicate old Italian recipe and it was most yums