After leaving Tuscany we drove north to Firenze, looped around the city to the west and headed towards Pisa then turning north towards the Ligurian Coast and Camogli. Three hours, one lunch stop and one toll stop later we arrived at Cenobio di Dogi – our home until September 8.

This is the largest hotel we will stay in – many rooms, three restaurants plus bars, a salt water pool and a private beach. Even given its size it feels relaxed and friendly and nothing is too much trouble.

So far we’ve spent a day on the beach and a day by the pool, we’ve relaxed on the terrace with many drinks and experienced the organised chaos that is breakfast, twice.

Our first night we ate out at La Camogliese just a few metres down the road.

we’ve eaten there before and the seafood has been superb. As a surprise I booked a table there months ago and didn’t tell Jean. It gets incredibly busy and we’ve actually been turned away in the past so I thought booking was a great idea. Making the booking was a challenge from 18,800 kms away but we got there in the end.

The surprise didn’t quite go to plan however.

“Darling, seeing it’s our first night, we should go out” I said. “Maybe try that place we like – what was it called? La Camogliese?”

“Really do we have too go out? I’m tired. Maybe we just grab some takeaways and eat them in our room. I can’t be bothered getting dressed up and putting on makeup” Jean said.

“Come on, you don’t have to get dressed up, let’s just go as we are.”

“I really don’t want to …”

Things were going pear-shaped fast.

“Darling, you remember I said that I had a couple of surprises I’d arranged? This is one of them – I’ve booked us dinner tonight at 9pm”

An extended silence ensued. “How lovely. Let’s get ready…” she said.