Up early with the hotel breakfast, we planned not to stop for lunch as we wanted to be in Bologna for 2pm. We went straight onto the toll roads, heading inland to the Tuscan countryside where it was gratifyingly less mountainous so no bridges or tunnels. We decided to have a quick break in Parma as we were making good time. We stretched our legs and enjoyed a drink sitting outside a restaurant in a little piazza not far from the Cathedral. The car park in Parma was a little way from the centre and so by the time we returned we were worried we would arrive in Bologna later than we intended. I sent a text the Air B&B owner in Bologna to say we expected to arrive at about 2.30. They replied with the instructions we needed to get the key, so it did not matter what time we arrived, which turned out to be very fortunate.
At a few minutes after two, just after joining the road to Bologna, we noticed a strange noise coming from the engine, followed almost immediately by a flapping sound. Al took the next available turn and we struggled off that Motorway onto another one losing power and issuing an increasing amount of smoke. We managed to make it onto the hatchings just after the junction before coming to a stop.
We got out of the smoking car and were able to pop the hood, but not before I noticed that the engine bay around the catch was coated in something oily. I had been able to smell the diesel from inside the van. Al took the emergency pack and placed the break down triangle behind the van. I looked at the fuel explosion under the bonnet. It was still smoking slightly. We called the AA Euro recovery number and stepped over the barrier onto a grassy slope away from the traffic noise and fumes. The only buildings near us were some apparently abandoned farm buildings. Our phones batteries were half full and we had a small bottle of water. It was hot and the traffic was racing past at speed.
The AA said that the recovery vehicle would take between 1 and 2 hours to get to us. We were trying to see the brighter picture and hoped there was still a chance the engine could be repaired at the roadside and we could be on our way. A police car stopped to see what was happening and after hearing our pidgin Italian explanation they were satisfied and moved on. After a while a highways worker also stopped to see what we were doing. He looked under the bonnet and if we still had any hope, his expression put the dampeners on it. As he was leaving we heard a whistle from the slow traffic in the lane travelling in the other direction, it was our recovery truck. Once the driver managed to get off at the next junction and return to us he took a quick look at the engine. “Bad problem” he said. Without any further pre-amble he started getting the van ready to go onto his truck. Within 5 minutes we were on our way to Campogalliano, sitting up in the truck cab.
“Let me embrace thee, sour adversity, for wise men say it is the wisest course”
William Shakespeare
At the GMC garage we met the owner Massimo who spoke little English. We communicated with hand gestures, google translate, a smattering of French and Massimo patiently speaking very slowly. He explained that he thought the van could be fixed, possibly, but would not be able to look at it until Monday. We explained that the van was really full, that it contained our whole house. He valiantly took to the phone to find us a van to hire immediately and we checked the internet to see where the nearest car hire place was. He couldn’t get us a hire van and offered to rent us his own car. We had managed to get onto Avis in Moderna and booked a car online. The staff at GMC ordered us a taxi to Modena as we explained our plan to come back from Modena in the hire car and take what we could from the van, then to return on Saturday morning to get the rest. They were open until 7 that night so although it would be tight it was possible and they opened 8 until 12 the following morning. It was all agreed and our taxi arrived.
While in the taxi the AA called to check that the recovery had happened and confirmed to Al that the taxi and hire car would be covered, which was a relief. At Avis we were talked into upgrading to a Ford Kuga, especially as it was an automatic (no having to change gear with the “wrong” hand), and managed to get the whole thing done in about 5 minutes. We returned to Campogalliano and grabbed whatever we could fit into the car before finally setting off for Bologna. We drove past the spot where we had been stood forlornly alongside our smoking van only 4 hours earlier.
In Bologna our Air B&B had no onsite parking but we just pulled up out front, got the key from the key safe, and started unloading. The apartment was beautiful, and on the 1st floor, with lots of windows and an outside space. We piled everything in and took the car to the nearby carpark the Air B&B owners had recommended. We went straight from the car park into the centre of Bologna for something to eat as we were starving. We walked around the Piazza Maggiore reminding ourselves where things were from our last visit and ended up in the old market lanes. It was very busy because it was Friday night and we walked around a bit before feeling brave enough to approach a restaurant. We finally picked a place and wanted to eat outside (all the bars on this road have patio heaters outside) so we spoke to the waiter and took a table, sitting on high stools around a barrel. I looked up and saw that we were at Tamburini, the same place we had our first meal on our first visit.
Out of focus meats and cheeses 
After everything we were finally here in Bologna, sitting at a restaurant, eating meats and cheeses followed by pasta and drinking good wine, while the people of Bologna went about their usual weekend activities, with families filling the streets and enjoying the evening. It was 10pm and the city was buzzing. We had made it, we were in our new home.
