Next stop, Italy: Milan and Monza. Was lucky enough to have stayed at the BVLGARI hotel, thank you Richard, and everybody else from BVLGARI in Sydney who got me upgraded. This is not a hotel; this is heaven on a stick, understated elegance. I am told that it used to be a convent; I bet you it did not have the kind of rooms and bathrooms as it did when I stayed there. I nearly drowned in my bath, it was so big and luxurious.

So, I was in Italy, the home of Ferrari, and Formula1 was on. Did I mention that the Lotus team was staying at the same hotel? I am happy to report that I did not disgrace myself and rush up to people asking for photos and autographs.

Bless the Italians, Stand A is followed by Stand C and Stand B does not exist. My Italian is non-existent; however, pity was taken on me, and as only an Italian male could, I was rescued or more or less taken to the correct stand.

To find the hospitality venue took another few hours, or so it seemed. The entire stand was given red A3 sheets to cheer on the Ferrari team. I felt like an interloper, as I was there to cheer on Mark Webber.

Around the corner from the BVLGARI hotel was a delightful street full of my kind of shops, but the one that made me smile was a cake shop that had everything Ferrari. Cakes with Ferrari colours, cakes shaped like F1 Ferrari and everything else in between. Would have been great to buy one and bring it home. But I had been through Sydney customs a few times and that idea was shelved very quickly. So, I drove a SLS, seen F1 race and kept the courier company busy as I had to mail my purchase home. The Qantas baggage allowance was generous, but even they have their limits. Now I have to buckle down and pay for it, so that I can do it again.