Milan, Italy 28 May, 2015

The bags were collected early and we de-camped the luxurious Beaumont Hotel in Mayfair.  In fact it’s adieu to the U.K. having completed all our shows and we’re off to the Continent, first stop Milano, a fabulous city as long as your credit card is well lubed and oiled.  I remember our last visit, nothing in the shoppes was priced.  If you have to ask, you can’t afford it.

We took off from Northolt RAF Base, arrived in Milan midday stepping off the plane into the warmest sunshine I’ve felt this year and went straight to the venue, Mediolanum Forum.  Following soundcheck it was off to catering for another 5-star meal at the gig.  Among tonight’s entrees, grilled sea bass and steaks with accompanying salads, focaccia breads and white bean & vegetable soup.  Tables were set outside and we enjoyed this feast in the warm Milano air.

Our shows in the U.K. generally began at 7:30 but things move at a different pace here in Italy and tonight’s start is 9:00.  Plenty of time to find a quiet room and practise before the gig.  Italian audiences… what can I say?  It was a full capacity house of nearly 9,000, the show began with a standing ovation then escalated from there.  It’s great to be back in Italy.

From the stage we jumped into the waiting fleet of vehicles and wound our way through the city to the hotel and gathered in the bar for a glass of wine.  This might take the prize for the most expensive bar with cocktails costing as much as 50 Euro!  However I did manage to find a real bargain on the menu, a single shot of a tequila called 50 Dollars for 20 Euro.  A pretty good exchange rate.

So long,

Richard