Great pictures and write up there Boss.

Pics of Tuscany and esp. Lucca brings back lots of memories. Lucca is the place we would live at if we ever made the move abroad. Stayed just outside Lucca for 2 weeks, most enjoyable. Even though Lucca is a tourist destination it has a great 'settled' feel to it with many people living within and outside the walls. Hope you did the bike trip around the walls.

I agree the roads from Kent and around London are the pits. I avoid driving as much as possible. The M25 is just a glorified car park.