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I thought about this page of my book as I was cycling alone on Day 8 of the first trip through the Veneto.

Having read the book "It's Not About The Tapas" about a girl riding solo through Spain, which almost put me off my dream "The Italian Adventure" my dear friend Chris gave me another travel book to read - "Rule 6 - No Sex On The Bus" - Confessions of a Bus Driver" which is about a driver doing the bus trips through Europe for the 18-35 year olds. This brought back many memories of my honeymoon trip with JAG in 1974 and it reminded me of all the reasons why I wanted, and needed, to do this trip, 35 years later.

Different places, different expectations, a different dream, but the same excitement, anticipation and challenge as on that trip so long ago. And riding along, going solo, I'm not at all disappointed. Lonely sometimes yes, but I talk to JAG and Dad as I ride along and I don't feel alone for too long.

The trip is everything I hoped it would be - a challenge, a personal victory, and the realisation of my dream.

I hope my daily diary inspires some other women out there to just "go and do it" and if Italy is not their dream place, then certainly just go wherever their dream takes them. It is safe, it is fun and it is achievable.

On occasions I have felt a wee bit anxious, sometimes a little self conscious or conspicuous - but don't we feel like that at home too. Don't we sometimes feel alone. Lonely and vulnerable walking into a place on our own in our own country, or more so in our own home town. Well, it's no different here, but the great thing is no-one knows me here.

All I know is now that I've done this trip I will be able to conquer anything. I'm not the failure I thought I was, and as RDD has said many times in the last two years "you are just you Heather" and now I know "I Am Me" and now I am just fine with that. Maybe it took a trip to Italy to find the real me, who knows. Maybe I could have found me at home, but really I can't think of a better place to go looking for the real me, can you. And you know what - I quite like what I found.