This is it. The big one. The day that will kill any cars that have any problems, no matter how minor.

Starting of at Menton, it’s an easy but glorious drive through the Italian Riviera, taking in awesome mountinside motorways and hundreds of tunnels to Genoa, before turning north and heading to Milan. Stopping off at Malpensa airport to pick up good friend Jaime Michavila, it was then a short drive to Lake Como, and that’s where the fun starts.

Driving alongside the lakes, looking at the stunning scenery, and picking out bits of road used in James Bond films, was just the prelude to what as to come.

Turning in to Switzerland, we headed to St Moritz, where the roads took on a different feel. Climbing up Bernina Pass, the General Lee(xus) guzzled its fuel as the altitude added steep hills, crazy bends and less oxygen. At the other side we dropped down a frighteningly narrow and poorly maintained pass, with nothing but plastic tape in places to keep you from a very long and painful drop, and headed in to Livigno.

Historically, whoever owns Livigno (and the Italians and Swiss keep arguing about it) keeps taxes low, so filling up The General at 80 pence a litre was pleasing.

From Livigno it was a steady drive to Bormio, where Stelvio then loomed large.

Stelvio. The highest mountain pass in Europe. One of the steepest and narrowest. And we took The General all the way to the top.

Despite it being late July, there’s still snow in places it’s that high. glaciers are a stones throw away. It was 32c at the bottom, but it’s only 6c at the top. And there’s no air –  the stairs to the fourth floor room are surprisingly difficult when you can’t breathe!

We’re here for the night, and then we head down the other side. We can’t wait…

2010 Home2Rome