This was it. The last day of the main event.

Fortunately, after the mountains, floods, tunnels, France and snow, it’s a relatively simple motorway drive down to Rome. Although the Italian idea of a motorway is a pot hole ridden, narrow, concrete lined, roughly tarmaced, poorly repaired, badly surfaced, race track. Still, we’re in The General so we were sure we could cope.

Twisting through some of the low mountains, the drive was pleasant as the sun shone and outside temperatures rose. By the time we hit Rome, it was 32c and we had to face the infamous city centre traffic.

We thought we were good at bullying other cars, especially in a massive orange Lexus, but we’ve got nothing on the Rome drivers. Somehow we made it to the hotel unscathed, and headed in to Piazza Navona for the finale.

A meal, some wine and a prize giving ceremony. We’d made it. We’d got from Home to Rome in a £150 banger unscathed.

We weren’t the winners, but we feel everyone who made it to Rome (and not everyone did) was a winner in their own way.

Now it’s time to relax for a few days, before turning round and going back again…

2010 Home2Rome