Opening up Trullo Azzurro - Spring 2014

This year we are renting out the whole of Trullo Azzurro. This meant that opening up was more than the usual tasks of airing the mattresses in the courtyard and doing some tidying of the flowerbeds.

We needed to remove all our personal possessions, transferring them to Sotto Le Stelle, and checking that Trullo Azzurro had all the equipment our guests need. Sometimes we bought new replacements for stuff we'd moved - like new pans to replace our Le Crueset pots - and sometimes we left our stuff and bought new for our apartment - like a compact Bose Soundlink Mini and left them our Sony music system. We also boughts bits and pieces like more mugs, a second drying rack and two first aid kits.

The first evening we went straight out with the Italian usual suspects for a meal. Il Cucco was full so we went to the excellent Mezzofanti. My starter was an unusual and tasty dish of artichokes in a truffle sauce with egg.

The Italian "Usual suspects": Chris, Mark (me), Mary, Richard, John, Kath

On Sunday morning we moved the first tranche of stuff then went over to Kath and Richard's place for a long, relaxed Italian lunch. By the evening we only need at light supper so we went back to Il Cucco for a single course pasta supper with a couple of glasses of Puglian wine.

In the local village of Trito they hang large dolls that look like witches starting on Ash Wednesday . This is a Puglian tradition and these witches represent our sins according to Google. Not a witch, I am informed by a local, but an old woman as a reminder that you are giving up something for Lent.

Back at Sotto Le Stelle we finally have hot water so we did not have to return to Trullo Azzurro for showers. The underfloor heating was turned on for us a couple of days before so everything was lovely and warm. Also we could use the hob for cooking - essential for heating milk for Mary's caffe latte.

We need new business cards now we are renting out the entirety of Trullo Azzurro. So we took some pictures showing both halves of the property. As usual Puglia provided sunshine and blue skies. This time there were some little fluffy clouds which makes a change from the standard pure blue that looks so unsullied it looks photoshopped.

All is in place for our first guests due in three weeks time.

Trullo Azzurro: beautifully restored trullo in delightful, secluded valley near Locorotondo, Puglia, Italy. Available to rent on a per week basis, sleeps 8-10. For more information visit http://www.holiday-rentals.co.uk/trulloazzurro