La Dolcevita's activity

Hmmm think the irony has been lost in translation! ;

That thought had crossed my mind too. 

The forum that I posted is it Penny's site as in Penny with the Penelope Pipstop image?  I'm not sure what you meant re Italy Mag having dropped Penny as a member - surely not..... she was probably the most knowledgeable member on this site along with Ram   

What a shame - I've not been as active as I will be soon as I haven't had much to say!!  Having just returned from a long weekend in Italy where we've had confirmation that our restoration will start next month I know I'll have more to comment on/ask about as the move to Italy becomes a reality.  However for me it needs to be a forum where there's a connection to people - I've made "real" friends not just "virtual" ones on this forum - people who live 5km from where my future italian home is without the use of PM we never would have "connected"  a real shame.In terms of any other forums there's a new one which you might want to take a look at - I found it by doing a search - looks really new therefore no baggage but will need people to join it or it will be me as billy no mates! Here's the link http://italy.forumotion.com

That's THE one - and buy it straight from the Avon shop as per Esmes link -  I think there may be other "similair products" being marketed that just aren't the same.  I have about 20 bottles in my bathroom just in case they ever stop making it!!!! 

Forgot to answer the question - yes skin so soft works on mozzies!!

Which one Ram?  Skin so soft or deet? I can only speak for skin so soft as it's the only thing that's worked for me - I think skin so soft not working is by excpetion with Steve being one of them.  Only the dry oil works - it's not marketed as a repellant as Avon is not a drugs manufacturer.  If you go on their website you can read hundreds of reviews.  Always worth a try as it's so cheap :) As I understand it - you need to be careful who you use deet products on as it contains lots of strong chemicals and isn't suited for young children

Like Esme I used to get eaten alive.  I used to be covered in massive lumps that would be bright red/rock hard and boiling - and of course really itchy.  I started using the Avon skin so soft following an article my husband read re the forces using it - I was a little sceptical at first but have been wowed.  I only get bitten if I miss a bit - even so far as if you wear a long dress still cover yourself from head to toe as the little buggers will find the one part oyu haven't covered.  And a real bonus it's really cheap - around 2.99 a bottle.  But it's the dry oil you need - not the shower gel/moisturiser - and Avon (as I understand) now deliver to Italy - you just order it on line. It has made a MASSIVE difference to me - I can go out at night/sit at BBQ's and if I get 1 bite a week I'm unlucky - as opposed to the 20/30 I'd get a night.  The best summer purchase ever I also use something that you burn outside - it's like a coil that slowly burns down and releases a vapour - a volcano or something.  Plus where we rent I use plug ins - just ordering our windows for our restoration and getting built in mosquito blinds too :)  As many forms of defence I say....

Rickardo, on one level I think there is a lot of truth in what you're saying...............I joined this forum as it was mainly British as opposed to American (nothing against Americans as I'm on another forum where the majority are American) as some of the challenges we face due to the fact that we're part of the EU is different to those challenges that Americans/Canadians etc face.  So it's good to be able to share/support etc with people that understand and experience the same experiences. And yes I'm renovating (well will be when we get our permission through) and have a huge interest in that as renovating in Italy is very different from the UK which is my only experience to date and I've found others experiences/advice/horror stories invaluable. I'm not interested in living British in the slightest - I'm not really sure what that is.  We have friends in Liguria where our house is that are a mix of all nationalities - and I love learning about their cultures/traditions etc.  We purposefully chose this area as we didn't want to be surrounded by Brits - though bizarely enough our house is opposite the only permanent British couple in the town (we'll make the second permanent British couple)!!!!  For me though an ex-pat community is important whether on line/where we live as no man/woman is an island and it's good to talk!!!! I'll put my hand up and confess I'm not particularly interested in politics whether it's here in England/Italy.  In my experience there are good and bad politicians/corrupt and honest ones.  Berlusconi's guilty verdict to me was a suprise but given that he won't serve his sentence - no suprise -  so he might as well have been found not guilty.  He's corrupt and we all know that - can we do anything that will make a difference - no! So for me joining this forum is about sharing experiences/supporting each other/having some banter etc (just like I do with "real friends/acquaintances".  I love Italy - I think it's the most beautiful country in the world which is why I'll be making it my home - I also accept that there is another side to the country but that side I have little or no influence over - so I choose to focus my time on things I can influence rather than banging my head against a brick wall and getting frustrated with the "system".  And I take the same approach in the UK

The best repellant I've ever used is skin so soft by Avon as used by the SAS and Navy Seals You have to make sure it's the dry oil) - it's amazing stuff - not branded as mosquito repellant - dirt cheap - does an amazing job - smells good and non-toxic.  I get bitten viciously and if I so much as leave a cm unsprayed they get me. I understand that Avon now delivers to Italy - link below http://avonshop.co.uk/product/skin-so-soft/skin-so-soft-original-dry-oil... I also use the coils that burn available from supermarkets - double neurotic but I don't care as long as I don't end up bitten!!