My family and I are luxuriating in the Umbrian countryside, with extraordinary views across to the hill town of Orvieto. The one thing we are lacking — which doesn’t matter very much, to tell the truth — is Internet access. My BlackBerry browser keeps me in touch with the essentials (TalkingPointsMemo is my daily lodestone, although I am using NewsJunk as well). But bigger endeavors, like keeping up with my feeds or even updating Davos Newbies will have to wait.

We found what seems to be the one WiFi hotspot in Orvieto this morning, but I won’t be a regular: Euro 3.10 for 30 minutes! Fortunately there are other aspects to life in Italy.