Back to mainland Italy

We spent 14 weeks on the island of Sicily. Not that it strikes you as an island, probably because of its size, it being the largest in the Mediterranean. It was both winter hideaway and an insight into how the Italians / Sicilians live their lives, which to them is just a cooler and wetter season. The first and in some ways abiding memory is that most of Italy south of Naples and most of Sicily needs a thorough cleanup. Not just a few thousand black bags, but a few hundreds of thousands of black bags! Maybe a few million .... it is as if there is a no care attitude towards the environment.
However, they are friendly and forthcoming and we found them ready to help, in my case with pharmacist and dentist in Catanzaro, Calabria. Our hosts in three campsites where we spent in excess of one month, Salvatore, Salvino and Angela - bless them all - were fine people and we wish them well!

A final sunrise at Camper Lagani in Giardini-Naxos, Sicily

A last visit to the beach showing lava rocks, prickly pear type succulent and the Med.

"We bless you and your city" - entrance to the port of Messina.

Mainland Italy after the ferry crossing

First night with snow capped - snow! -  mountains south of Salerno

We travelled north up the spine of Italy after disembarking hoping to make Salerno, but roadworks put paid to that and we spent the night in Sala Consilina. The town is close to the autostrada and showed a camperstop on the satnav. There was none and we duly asked at the local hotel whether we could overnight in the car park. Yes, said the receptionist and we parked out of view at the entrance to the Pizzeria - big mistake! The youngsters started arriving soon after dark and various comings and goings and cars and noise and loud talking, you name it, had to be endured until about midnight. Silence then descended on the place and we had a reasonable rest. The morning revealed the properly designated area for overnight motorhomers which we missed coming in, a good distance away from the Pizzeria entrance. Yes, yes ....

Onwards and forwards to Rome for our next one night stay.