I will miss the very laid back lifestyle of the Aeolian Islands. The next destination is Catania, Sicily. Its a ferry ride from Lipari to Milazzo. Bus from Milazzo to Messina, then another bus to Catania.
The road from Messina to Catania hugs the coast, very nice and green but it seems you spend a lot of time in tunnels.

Catania is a rather interesting and fascinating place. It is full of cathedrals and churches, Roman ruins and some wonderful architecture. It is like a living and working museum. My only grip is the place is rather dirty, it seems there cannot be any deterrents to litter. There is litter everywhere, plus you must be careful walking on the footpaths as people do not pick up after their dog does a ****.
One thing i have noticed is that it is rare to see an undamaged car. From dents to scratches, from old to new, all have some sort of accident damage.

Have been lucky with the weather, every day has been in the mid 20's, and cools off for the evening, making it nice for long walks.

I have enjoyed taking part in the Sicilian way of life. I cannot believe at how lucky the Italians are when it comes to fresh produce, and how cheap it is. The peaches, nectarines and apricots are amazing and for under $2 a kilo. I even saw peaches the other day, freshly picked for 80 cents a kilo. And you dont have to look far for a fruit stall as they are on nearly every street corner. I have loved being able to eat so much fresh fruit.