The theme of today is "Godbye's Suck". After spending a week with our family in Cessaniti we are now left to deal with the ultimate insult to happiness - The Goodbye! It doesn't seem to matter how much you do it, it doesn't get any easier, in fact, as you get older I think it becomes harder. We are now sitting in a train bound for Catania blowing kisses and waving to our cousins, uncle and aunty. The car ride to Lamezia was a procession of phone calls from people...

This morning, Zio and I head off to the local retirement home to visit Zio Leli. He is my mum's Zio and will turn 91 tomorrow. He knows that I am here so I want to spend some time talking to him about mum. We take him to do some shopping and to collect his dry cleaning. He insists on buying me a coffee so we stop at a bar and have one. He tells me lots about mum, much of which I already new but I listen with interest and ask lots of questions. Mum spent 8 years f...

We had a late start to this morning after a late night before. Breakfast here is a typical Italian one; a cup of coffee with a croissant or sweet cake or biscuit. We spend the morning chatting and then, later, head off to the local shopping centre for a look around. They are starting to build shopping centres in Italy like the ones we have at home; big, bright and full of brands that we have grown to know. If you ask me, that is not the way that Italy should go. ...

Benvenuti a Calabria! Welcome to Calabria and in particular, the very small town of Cessaniti where my mum was born and lived the first 19 years of her life. Cessaniti is set in amongst the rolling, green hills of this beautiful countryside. From here, I can see the sea as well as lots of other small towns along the way. We were met at the airport, Lamezia Terme, by my uncle and cousins. The welcome was huge. Massive bear hugs, several in fact and lots of kisses...