The thunder from the waves never stops but by morning our brains have tuned out the sound. A cheery goodbye from the parking attendant and we're on our way to Palermo [once we twiddle around the congested one-way streets out of Cefalu.

We decide no toll or motorway today, just bimble along the coast and hillsides to reach Palermo early afternoon. The road surface is surprisngly good quality and most of it has a 50kph limit. The sea is still brochure blue and wild flowers colour the landscape. There are rises and drops and some bendy bits but it's all very enjoyable. We see a couple of historic sportscars with their Targa Florio decals and we hope too see more in Palermo where the race assembles this week.

At Termini Imerse there is a pretty hairpin staircase, nothing too demanding, leading past a castle high on a rock overlooking the bay.

We pause at Baghera for a sandwhich then get on final approach for Palermo. To say Sicilian motorists have little regard for traffic law is like saying Sweeny Todd didn't mind shaving people. Ignore the mirrors, you'll worry about squashing a suicidal scooterist. Change lanes when and where you want, those behind will adjust. The amber light has no meaning and reds are purely advisory. Drive as taught, you'll panic, pull in and never move again. Drive like them you are given the same leeway and freedom and it's much easier.

This get us through the port area and around to the camperstop where we are checked in by a friendly little chap. The Camperstop Directory said this was 400m from the cathedral, but now we are here and can relate to street names we fiind it's over two miles! The parking chap has no info, the bus stop outside the gate has no timetable so it's another dose of DIY Italian welcome. Tourist flock here and they couldn't give a scooby.

We set off on our own search, satnav in pocket to check our progress until we reach the edge of Ali's DK Insight map. Pavements are broken, zebra crossings have no ramps and the few ramps there are just fit a Fiat Panda for parking. After an hour of straddling the traffic and weaving around volcano sized dog turds we're nowhere near the historic centre. We decide to return to the van a try to google bus routes etc. to see if tomorrow can be a productive day. Returning by a slightly different route we happen on a street market. Ali has wanted to see Palermo's famous street markets since seeing their babble and chaos on TV. The one we venture into is akin to Blackpool tower while the TV stars were the Eiffel, but there are stalls of vegetable; artichokes, onions, various beans and greens, peppers like boxing gloves and aubergines like rugby balls. A fish stall has the trademark swordfish head pointing skyward, surrounded by squid, sardines, shrimps and swordfish steaks.

We get some meat and vegetables from various stalls, enough for a week and it's less than €20 for the lot. The son, about 12, of one stall is exhanging vegetable names with Ali in Italian and English.

We return through the noise and mayhem to the van to consider our options; see if there is a more central camperstop, google some info and try again tomorrow or decide Palermo isn't worth it and move on.

Find out tomorrow....

CD Track of the day - Um A Palermo Blanko

Dinner - chicken with lemon, tarragon and vegetables from the market