Another easy morning as we get squared away to leave. In our early plans of things we might do, one was driving up and camping on Etna, but having enjoyed what we've seen the last few days we agree it's not necessary.

We pay our host and return the plate he gave us with the fruit, which he confirms were loquat, known here as nespolo. As we start down the bumpy track a Swiss car towing a caravan comes in. We reverse in the lane, back to the first pitch while the crooked-banker-euthanasia-by-chocholate-clock-maker advances almost against our bumper and doesn't even nod or wave to acknowldge our presence.

Just down the road we find an IP fuel station and enquire about our credit note from the undelivered fuel. The attendant says we have to use it where it was issued - over 100 miles away! He then seems surprised we don't want to buy his fuel. IP are thieves and we'll never venture into an IP station again.

In the next town Piedimonte Etneo, pink balloons decorate the lamp posts and there are banners for the Giro d'Italia. Not going up on Etna has put us on the route of the Messina stage today.

We stay on the pretty coast road through Giardini-Naxos and stop in a layby overlooking the bay below Taormina. The water is deep blue and the small cruise ship Silver Whisper is at anchor. Notices about the giro are posted in the layby and there are lots of police about. Ali texts a friend whose reply tells us the cyclists are due here around 15:30-16.00

At Taormina is the theatre Ali was keen to see, but today, with all the car park closures we've seen along the way we abandon the circuitous drive to the hill top town as we expect to be disapponted.

We continue along the coast to Sant'Alessio Siculo and stop for lunch, after which we consider our options. Return to the mainland? Messina will be crazy today and it would seem a bit sudden and final. Stay here? Our spot is good enough, but Ali walks down the seafront and sees a few other moho's parked so Nick drives to meet her. The direct road is fenced so we follow a left-right-right, past more police barriers, even the eggy-shouldered chief is on point duty, to a large sea front car park, but no other moho's.

Anyway, it's a good place to park and wait before we go over the road and wait for the Giro. Just after 16:00 a few police motorcycles come through, then the chatter of a helicopter, a few cars, then the peleton [or whatever it is in Italian] whooshes past. Over 200 high-tech bicycles powered past us by sinewey humans honed by the persistent and questionable interpretation of permitted and other substances. Not a murmer or a breath, just a hiss of chains and tyres and a smell of warm rubber. They're followed closely by motorbikes and support cars and the tail end police bikes then it's all over in no more than a minute.

Once the road re-opens our parking spot becomes very noisy but we've noticed the other vans are actually in a campsite so we decide to go in there for peace.

The owner, who waved at us from the road, has excellent English. He explains the new two day old roadway is confusing visitors, which is why he waved. He also says buses run to Taormina which may work for Ali to visit tomorrow.

We are parked right by a beach overlooking the Ionian sea with the mainland hazy across the water. As dusk falls the moon rises, casting an hourglass shaped beam across the quiet sea and the Silver Whisper sails north towards the straits.

THURSDAY 11TH MAY
The morning is grey and cloudy with a few showers. When we get up the clouds have descended over the headland meaning there is no point in Ali getting the bus up to Taormina.
So we spend the day going through photos and uploading to the blog plus look at some ideas for things to do when we return to the mainland.