Still grey and windy but the sky is clearer and no rain. We service the van and drive along the coast road to Messina, which is either views over beaches and sea or through the coastal towns. Some of the roads have grafittied names of the Riders from the recent tour written on them. There is also lots of smooth new tarmac here for the once a year cyclists while other, much worse, roads go unrepaired. Messina is very busy but we get a view of some of its older...

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 t...

This morning is a treat! It's the first morning since we stayed at the agritourismo in Segesta that is both peaceful and with no rush to go. After an uninterrupted night's deep sleep we pull back the cab curtains and lay in bed watching the rising sun light up the north east side of Mount Etna. A steady plume of white smoke or steam is carried along in the breeze. It is after 09:00 before we start getting up. Sunday's debacle and our decision to linger here...

Our quiet car park worked, but there's no lie in as a lorry arrives at 07:00 and unloads a digger which then trundles down the road with tracks screeching and rumbling. Eager to avoid another yesterday, we check a few options for tonight before setting off on the S284 which loops west and north of Mount Etna. The sun is shining as we climb towards Bronte and everywhere there are vines and pistachio trees. Soon after we leave Bronte we find a layby with a head ...

Yesterday everything we planned and did went perfectly. Today is a day to forget. Our destination was to have been Syracuse and we had found three suitable parking locations but first we had an errand for a friend. Just outside Syracuse on the main road is a war cemetry and we'd been asked by our friend to stop by and take a photo of his uncle Frank's resting place. We parked outside, Ali bought a little posy from the flower stall and went in, only to find sh...