Cimima - a feast For the few days we systematically meet family, extended relatives, neighbours, partners of the cousins. We gorge ourselves with homemade soft cheeses, salamis, bread, are fooled into thinking that our 'primi' pasta was a main only to have the main arrive.. We eat 'pollo' but mine has a vertebra and ribcage and so I figure it's rabbit and Vince tell Jac a few days later. Vince plays the part of translator more so for me having not stud...

Cimina - Reggio de Calabria We arrive in Naples and after a few days in the sun soaking up the sun at Capri, the ashes at Pompeii and making our excuses as a body is found floating at the private beach of our caravan park, we head to Calabria to Vince's grandfathers. We catch a scenic train headed south along the coast to the toe of the Italian 'boot'. For five hours be hug mountain ranges on our left and on our right a beach that looks like road fill, as if so...

After the completion of our Turkish tour we booked into the 'Best Island Hostel' for a weeks RnR as over the previous three months (four for Jac) we had covered three continents and twelve countries. The Best Island was, and is likely still, a hovel. I am sure everyone has stayed in a place like this. They cooked the books on their feedback with my favourite fact being the bar keeper sleeping in the dining room/bar and his kids hogging the internet most of the ...

Gallipoli and Ancient Turkey We have a connection in Munich where we receive a tiny European visa but are still surprised not to go through customs at Istanbul. After I try to jump into the front left hand side of a taxi I make way for our BO oozing cabby. The driver speeds unbelievably but handles the speed of if we were in a movie whilst none of the cars on the road seem to use a single lane or indication. Our first sight of Istanbul is through a bay side park...

The Best of Egypt: Aswan and Luxor After settling into our train cabin we invite some of the more thirsty members of the tour group around for a sneaky vodka served into water bottle cut in half and dessert bowls. We quickly run out and make our way the bar carriage. Like bars and restaurants Egypt over this one has the lingering haze of chain smoking staff unable to drink or eat during Ramadan. The bar is seedy with a few overly ocker Aussies on a similar tour...