15th May - To Catania
I include a picture of my toes purely in the interests of medical science - should, by some remarkable occurrence, my offspring feel a surge of sympathy for me in seeing this picture of my poor suffering toe then I would encourage them to nurture that sympathy.
The owner arrives to help us get out bags down to the street - we need her - the stairs so steep that we are sure we could not achieve the feat ourselves.
She loads the luggage - She loads us into her tiny car - we arrive at the underground carpark to recover the hire car.
I look at the rear right wheel - it has significant kerb rash - I look at the tyre itself - no! - it has small chunk cut out of it - the rental car people are not going to be happy!
Off to Bari - we refuel just before the drop off - the young Italian petrol station assistant picks us as tourists - "where have you been" says he - before I get a chance to answer he volunteers the answer - "Lecce - Alberobello - Locorotondo" - we chat away.
The rental car is checked - indeed they are not happy! - the young fellow has been through all of this before - "you have broker insurance" he asks. I am pleased I have taken private rental cover!
Soon we are biding our time in the relatively small Bari Airport awaiting our flight to Rome and onto Catania. We visit McDonald's - $19au for a big Mac!!! - more than a plate of occhietta pomodoro!!!
We reflect on the towns we visited - they are all significant sized cities with a small, well preserved "Centro Storico".
The cities themselves are busy and somewhat unkempt - multistory accommodation blocks predominate - they are not places one would rush to visit if it was not for the charm of their largely vehicle free, tourist orientated historic centres.
We sit in the airport and watch - ah - the circle of fashion! - white sneakers are back - bright shiny white sneakers - white sneakers that are now generously described as light yellow - their owners all weary travelers keen to get home - there is no place like home!
Two trouble-free flights see us coming into land at Catania - we look down over rich agricultural lands - rich soils laser formed into large flood irrigation blocks - the crops lush!
A taxi - the driver? Sicilian - friendly - mother and sister in Australia - "Botany"- says he - a relaxed drive to our accommodations.
The owner talks to us through Whatsapp - opens the doors remotely - we are in to face the mountain climbing exercise which is involved in reaching the actual apartment.
The apartment? - two separately let two room studios with a large common dining and lounge room between - beautiful.
I stagger up the stairs with the first of our cases - we are met in the common area by the swedish couple in the other studio - 60 - maybe 65 - the female looks at me and says - "I will get your other case - I am a viking!" - I protest - her husband just looks and and says - "she really is a viking!" - in a flash the other case arrives - no dragging for this viking - she simply carries it up the 50 steps without raising a breath.
We are ready for a sleep.
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