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October 7, 2003
Off to explore again this weekend.
Seems like I have gotten trapped in the loop between home and work lately. I came here with the intention to travel as much as possible and can already see that faltering. So to remedy that, I am taking the zoo to a little island called <a href="http://www.emmeti.it/Welcome/Sicilia/Eolie/Lipari/index.uk.html">Lipari, part of the Aeolian chain at the top of Sicily</a>. Multiple people have raved about it but alas, none of them have done it with kids. It takes about two hours to get up to the port (in Messina) where we catch a hydrofoil to the islands. That should be another hour or so. I will be leaving the van in a secured parking lot in Messina. Once we get to Lipari, there are supposedly people waiting at the pier waiting to convince people to stay at their hotel. Apparently no one makes reservations, so we haven't either. If worse comes to worse, we can always catch the hydrofoil home at the end of the day. I can rent a car there for a day to see the sites but there are also tours of the <a href="http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/vwdocs/volc_images/europe_west_asia/lipari.html">island and side trips to the surrounding islands</a>. I am especially interested in the neighboring island of Vulcano, where there are supposed to be mud baths (however sulfur-y stinky).
Then, on the 23rd, we will be staying at a <a href="http://www.nsa.naples.navy.mil/MWR/carneypark.htm">military campground near Naples called Carney Park</a>. This is situated IN a volcano crater - neat huh? I am planning three nights and returning that Sunday. I will drive the whole way, which should take about 8 hours. We will have to catch an autoferry from Sicily to the mainland but that will only take about 30 minutes. We are hoping to do a Roman ruin tour which includes the Colliseum and other major works. We are also really looking forward to <a href="http://www.uniplan.it/ruins/">seeing Pompeii</a> (website is in Italian, but you can at least see some cool pictures). Most of the artifacts (including the petrified people) are actually in a museum in Naples so we will try to see both. Not sure what else we will do but I am not too worried because I fully intend to return to Rome later.
Posted by DebC at October 7, 2003 11:29 AM
Comments
Well its a good thing your are doing all this stuff now. That way when i do come back if i ever do you will know how to do everything. Right? well Ill try to give you a call later sometime. and Ill wirte you to know whats going on. tell the boys i love them and miss them very very much. also have them make a christmas list for me.
Posted by: Cheryl at October 10, 2003 4:09 AM
Deb: Hope the boys know how lucky they are that they get to experience what most of us just read about! Much love to all and have safe trip and FUN> We're leaving for three weeks for hunting camp Penn. Love Gramma
Posted by: belva at October 10, 2003 7:14 PM