7th February

Moved on back to Rais Gerbi for two nights prior to catching the Ferry from Palermo to Genoa.

I will finish off my two paintings as I seem to arrived back in to a rain zone.

They do seem to have had some storms here as a tree blew down on the day I left and crushed one end of the cabin I was staying in for the last thre weeks [have photo].

Sorry this is such a short dull blog but computer still not right and have of this blog just disappeared when i spell checked it!

5th February 2009

Moved on to Catania a city the size of Bristol. I did not realise it but 12% of Italys population lives in Sicily and when you see a dot on a map here it isn't a village as in UK it is usually a vast town of some considerable size.

Weather still very hot so walked into Catania had lunch, wandered for hours - actually found a shop that sends birthday cards - a rarity here as the dont seem to send cards to each other it is deemed impersonal and you must visit to pay your respects.

Had to walk back another hour in the blazing heat as you have to buy a ticket prior to boarding the bus (which is nigh on impossible!) I found one shop that said he did, but on enquiring he said they were sold from a vending machine two minutes up the road - which they weren't, and no bus passed me in that time as it was siesta time.

Just lazed in the sun or sat on the rocks watching the fishermen just offshore to hot to do anything else apart from reading my book.

February 2nd 2009

This is my last night in Punta Brachetto, tomorrow I leave for Syracuse for two nights 3/4th then move onto Catania where I will stay until the morning of the 9th when I will leave Palermo by ferry to Genoa.

As to my pictures when the weather inproves I'll photograph them and put them on here.

After Genoa - dependant on the weather I'll either dash for home via Vihiers in the Loire and pop in and see Steven and Jill at Ville Dieu - Les Poeles or trundle [ I'm good at trundling] via Monte Carlo, Nice, Marseilles, Bordeaux and Brittany etc

If its crap then I will catch the ferry from St Malo to Weymouth which will pay for itself and knock 8oo miles off my journey, which fuel wise will pay for the ticket cost and save hotel bills as there are no camp sites open at this time of year.

If I do this though it will mean I will miss out on seeing Pat and Keith in Dover and Elly and Mr Crusty at Church Crookham so we'll see.

All the best wishes for freezing snowbound weather beaten England. When I say cold here I mean like now as I'm having to change my shorts and tee for trousers and tee. The problems I have you wouldn't believe.

Grover and Laurence