Tuesday
6th October
Reggio
Calabria
The
Italian train system continues to challenge and entertain. Arriving
at the Napoli Statzione Centrale with plenty of time to spare we
noticed that our train to Reggio was on time ... but it wasn't our
train – different number to the one on our ticket. By the time the
train arrived the number had miraculously reconfigured itself to
number correlating with ours, on the station monitor so, all was
fine. But the entertainment was to continue. At about 20 minutes
into the journey the ticket collector checked our tickets then asked
us to move into the next car. Evidently they were unable to open the
doors and we would have fly out the windows (in
the worlds of a local Italian traveller). We asked the conductor to
give us two seats next to each other “Si, Si Si” was the
response. Of course the seats were in different rows. We sorted
ourselves out in spite of the ministrations of the Italians Transport
System. (It seems that we are also the only Tourists intending
visiting Reggio today .... not a yank or pom to be heard .... should
we be concerned?)
As
we travel relentlessly ever further south towards the boot of Italy
and the land of Giovanni, the Yacopettis and the Mafioso we're
following the Mediterranean coastline, with it's beaches, rocky
headlands and every present olive groves. It's now Autumn and all
along the coast are empty beach side communities that look like ghost
towns boarded up for the winter. It seems our week in Lipari is
going to be REALLY relaxing. The weather is warm, the sun is shining,
so we are happy. Internet connection is marginal...if you are reading
this we've hit a 'hot spot', which are invariable fleeting! So for
the next week we may be forced to sit on a beach and do nothing.
