The Journeys end!

Now where was I? Well after a nightmare journey we made it to Sicily, just about in one piece.

The train did in fact go on the ferry across the water seperating the island from the mainland, it was quite something, the train was split in two then pushed onto the train tracks inside of the ferry, then it was a 20mins or so on the boat, we could get out of the train have a wander then back in our seats to be pushed back onto the tracks on land. But we then had a 45min wait in the station on the, already heated up train, with no air con, there is nothing to describe how hot it was, must've been getting on for 40 degrees, could not get off and just had to sit and cook. Very unpleasant!

We finally arrived at our destination station 45 mins after we were due in, our taxi that the B&B had arranged for us was not there and there was just one lone taxi sitting waiting. We were 4km from where we staying so had to taxi, it was almost 9pm by this time. So we walked over to the taxi, the driver was flipping burgers in a van (???) and left that and jumped in his cab (???) that did not appear to have a meter. Now I don't like to stereotype, but Sicily does kinda have a reputation of being the home of the Mafia, our taxi driver did not look like someone you argued with if you get my meaning. He did'nt know the address of our B&B (taxi driver???) and drove us round and round asking random people for directions, although we had shown him a map and it was quite a big road, hmmmm. Anyway €20 (just paid, too scared to question the fare!!) later we were at our B&B which was shut, I had been trying to phone them to let them know we were on our way but both numbers kept cutting off or not ringing, aghhhhhhh......

Anyway we finally managed to get through and the B&B owner came along a few mins later to let us in. Now I had already had a nightmare booking something for this particular night, we were only staying one night in the port town of Milazzo as we were getting the boat from there early the next day to reach Salina in the Aeolian Islands. The first place I booked, through Venere.com (yes I am naming and shaming) said they did not have my reservation and had no availability (I have emailed Venere 3 times about this and have had no response) and that helpful B&B owner booked us in with his friend somewhere else. If I had not emailed the original B&B to let them know our arrival time I would not have known we had no room, thank christ I did, after the day we had had that would've just about finished us off. I have a copy of the confirmed reservation from Venere.com!! F**kers! I have also used them a lot and never had a problem, won't be using them anymore!!!

So by the time we actually got into our room it was almost 9.30, 11 hours since we had left Positano. Hot, sweaty and tired, we showered and sat on the bed eating biscuits and breadsticks for our dinner whilst watching the most random Italian TV show I have ever seen, it was like two audiences playing sing star mixed with the generation game with some drag queens, dominatrix and gimps, a few fairy's, scantily clad women (as always, this is Italy after all, near naked chicks in every advert, I actually saw a whole nipple one breakfast time!!) and a blow up doll thrown in!!!!!!!!

See, it was all worth it!!!
More pics in next blog.  

But we made it and after a good nights sleep we left by 8.30am to jump on the boat that was taking us to where we are now, a little piece of paradise, the stunning Aeolian islands. Ahhhhhh............