Where are we now pilgrim

Apparently I can be annoying at times. So as I travel around, I have been known to say somewhat regularly 'Where are we now pilgrim?'  Response is usually 'no reaction, just ignore'. Or 'Not that rubbish again Randall'.  Occasionally, I get a great big smile.

Lipari was 'A great big smile'.

After bumping along in the hydrofoil from Palermo for almost four hours during which we saw not much and stopped at a couple of forsaken islands with yet to be completed jetties and houses trying to cling to rocks, we were starting to wonder what we had done. I had cut a day out of the trip here thinking that we could spend the time better elsewhere but in the end we could have used the extra day for sure.

Lipari town is a gem. Stylish, well patronised with more classy visitors than we have seen to date. It has a relaxed atmosphere and is confident about itself. Of course in holiday mode with various promises for glorious trips out to volcanic islands, particularly Stromboli, along with dips into the Mediterranean, it is probably at its best just now. Not too busy and not much wind.

Climbing Stromboli at dusk was not for us. So we spent our day there mostly on local buses checking out the coastal places where we might get a swim. We ended up next to a pumice mine where the dust turns the water even more blue and where there were just enough people like us looking for a dip. A couple of water flopping swims were enough before we headed back into town for a relax, a spot of football and people watching along the way. Not that it is about food, but we also had excellent dining experiences in Lipari in places tucked up small laneways. The place has a citadel, a good museum (too many old pots for us) and a couple of good port areas that had a Greek look and feel about them.

But now we are in another world. Taormina, apparently with too many Russian crooks and popular with gay people. A long day to get here with another four hours on the at times, not too smooth, hydrofoil and then a local train along the coast from Messina. This was followed by a steep bus ride up the side of the cliff. My fellow pilgrim has had enough boat travel for now so I am not mentioning the now rapidly approaching drop down to Malta just yet. I am keeping her focussed on thinking about her birthday lunch/dinner tomorrow.

Will it be up to scratch?