Wednesday 28 September

Wednesday 28th September

The amazing race continues, with just as much drama. We wake around 730am, and visit one island we believe is not Lipari. At 8am jen asks a man about Lipari and he replied 'proxima'. So next stop we see many people preparing to get off. We pack and also prepare. The ferry docks, we get off and make out way down the dock. At the end Jen says 'this kinda looks like Lipari'. Now Jen has been here before, so for me, kinda wasn't good enough and rang alarm bells. I went to a tour guide and asked "Lipari?", he replied "no Lipari" and pointed to the next island. Heart racing as I saw the last cars coming off the ferry, I told Jen, carried her back pack and we both ran for the soon departing ferry we had just disembarked. Sweat looting down my face we made it with 20-30 seconds to spare ... once again. The English speakers onboard on the deck thought it was a great spectacle. Back onboard and 45 mins later we were in Lipari for real (10.30am).

We checked into Diana Brown hotel and advised we were here to climb Stromboli tomorrow or the day after. Diana told us it's either today o Saturday, as that's when the tours go. Since we weren't here Saturday, today was the day. Why not? It's no as though we are tired or anything. Pfft. So more rushing and we had booked and made our way, lunch, dinner, hiking supplies and clothes in hand to the Marina by 11.45 for the trip to climb the active Volcano Stromboli. This might be hard. (http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stromboli).

The trip was to be a 2.5 hour boat trip, with a stop for a swim and snorkel at a remote island with crystal clear water. Awesome. Arriving Stromboli we geared up for the 2.5 hour climb, 20 minute viewing which was incredible, and 1.5 hour decent down sand like steep mountain.

The eruptions were amazing. The only mountain you can view from above the eruptions. Six or so while we were there. Lava and rocks flying around. A new life experience.

The decent was tough, in the dark down what were essentially sand dunes of ash. Jen's knee gave her trouble in the last half hour or so but she toughed it out. Tough woman. A quicker 2 hour boat ride back, with one couple making out on the boat almost the whole way home, ewww, and three Swiss codgers getting liquored. Funny ya. Home, totally spent, but a fantastic and memorable day.