Get there

The flight 



We made use of every kg of baggage allowance that our airline Cathay Pacific granted. Those bags were chocca – even the 2dollar shop one's that we'd double layered. Fortunately this time we flew we could have one child each and the small prescribed antihistamine bottle of promethazine… stayed intact. Milan & Carlos were a huge credit to us, Milan still has a great nact for putting her Papa to sleep, the sweet talking and face strokes worked a treat. Auckland -Hong Kong -Rome -

Thirty five hours later we had arrived in Catania, in our haste we hadn't made it clear to the club our date and time of arrival.. and so we spent another 3 hours unnecessarily in an airport,... huuuh. In Catania there's a 10 hour time difference with New Zealand, so essentially we are their opposite.

The kids were struggling at the end, .. a perfect time get our Gelato's on! Fragola, Anana's, Pistachio – Superb ..we'd arrived.

The accomodation

While more permanent living options were being vacated - other players were in hotels til others holiday makers left town & our places became available in their off season a reminder of weather to come -rugby being a winter sport... We were taken to a Pensione -B&B at the foot of Mt Etna. It was attached to a well maintained aristocratic Villa. A kind ex-player was a great-grandson of the original Salvatore Bella Vista. They grew olives, fig trees, citrus of every kind and were a venue for weddings. We explored the surroundings and we found mammoth ants, small lizards  & hospitable locals.

Straight to Speedo's for Carlos

The Mt Etna

She's the tallest, largest active volcano in Europe – weve already seen how active she is... steam & ash emissions happened the first week of arrival. In past adventurers have been killed getting a good view at the top and been surprised by a 'burp/'belches' – volcanic explosion. This is super fascinating to Milan – her big cousins have made a a number of volcano's with her, the old playdough, tube, baking soda & red food colouring.  To live beneath an active Volcano has taken some explaining. In 1669 it destroyed Catania, then eruptions in 1971, 1992, 2001 & 2003 have kept residents & travellers weary. Our tickets were booked well before I did any form of research!