MOUNT ETNA - SICILY

WEATHER:  Tops 18C – Lows 17C – rainy and cloudy

HIGHTLIGHT OF THE DAY :  Seeing a live volcano – not hot lava though

BUMMER OF THE DAY: Sitting in a coach for 3 hours to get 45 minutes there

BUYS OF THE DAY:  Strawberry Daiquiri – makes a nice change

WORD OF THE DAY: - ‘smash it down’ as Joe says when having a BIG drinking night!!! 

Welcome back to Italy and the island of Sicily.  It was an early start this morning as we had booked a tour to Mount Etna – the highest volcano in Europe and also still active. 

Compared to ship calls, this is the one we have the least amount of time, with the tour starting at 7.45am and all aboard again by 2pm.  So we high tailed for the drive to Etna which was around 1 hour and 30 minutes from where the ship was docked.  After an hour the driving got tricky going through small villages, where only one car could fit along there narrow roads, and throw a bus into the mix, it really makes for an interesting drive.  Times that by 6 other busses following us, it is amazing the locals put up with it all.  I guess it is an income to most of them and it only happens once a week, but what about if there is a ship in everyday?  In that case I think they would just get used to it.

We were really lucky.  When we got there, we weren’t the last bus, and the weather was really starting to turn, as we were 3340m above sea level, the clouds were starting to roll in, thick as fog.  So we walked the rim of the volcanoes and it was pretty amazing.  The black of the soil made for some great photos with some of the green foliage that has grown around the crater.  I went down to the bottom to get my Bernstar jump, which in hindsight was really lucky as we turned on the last edge of the rim, you couldn’t even see the bottom of the volcano!  So, so lucky.  We only got given 45 minutes here, so if you had driven 1 hour 30 minutes, to get 45 minutes, to then turn around and travel back another 1.5 hours, you would be a little disappointed if you didn’t get to see the crater due to fog!  We were super lucky, and then it started to rain – so we all piled back in the bus for the drive home.

So after buffet lunch for the last time, our last free wine with lunch, and last free wine we took back to our cabin we had to finally pack all our stuff!!!  I had literally unpacked my whole backpack and we used the coat hangers and drawers like civilized people, I was just hoping that it would all fit back into my bag.  To my surprise, it only took me an hour to pack, and once again it all seems to fit in a little too easy!  I still seem to think I have everything, so maybe I am just getting better.  I got another wash done on the ship.  You could get a large bag done for 20EUR – so not bad at all, and we got an update on our accounts and currently there is no laundry charge on there, so maybe I have slipped through the system and got it for FREE!!!  So bag packed we decided to get ready a little earlier and go and start saying some good-byes to our wait staff etc.  I have bought along some Australian stick pins (flags and Kangaroos) and we were given a box of chocolates from our room steward that we just couldn’t fit in our luggage, so we didn’t want to waste them, so we re-gifted a box back to Melvin (wonder if this would seem rude) and we opened the other box and gave away a pin and a chocolate.  It looked like it was all appreciated – not sure if these guys get told what a good job they do, and we felt nice telling them.

The usual itinerary, wine bar, Manhattan Bar, theatre to see the Michael Jackson tribute show – which I have to say was AWESOME ), back to the Manhattan Bar, Dinner at 9pm, photo shop, Manhattan Bar and finally to the Liquid Disco for the last time.  We wanted to say good-bye to our photo crew friends, so they met us at the Manhattan Bar after 12 midnight, we had a few drinks there till 1 and we got kicked out and they came up to Liquid till 2am, which is when they have to go back to their cabins – some rule of some sort.  But it was an awesome night, and a great night to finish up our WONDERFUL MSC FANTASIA cruise.  We have made new friends and hope to catch up with them again next year when I will be back in Europe.  I haven’t been to Romania – so Stefan and Ioana we will definelty be taking you up on your offer to see your wonderful country.  We are going to miss you guys……

Thanks MSC and thanks for the memories and new friends xxxxx