Ants on the march

The ants were on the march, and so are we! After a gloriously sunny few days at Camping Athena - we stayed 6 nights in the end, we decided it was time to move on south, leaving the ants behind, well most of them!  As for the ants, we made the common mistake of letting a tree branch touch the van (windscreen in this case) and the little blighters moved in one night whilst we were asleep, abseiling down into the engine compartment, up through the handbrake into the cab, and from there marching into the breakfast drawer where there was a tiny amount of honey that had leaked from a squeezy bottle.  One and a half hours later they were finally beaten back and we could have breakfast!

We headed north from Athena at Paestum to join the A3 motorway that runs south along the spine of Italy.  This was to be a functional drive as we wanted to do the 200 or so miles we'd planned in half a day.  The drive started Italian style; road closure/detour but we still made good time, although not for long, as soon the familiar yellow lines, signifying roadworks reappeared, and after a short while, between Laino Borgo and Mormanno, traffic was diverted off the motorway for an hour long detour in the mountains!  A major reconstruction of roads and tunnels is going on, so be aware if you're in this neck of the woods anytime soon.

The driving along this stretch is beautiful though, and we agreed it was probably the most scenic motorway journey either of us had ever done, so the time taken wasn't such a hardship. Quiet too, and free.

We arrived at Camping Mimosa, around the headland from Tropea and not far from Rosarno in the late afternoon.  As we bumped and rattled our way off the motorway (no change there then!) we reflected how similar in feel it was to southern Spain in the 1980s.  Scruffy, interesting and full of character! We're liking Italy more and more the further south we travel.  The only thing that's not so great here (and has changed in Spain) is the litter and fly tipping with lay-bys outside many villages full of rubbish, and beaches peppered with debris outside of the concession areas.  There are a few exceptions of course, but not many and it's sad to see so much litter, even in places where tourism is a major factor in the local economy.

Back at Mimosa, we settled onto our pitch and enjoyed a pleasant two night stay.  This is a family run site on a long sandy beach, a super little restaurant serving fresh fish, and shower cubicles open to the sky; it was lovely to shower outdoors!

Next stop, Sicilia!  A short drive and a 30minute crossing away. We picked up our tickets at the motorway service station bar en route, on recommendation of the campsite owner, so were ready to board as soon as we arrived at San Giovanni port.

J.