The winding down begins

All these many days we started out with are dwindling away fast now. Beginning a trip this long felt like holding a wallet stuffed full of big bills....and now we're counting the change.

With our bank balance of time running low, its tempting to think what's one more sight I can fit in? But really, we need a couple of closer to home days before the big push to Rome, then onwards home.

The packing, the sorting, the trepidation of bringing out the luggage scale...it's getting real. The very idea of wearing long pants, socks, shoes... Oh no!

So there are breaks. A slow drive to Martina Franca for market day. The pleasure of slowly ambling along the stalls. Nothing to be purchased, despite the temptation of bright colourful pyramids of fruits and vegetables.

A quiet enjoyment of smooth pale gold stones underfoot, white walls and short steep steps to doors with a single, central door knob. And the brilliant highlights of bougainvillia and geraniums perfectly accentuating cool backgrounds.

There's time to just stop and watch the skill and patience of the worker manning the controls of the vertical crane lifting a large crate high onto a roof. There's barely any room for him to manœuvre, and people stroll right under the crane. A delivery van swoops in and out, scooters pass. Amazing, at home as Brad observes, streets would be blocked off all around.

Time to enjoy a chat with chance met fellow Canadians, a young family with an adorable toddler.

And home, to swim in a sea that almost feels gelid. Its waves draw me in, then gently push me back and forth. Until it time to dry off, brush off the sand, find a good glass of wine and enjoy the sunset picture show.

Its a fine show tonight, indeed.Read more