Panarea

Written by Ruby =]

Isola di Panarea is an island of thunderstorms and flowers. The truth of this is borne out throughout our five night stay.

We are staying in a lovely bay which has a small rocky isthmus on one side with a Neolithic site on top of it. We go for a look one evening and a building storm in the hills above us really adds to the atmosphere. I am standing in the ruins, watching the lightening and feeling the thunder drumming. We are herded back to the boat by the rain, and I have never felt more alive.
There are thunderstorms almost every night and and we are becoming experts at spotting the brewing clouds. It is an interesting change in weather and a new experience for us all.

Despite Panarea being a bit out of the way, many boats come and go and we have different neighbours everyday. The island attracts many high-end visitors, and walking around, we see why. The narrow roads are beautiful, with lovely summer blossoms and whitewashed houses. The roads aren’t wide enough for cars so the vehicle of choice is golf carts! We really enjoy the meandering walk into the nearby town, seeing the sights of nature and enjoying the peace and quiet.

We stop for a lunch at a lovely bakery and eat giant sandwiches and pizza. In the afternoon we actually manage to get lost in a small streets but find our way out and have a granita at the pier looking out at Stromboli Volcano. We hop on a golf cart taxi to take us back to our dinghy at the beach. The ride back was absolutely amazing! Colm, Dad and I sit in the back with no seatbelts and it feels like a rollercoaster as we zoom over the hills and around corners. If I could, I would freeze this feeling of pure joy and excitement without a care in the world.Read more