Date:         Wed, 1 Sep 2010 04:39:59 -0700
Reply-To:     Malcolm Stebbins <mwstebbins@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Malcolm Stebbins <mwstebbins@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Trip Report:  Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily
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We have now safely returned from our 2 month trip through Corsica, Sardinia, and
Sicily.


In short, we found Corsica to be wonderful with its mountains, small villages
that look just the way old France 'should' look, and of course the great
beaches.


Sardinia was a bit of a let down, but then we spent more time on it's touristy
coast, and less time inland in the hills.

Sicily was a mixed bag:  There is SO much obnoxious smoking, and they have
embraced the modern diet of ice cream, fries and pizza to such an extent that
many of the people are obese.  Sicilians are LOUD and boisterous people who
throw their candy wrappers and drink containers in  the street to the extent
that the streets are filled with litter and dog owners let their dogs  defecate
on the sidewalks.  Oh yes, graffiti on many walls.  Having said that, Sicilians
were helpful when asked, and the Cathedrals and archeological sites were
marvelous.

We spend 8 weeks in all on the 3 islands, and then rather than drive back up
through mainland Italy, we decided to take a ferry from Sicily up to Genoa, and
we drove nearly straight north to Brussels where we left the van with  Mike
Plompen to be sold.  Then after a few days visiting Jamila's brother in
Amsterdam, we flew back here to Rabat.

Vanagon content:  We had a wheel bearing go bad in Sicily, but other than that
the van worked fine and the Bostig Ford Zetec engine is a dream to  drive, but
still underpowered for a Syncro camper.  4,000 kms in the islands, and then
another 1,000 kms to Brussels.  Total cost was about $6,500 plus about $3,000
for all of the ferries (Tangier to Genoa, Genoa to Bastia, Bonifacio to Santa
Teresa, Calgari to Naples, Naples to Palermo, Palermo to Genoa) plus about $500
to  fly back from Brussels to Rabat.  All in all, about $10,000 give or take.
Not all  bad for 9 or so weeks.

I'll work on the trip photos and when I get them posted, I'll send a note to the
list.  Malcolm & Jamila