20 April Free camping at Segesta looking over the beautiful Greek temple, up to a theatre, and across to the far away coast and Castelmare del Golfo.


Another wonderful day! Started off with a nice bfast at the hotel for everyone except me – I ate plain bread! Spent next couple of hours looking around Trapani showing the lovely bits to H and L. Bought bread and vegies and had pretty crappy ride out of town through the suburbs. Stopped in church garden for lunch.

Sicily seemed busier, hotter, drier and scruffier than Sardegna. Then we climbed out of it up hills into back roads. We ended up on a beautiful road that followed a ridge. Had gorgeous views across cultivated valleys, little farm houses. It became forested with gum trees and pines. The sun was warm, we had a tail wind, and the afternoon was quite idyllic, we all agreed. Dropped into a little settlement and then pedaled through an exquisite little valley, and then up to the site at Segesta. It was free for 'cultural day', and instead of shutting at 6 it was shutting at 7. We needed water, and the bar gave us non-potable water for cooking, and we needed a camp site, and a girl in the gift shop said we could camp for one night in the parking area of a restaurant 500m down the road. So, with our hearts light, the bus took us up to the amphitheatre, where a horde of small school children were waiting to board it, and we had the site to ourselves, in all its loveliness and tranquility – with a wonderful view to the small mountain opposite, and a panorama stretching all the way to the sea. The bus took us back and we walked up to the temple, which was marvellously complete except for its decorative friezes. It was both massive and graceful, with a strong sense of presence – it should have – it's been standing there for two and a half thousand years!
We found the camping spot. It had a view up to the amphitheatre, and across to the temple. We could hardly believe our luck! I had a dinner of boiled potatoes with some broadbeans thrown in. Am determined to beat this stomach bug.