The older we get, the less we need, or want. So it seems. This rings true for many ancients like us. As John Mayer’s old man said to him in his Stop This Train lyrics, “Turn 68, you renegotiate”. You take a different view. Change perspective. With more of the track in hindsight, eyes tend to peer backwards rather than forwards. The only thing we crave for is more time.
And more time is what we could have done with this afternoon. We have a plan. Pitch up early at Camping Olimpo, Santa Flavia. Have lunch. Scoot out. Palermo centro a very reachable 19K. Route plotted on MAPS. On head gizmos synced. Should be a cinch. 32 minutes ETA. Palermo is a massive urban sprawl of over 675,000. This afternoon most of them are out taking a spin, either in their car, or on a scooter. We go in a spin. MAPS goes into a huff. Decides to act mute. Does a Harpo. After seventy-five minutes we eventually dismount. Bottoms not quite numb. Legs barely attached. A couple of bandy’s. Looking like John Wayne look-alikes.
We head straight for the really impressive Cathedral. That is not a literal ‘straight’. Once on Italian soil, that word becomes obsolete. MAPS decides to talk again. Quick marches us through the lefts and rights.
By the time we move on and reach the second of our three planned touristy ‘must do’s’, Palatine Chapel, it’s 16.04. Last entry 16.00! Our third, The Catacombs, are temporary closed.
BThen, when we head back to base, it’s rush hour. Two, three and four lanes chock-a-block with slow moving stationary traffic. That is, apart from Scoot and the other zillion and one other scooter divas. He holds his own. Follows their lead. Sometimes takes it too. Weaves in and out. Creating mini chicanes. A super exhilarating ride gets us back into camp in no time . . .
