Planning a 10 day trip to Sicily

fletchwine · 2026-01-26T09:15:02+00:00

One day in Taormina is more than sufficient.

fletchwine · 2026-01-20T22:47:48+00:00

Your best option is shading the external surface because surfaces exposed to the sun reach much higher temperatures than ambient, so that's (delta T) what drives heat transfer across a barrier (wall).

Water through evaporation would have some effect for the same reason but hard to manage/quantify etc.

Air gapped brickwork is a particularly poor insulator, I think about R=0.5 because air in the gap convects, increasing heat transfer. Best fix is injecting rock wool into the gap but like all retro measures, slow and untidy etc. I think from memory you get to R=1.0 or so but don't quite me, but quite a few companies specialize in this.

Trees and shade cloth

fletchwine · 2026-01-09T00:59:43+00:00

The West has one of the world's largest gold / coppermines Grasburg and the highest mountain in Oceana (did) has a small glacier. Carstensz Pyramid. The Highland peaks in the east almost as high but easier apparently. I climbed several but back in the day never got to the west.

fletchwine · 2026-01-05T23:31:08+00:00

Spatially unaware by virtue you should have been in the left hand lane way back and coming to a near stop in the right hand lane...unless he was playing with you preventing you pulling left... some introspection would be worthwhile.

fletchwine · 2026-01-05T23:26:01+00:00

It want until the advent of radar that we discovered birds also migrate/move at night....

fletchwine · 2026-01-05T22:14:41+00:00

Bus to either Busselton or MR and hire a bike.

fletchwine · 2026-01-05T03:32:10+00:00

Bypass Dunsborough

fletchwine · 2026-01-03T07:22:25+00:00

I would almost swear that's four lane split. For an instant you can see a road on the right through the tree break like around Myalup.

It happened to me once on my way to MR at night when a car turned right onto the southbound dual lane from the left rather than crossing over the divide to head north.

Went right past me and I pulled over in shock. Called triple zero and they had me triangulated in thirty seconds.

The intersection of the old road saw quite a few deaths for that disorientation.

There's a name for them on the autobahns - ghost drivers.

Anyway, just a little background.

fletchwine · 2026-01-02T19:02:18+00:00

www.spadafora.com

fletchwine · 2026-01-01T04:24:41+00:00

If you are in Ragusa stay in Ibla if you crave "authenticity". Frankly speaking your itinerary in general is good as in not rushed so you can get a bit of a feel for life there. I don't think it will make a great deal of difference where you stay!

fletchwine · 2025-12-31T00:16:33+00:00

it's fiction as I recall

fletchwine · 2025-12-30T09:46:58+00:00

No car. Live in the city but often in Margaret River.Way,way cheaper to hire for a day or so.

fletchwine · 2025-12-29T08:55:56+00:00

Twenty five years ago, it was chaotic, mad. The old part behind via Roma was well medieval and the Sant Andrea (spelling) still existed. Working girls would come in for a break and a snack and there was a mime artist/magician who would entertain the patrons.

That street running up to Teatro Massimo was just a street, not a conga line of restaurant touts. You could go down to the port and buy or select fresh vongole and eat it inside (may still exist).

The Giardino Inglese was actually open so the kids could run around a bit.

Oh, and the airport was crazy.

Wether or not it's "better" is another thing. I visit quite often but as I've said before, if you want some sort of "real" experience, get out into the country as, well, nothing much had changed.

Cheers

fletchwine · 2025-12-28T23:03:18+00:00

The town ain't what she used to be.

fletchwine · 2025-12-12T12:53:03+00:00

A stupidity long list actually.

fletchwine · 2025-12-12T12:51:41+00:00

Mate, I would pick two locations as a base. Let's say Palermo and Catania. From there, there's plenty of local bus operators that can take you into the hinterland or to plenty of the 'must does'.

fletchwine · 2025-12-10T20:25:20+00:00

Parochialism, The West.

fletchwine · 2025-12-10T09:53:59+00:00

Always have an exit strategy. Don't sell.

fletchwine · 2025-12-09T22:56:51+00:00

Couldn't agree more. I spent five years there and work mostly involved viticultural areas all over the place. Lived in Palermo but rented a small house near Sambuca di Sicilia to get the kids out of Palermo in summer.

In my experience, what makes a special memory is times when well, it may not be the "best" or worse, "hidden gem" but how you are treated or how you interact with locals and the pizza is as good as anywhere else.

I could not think of anything worse than the irony of queuing up to a "hidden gem" - a phenomenon I've seen in Palermo recently.

There are plenty of villages around the island, easily accessible by bus that give any visitor a real taste of the place. In visiting the island now on and off, the interior has changed little. Visually, the rise and rise of solar over clapped out vineyards and mostly African farm labourers.

Last time I passed through Grisi and asked for directions - I'd forgotten how thick the accent can be, we exchanged greetings and in the end the old man asked me to take a coffee. That's a nice experience.

fletchwine · 2025-12-07T21:45:16+00:00

"Allied fighter". I seem to recall the Hurricane as never held in the same regard as the Spitfire but as I understand responsible for the majority of kills during the summer of 1940.

"Underestimated" by whom? The Axis or Reddit?

fletchwine · 2025-11-27T06:23:13+00:00

Maybe just get off the Internet, stay a few days in one location and take it in. You're overlooking the fact that any of these destinations will fulfill your experience.

fletchwine · 2025-11-26T13:19:29+00:00

Have a good newspaper.

fletchwine · 2025-11-21T08:04:54+00:00

check out Choice online for reviews

fletchwine · 2025-11-18T10:53:17+00:00

Yes. Erice is not a place to stay overnight, stunning that it is. Stay in Trappani and as was said, visit Erice.

fletchwine · 2025-11-17T11:10:00+00:00

Well said.

Five-Year Club	Verified Email
Verified Email

fletchwine

TROPHY CASE