Santa Marina, Salina

The wharf at Milazzo

Day 6: is a disaster. I miss a turn, then there's a closed road, and the GPS stays on 1 hour 10 to go for a good hour. Getting anywhere here seems to be chancy, and I starting to dislike the crumbled run down corrupt feel. We decide to just go on the freeway and get there. Louis vomits after 2 plus hours of driving, so we clean up, and head for the nearest town on the map. After going through a few more, we find one with a cafe (Milo?) that has sandwiches in the bain marie, and some junkie in the street hassling us for a euro. The church is gorgeous, made from black volcanic rock. The kids play in the volcanic black sand that's all over the streets, sending dust into our faces and camera. We give up and shoot straight for Milazzo on the autostrada.

The boys are excited by the pointy hydrofoil, that sits up on its wings. Arriving in Santa Marina, Salina, I ask the girl in the shop under my great aunts former home, if the address is no. 123. She says yes, so I say my aunts used to live above. She asks what name. I say Righetti. She says that was her grandmother. Every time I meet direct relatives is an experience.

When I return, Tina, my 1st cousin once removed is also there, and hasn't changed much in the last 16 years, except her husband Liberatore died 12 years ago. My two great aunts Ida & Nunziatina have died, as have cousin Pippo, and Antonio La Rosa, husband of Marusca.

Day 7: Tina takes us for a walk along the water. We have lunch and a sleep. We walk the main street, then go have dinner. That's it.

Day 8: Seeing Christiana in the street (there's only 2 real ones, so chances are high), we end up at her place, with her sister Manuela and Manuela's son Gaetano, and her mum Lydia.

Unsure if we were invited, we hover around Marusca's place. I'm not sure if it's her place either. But we ring on the bell, the door opens, and it seems we were expected but not certainly. Anyway, it's a dream of interesting angles, thick heavy walls and round arches, with unlimited views across to the island of Lipari. Sergio, son of Julia (sister of Marusca and Tina), joins us for lunch, and entertains Ollie.

You know you're in your family's village when every time you walk along main street, Louis says 'can we go to Tina's place?' when we pass it.