After our crazy volcono-climbing, we woke up late (10am) and hobbled to the shop to return all the stuff we’d rented. We swore that today would be a relaxing day seeing we climbed the volcano the day before.

I took lots of pictures of flowers. The hibiscus and bougainvillea here is so much prettier than any I’ve seen in Asia… the flowers are all bright, lush and seemingly perfect.

There’s a great souvenier shop in the village near the church, where I wanted to buy a cute small painted boat but it cost 28 euros. I didn’t think it was worth it so I got a painted boat and rainbow in a frame that Y spotted, for 18 euros. Really cute and I can’t wait to put it at home in KL 😀

We had our best meal yet that day for lunch, pretty much by accident. We asked the woman in the souvenier shop whether there’s good pasta nearby and she told us to go to Da Luciano. We found it and ordered a seafood pasta each (16 euros). I initially wanted scampi but they ran out.

After a satisfying lunch, we slowly walked towards the beach. I watched Y sidle up curiously to a guy painting his boat, and when he finished his red star, she clapped. He was a nice and shy man, and told us to look for his friend Dom who rents out umbrellas and lounge chairs on the beach, cos we asked. We set out down the long hot road. As I was taking a picture of a cactus flower, the boat guy came along with his little car and was so nice to give us a lift to his friend’s beach area. We asked him some questions and he said his name is Stefan and how he used to stay in Australia for a couple of years. Australia seems very popular with Strombolians, as many of them emigrated there when the volcano last erupted 200 years ago and destroyed the village.
Stefan: I went to Australia for a holiday
Y: Oh I thought you stayed there for two years?
Stefan: Yes, I went for a holiday, for a month, then I met a girl. She became my girlfriend, then I stayed for two years. Then we broke up, then I come home.
We laughed cos the way he told it was so cute.

Y and I rented an umbrella on the beach and got some gelato. We buried our toys in the sand, played in the water, and looked through various stones cos I wanted to find Wilson an Italian girlfriend. It was really difficult to find a roundish beach stone that was around his size. Plus it was really hot and we tried quite hard.
Y: I can’t believe we’re walking around trying to find a rock to be your golf ball’s girlfriend!
Me: If you don’t this kind of thing with me, who else are you gonna do it with…
Y: You shouldn’t be in an Indian
Me: What?!
Y: You shouldn’t have an arranged marriage for him, you should throw him into the rocks and let him choose. Let Fate choose!

I hmm-ed at the idea and carefully threw Wilson at some rocks, but they were all so ugly!
Me: I don’t care if it’s an arranged marriage! I think I’m being open enough by letting him go out with a rock and not another golf ball!

In the end we didn’t find a suitable girlfriend so it’s just not meant to be. The right rock will come along when it does, Wilson.

After enough of playing on the beach, we were deciding whether to walk towards town or back to the guesthouse. Y made me decide, saying, “Come on, make some decisions. The reason I like coming on holiday with you is because you make some decisions!” Ok fine. I said let’s go to the town cos we hadn’t really been there except when we arrived and we had nothing else to do and lots of time.

We took a slow walk in the heat and met a man called Frank who asked whether we’d like to go on his boat to see the volcano from the sea for 15 euros each, “Ah I saw you girls the other day but I didn’t get to ask you!” He spoke excellent English and we thought why not, it’s not like we had anything planned so we said okay and paid a 10 euro deposit.

There were two hours before the boat ride so we sat in a bar and drank beers while doing nothing. That ‘Somebody I used to know’ song came on and I like it, though Y hates it and started scrunching up her face. The bar suddenly played the song even LOUDER, probably cos they think everyone likes it, but it was just TOO LOUD, I couldn’t even TALK to Y without shouting.

At 8pm, we walked to the pier where Frank took us on his boat along with some French tourists and er others from where I’m not sure – they were really quiet. It was gorgeous to be out on sea at sunset. Simply amazingly gorgeous. I love the deep sea at this time. The slick surface of the orange and prussian water looking like it’s trying to lick the last rays of sunset is a real pleasure to watch. We took SO many pictures of the same scene trying to catch as many pieces of the moment as we could.

Frank took us to the side of the island where noone inhabits cos it’s where the lava runs down the side and is all volcanic ash and rock. We stayed a safe distance and Frank joked that we could go swimming if we wanted to. Well, I really wanted to. I stared at the water and we poked our fingertips into it to test the cold. It seemed warm-ish… And I asked Frank, “Seriously? Can we swim?” I was just thinking of how nice if I could get a picture with the volcano behind me. The French tourists grinned at me and said, “You’re crazy!” But I didn’t think it was that crazy… and I love swimming in deep water! Plus the surface was very calm with no waves at all. So I quickly took my clothes off before he changed his mind and slipped into the water. Y took a picture of me but the volcano isn’t even behind me -_- Luckily there is ONE nice picture of both of us and the volcano after she got into the water too. I wish I could have stayed in the water longer, it was a breeze to tread water and just watch the volcano. It reminded me of our time in South France when we treaded water and watched a Sunday mass at sea. Something a bit magical.

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