01-Sep-2001 -- At 1000CEST I left my home in Taormina by car. First I went over the Highway A18 to Messina, in order to take the Ferry to Villa San Giovanni on continental Italy (for your guidance there is a project to build a suspension bridge over the Strait of Messina within the next 5 years). From Villa San Giovanni I continued on Highway A3 until Lamezia Terme, thence I went on the State Road SS280 (E848) to Catanzaro and turned South into the SS19 until Catanzaro Marinaro on the Gulf of Squillace.(see the picture of Italy's beaches 2 days after end of tourist season). Thence I went on SS106 (the "Jonica"-Street, as it passes for a long distance along the beautiful Ionian Coast) until the tiny village of Campolungo, from where a very narrow road in deplorable state winds up towards Cutro. Shortly after the village of Rosito, being only a group of a few abandoned farm houses I reached Latitude 39N and stopped. There is a road crossing, too. According to my map the correct Longitude of 17E should have been only a 250 metres off the road. The first sight seemed promising. After all my bad luck I was already happy and felt strong. No dogs, obviously easy topography.

So I proceeded to the exact Latitude and there was a wide gap. I could not believe my eyes. How is this possible? Well, I tried to go to the exact longitude, sacrificing latitude, just to see. And again, a gap.

Well. that was it. My car isn't offroad and myself certainly no longer with my age. I attach a picture showing the village of Cutro.

Vegetation is dry and not abundant at this season. The prevailing crop is yellow corn.

I went back the same way full of anger to Villa San Giovanni, took the Ferry to my home island Sicily and if I were a drunkard I would have opened a bottle of Scotch in order to forget.