Chapter 36

           Ihaveonlyaweeklefthere.I’mplanningtogobacktoAmericaforChristmasbeforeflyingtoIndia,notonlybecauseIcan’tstandthethoughtofspendingChristmaswithoutmyfamilybutalsobecausethenexteightmonthsofmyjourney-IndiaandIndonesia-requireacompleterepackingofgear.VerylittleofthestuffyouneedwhenyouarelivinginRomeisthesamestuffyouneedwhenyouarewanderingaroundIndia.

           Andmaybeit’sinpreparationformytriptoIndiathatIdecidetospendthislastweektravelingthroughSicily-themostthird-worldsectionofItaly,andthereforenotabadplacetogoifyouneedtoprepareyourselftoexperienceextremepoverty.OrmaybeIonlywanttogotoSicilybecauseofwhatGoethesaid:"WithoutseeingSicilyonecannotgetaclearideaofwhatItalyis."

           Butit’snoteasygettingtooraroundSicily.Ihavetouseallmyfinding-outskillstofindatrainthatrunsonSundayallthewaydownthecoastandthentofindthecorrectferryboattoMessina(ascaryandsuspiciousSicilianporttownthatseemstohowlfrombehindbarricadeddoors,"It’snotmyfaultI’mugly!I’vebeenearthquakedandcarpet-bombedandrapedbytheMafia,too!")OnceI’vearrivedinMessina,Ihavetofindabusstation(grimyasasmoker’slung)andfindthemanwhosejobitistositthereintheticketbooth,mourninghislife,andseeifhewillpleasesellmeatickettothecoastaltownofTaormina.