Day 110 - Beach Glass and Slow Living in Campofelice di Roccella

Our first full day in Campofelice di Roccella started around 7am, which seems to have become our standard wake-up time on this trip.

Luckily we still had some food and milk left over from our Giardini Naxos accommodation because we hadn’t made it to the shops the day before. After a quick coffee and some oats for the kids, Kia decided to take Maddie and Emmett down to the beach while I headed out for a run.

I managed about 7km along the waterfront before meeting them back down on the beach. We swapped over and Kia headed out for her run while the kids and I wandered along the shoreline looking for somewhere suitable to swim. There’s an outlet pipe nearby and swimming isn’t allowed within 400 metres of it, so we walked a fair way up the beach to find a good spot.

Along the way we discovered something pretty cool. Mixed in amongst the rocks were pieces of broken glass that had been worn smooth by the ocean. The pieces looked like little gems scattered along the shoreline. Greens, yellows, blues and clear pieces were glinting amongst the stones. The kids loved it and we started collecting handfuls as we walked.

We might even try making some Sicilian beach glass jewellery with them.

When we eventually reached a good spot, Maddie and Emmett didn’t hesitate and jumped straight into the water. It was definitely on the cold side, so I stayed at the edge for a while, walking along shin-deep and skimming rocks across the surface.

Kia returned from her run shortly after and went straight in with the kids. Once she was in the water I knew I didn’t really have an excuse anymore, so I followed them in. It was cold at first but surprisingly refreshing once you were fully in.

After our swim we headed back to the house for a quick bite to eat before going out to find a supermarket. The towns around here have a lot of large Aldi-style supermarkets which are easy to shop in and pretty affordable. We stocked up on enough groceries to last a few days, which came to €125.

Once we were back home the kids settled into their schoolwork while we got on with some washing and general chores around the house.

Later in the afternoon Emmett and I headed back down to the beach to collect driftwood for a small fire. While we were out scavenging along the shoreline, Maddie stayed behind and made mini cakes in mugs.

Dinner that night was spaghetti, simple and perfect after a full day outside. After eating we lit the fire and sat around watching the flames as the light faded over the water.

Eventually it was time for the kids to head to bed. Kia and I stayed up a little later as we had a late coffee during the day. We enjoyed the quiet time to just chill and be.

Another great day.

We’re all really enjoying the extra space here and the fact that we’re just a short walk from a beautiful swimming beach.