How I did it: It took 11 months, from when I said to my wife "We've got all these ideas of places we want to go, but not doing anything about getting there."

So we looked at our list of places to go to (Mexico, USA, Egypt, China, France etc), and decided Italy was the best with the boys aged 7 and 9.

Then where to go, what to see! So much everywhere! After reading DK's Top Ten for Sicily, I decided we had to go there, and climbing Mt Etna became a goal.
 
So finally in Sicily, got the info and drove to the parking lot, but I thought the hiking guides were at a higher level, so we purchased tickets for the gondola and then at the top my son and I walked instead of riding the large 4x4 buses to the main stopping point. That's where I found out I should have signed up at the car park for the guide to the top of the mountain. But we had a great time anyway, collected loads of beautiful rocks of all colours and took some great photos.   

See my blog on the day at
http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Sicily/Mount-Etna/blog-332660.html

Lessons & tips: Don't be stupid like me and think that it will be warm up there. It's freezing! You can rent jackets and boots at the top of the gondola.

If you want a guided tour to one of the peaks, sign up before 9am at the guide hut to the left of the gondola building. It's a fairly strenuous walk so be ready!

The crystals sold have fake colouring, but the crystals are real enough and look fantastic on display. Plenty to choose from too. Loads of souvenir shops to pick and choose from at the carpark.

Resources: DK's guide books. Frommer's Italy.

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Jul 28, 2009, 07:06AM PDT | 0 comments | 1 cheer