Sardinia in retrospect,

 Dawn says that this is our worst trip ever, and I tend to agree.  Several factors apply. First, we originally planned this trip for mid-September.  We moved it forward to allow time with our grandkids in DC before school started.  In Scotland, we had temperatures up to 80 degrees, too warm for the hiking we envisioned.  During our brief stay in Amsterdam, the temperatures also reached the 90’s, part of a heat wave in Europe.

Here in Sardinia, our weather can be described as hot, humid, and hazy.  Hot as in up to mid 90’s.  Humid as needing frequent clothes changes and showers. Hazy as in obscuring what would otherwise be beautiful photos including the surrounding mountains. Starting the day after we leave, temperatures drop by ten degrees. Not just my opinion but the unusual conditions were confirmed by the hotel receptionist.

Our difficulties in our arrival did not help our mood.  Instead of arriving Saturday at 6:30pm, we arrived on Monday at 1:10am with no luggage. Our rental car was canceled due to the delay. We spent Monday trying to arrange a new rental vehicle to take us from Cagliari to three intermediate stops and a drop off at Olbia.  It was either that or attempt to cancel the trip. Tuesday, we had to shop for a change of clothes.  Doing laundry in the shower at night wasn't enough.  Our luggage had not arrived; now our fourth day wearing the same clothes. Wednesday, we drove back to Cagliari to get our luggage which had finally arrived! Now, will we stay within our baggage allowance when coming home?

For our last night in Sardinia, I had booked a B&B near the Olbia airport. We dropped off our rental SUV at the airport and took a taxi to the B&B arriving two hours before official check-in.  We hadn't eaten lunch yet and planned to just drop off our luggage and then go find a restaurant.  The B&B host demanded a charge just to store our luggage for two hours.  Cheap bastard.  We had paid for breakfast the following morning but would be leaving too early to stay and eat.  No refund for that. 

We toted our luggage to a restaurant two blocks away and while eating lunch tried to reserve online a taxi ride for the next morning.  We discovered that taxis don't come to this neighborhood.  As soon as we listed our pick-up location, the taxi service became 'unavailable'.  We asked at our restaurant host, also at a local pharmacy, and were told that only buses did pickups in this area, and there were no direct buses to the airport.  There we were, on a warm day (not as warm as previous days) towing our luggage along the sidewalk, walking in the direction of a bus stop, when a taxi happened by.  Observing the situation, he slowed to inquire if we needed a ride.  Back to the airport, at the information counter, a clerk there was able to get us a reservation with a taxi driver she knew personally.  Four trips back and forth at 20 Euros per trip for less than a 3-mile distance.    

Sardinia has beautiful scenery, but it’s towns mainly reflect a modest economy.  Most villages are not scenic.  Well-worn older buildings, newer cinder block buildings with little paint or other finish.  And no parking!  The city streets are from an age centuries ago, one-lane cobblestone.  Three times we have given up on exploring villages when we couldn’t find a place to park.

Very little on this trip has come easily.