Sardinia: Day 3

I stayed in bed all morning, missing breakfast but thoroughly enjoying the freedom to do nothing, guilt-free. It rained while I switched between resting and dozing.

I eventually left the hostel around midday and with the only thought being to check a bus timetable at some point, I wandered a short way before stopping for a late breakfast of orange juice, croissant and cappuccino at E4. I finished reading Murakami's 'After the Quake', feeling totally content to just be, without plans or the sense of having to achieve anything to make the day worthwhile.

I found an internet cafe and charged my phone a little while I checked for mail and wrote to Wes. I walked to the bus station and booked myself a ticket to go to Baia Chia tomorrow.

Back in the Marina district I found a pleasant cafe with outdoor seating where I had a mushroom risotto, onto which I piled excessive yet delicious amounts of Parmesan. Having realised that the Iris Murdoch I had brought with me I have already read, I returned to the hostel, changed books and decided to visit the Botanical gardens. They were beautiful; a waterfall, ponds, caves and shady walkways full of exotic trees and interesting foliage. I think I saw siskins and certainly a greenfinch, a blackcap, maybe a spotted flycatcher and another small bird with a speckled front, a forked tail and a fine beak - perhaps a juvenile flycatcher. Must check. There was a trefoil shaped pond with water pouring from an urn which then trickled into a stream through dense ferns.

After the gardens, I wandered some more and ended up in St Michele Church. Silent and cool. I lay on a pew admiring the vaulted dome then caught up on my journal. I left the church at 18:40.

Bought plasters for my blister and kind chemist accepted all my small chnage even though I was a few sous short. Started reading Salman Rushdie's 'Grimus' over a coffee. I sat there 'til I was cold and returned to the hostel but stopped at the potato place opposite and had a cone of deep-fried vegetables that were actually a really nice alternative to chips.

Got back to the hostel and sat reading in the outside bar. Saw a guy sat on his own looking bored so after a few minutes I plucked up the courage to talk to him. He called himself Joseph but later transpired he is called Giuseppe, is 29 and was in Cagliari for the day to do some work before returning home to Naples. We went out for pizza and beer, walked down by the docks/marina, came back and hung out with him and four other people at the hostel bar and sat talking 'til about 2.