Things to remember:
- Yet another early start, 5.30am this time. I'd decided to have a run down the track I'd slept on at first light in the hope of: a) flushing little bustard, and b) not flushing any wild boar. As it happened I flushed neither but running down a deserted gravel track in Sardinia as the sun rose over the adjoining hills was an agreeable life experience, anyway.
- Post run, I drove to my very last-ditch-bustard-attempt location where I found a good look-out point and set up my optics whilst breakfasting. There were plenty of birds about at the location I'd chosen but little bustards weren't amongst them. A fail!
- As an aside I came upon an amusing diversion en route. A bridge had just simply collapsed (roads collapsing seemingly aren't that uncommon on the island) and the diversion consisted of no more than a token bit of grading up and over a banking, into a field, and then round a rough and potholed track (pic). No one seemed at all phased. I can't imagine this meeting H&S requirements in the UK.
- Anyway, I had a ferry to catch so I enjoyed the last bit of sinewy mountain road before hitting the large town of Sassari. This was not my kind of place and it presented an entirely different Sardinia to the one I'd encountered to this point. The town and it's suburbs were busy, noisy, congested and pretty skanky. I was suddenly in a world of hectic driving, people rushing around and lay-byes full of fly tipping. It was all a bit disappointing.
- Once on the ferry I spent a good deal of time sea watching and - like on the way out - noted a real dearth of pelagic birds. I did though, spot half a dozen dolphins breaching off the stern of the boat (not sure of species).
- As I write we're alongside in Ajaccio, Corsica where Emma and I landed in the truck four years ago as we headed for Greece and Bulgaria. It was all a bit nostalgic. Corsica looked well on the evening light. There was still some snow on some of the craggy peaks. As a bonus a really nicely turned-out tall ship sailed out of the port heading for who knows where just as we were heading in.
Post composed at 20:10 on Thursday 4th June from the Sardinia to Toulon ferry, currently taking on more passengers in Ajaccio at N 41.92241°, E 08.74129°/ http://maps.google.com/maps?q=loc:41.92241%2C08.74129
