In 1964, on our way to the home land of Elijah, we tried to hire a guide in Rome.
Rome in two hours
“We only have two hours, so we need you to show us the really important spots.”
“You want to do Rome in two hours? That’s a crime!”
We agreed. But if we missed the once-a-week ferry from Palermo to Tunis, we would have to wait a week in Sicily.
The guide saw our situation, calmed down, and showed us the Coliseum, the Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica.
Sicily
We hustled on down through Naples and onto the toe of Italy. The daily ferry carried us across the straits to Messina, and we set off along the Sicilian coast for Palermo and that weekly boat which would not wait.
Up and down, in and out
If we had tried to drive in Sicily before, we might have skipped Rome.
The road along that stunningly beautiful north coast of Sicily swooped up and down, in and out. One hairpin was so sharp we had to back up and wiggle around it.
When it was my turn to drive, I felt so bad for my mother-in-law who was losing her cookies. But we all were watching the clock, and even though those dips and curves made it feel like Jehu was driving[mfn]”He driveth furiously.” 2 Kings 9:20 [/mfn], the family kept urging me on.
We made it to Palermo on time, and the boat carried us across the Mediterranean to Tunisia.
We started across the top of Africa.
