Stromboli

Today we had a very interesting vist to the Vulcanology centre where they monitor every aspect of the volcano. Lots of computer screens, graphs and TV images. So as we are going up to the summit later I asked the question so how much warning do you get of a major eruption ? Oh about 8 seconds.....

So with a special vulcanologist guide and our hard hats on we hiked up to the top in the late afternoon, watched the sunset and then waited for it to get dark. While Stromboli is aways doing something it has been quiet over the last few weeks so we were not treated to the big fireworks that you see on all the postcards. Still pretty impressive to be sat 300m from an active volcano that although it was quiet was still spitting hot rock and lava out.

Descent was in the dark with head torches through soft volcanic ash and we got down surprisingly quickly. On the way down there was one part the guide said we must not stop on due to rolling stones (and not the band). This got us thinking about a Stromboli playlist with songs like "let me stand next to your fire" - on the top "paint it black" - on the black ash fields and "give me shelter" - stood next to the shelters on the top. The list goes on...Kept us amused on the way down.