A Day In The Life

The sound of a tractor chugging along the road stirred me from my slumber. I fumbled for the canvas door and unzipped the tent to see it parked ten metres away. The rest of the team began to peel open their eye lids and as they did so, the second tractor joined the party.  We quickly realised that our chosen camp spot next to a water source might be interfering with the farmers morning routine and we sprung into action.

The desire not to be an inconvenience combined with last night’s calculation that we had a twenty four kilometre day ahead of us, meant that we broke our own record for the fastest breakdown of camp. Like a well oiled machine, we methodically packed up with Arian and I working side by side, each taking care of our own tasks, swaying past each other and stepping over our belongings in a proficient and rhythmic dance. Meanwhile, the kids munched happily on their granola and milk, well accustomed to the morning routine. 

The farmers sat on a nearby wall chatting. It was unclear if they were waiting patiently for us to leave, or if every day started in this way; a casual exchange of stories and discussions of farming life. 

Either way, with the trailer loaded and stroller packed we were on the road before nine o ‘clock…another personal best for Team Van Helden! We thanked the Farmers and waved ‘ciao!’.

The Sicilian hills are lofty and the villages are sparse. On foot this can result in a challenging distance between conveniences and careful calculations need to be made in order to ensure the next resupply. 

After checking, double checking and triple checking the route, we had two options for the day; 1. Cover the twenty four kilometres along a quiet undulating country road and reach the mini market by mid afternoon or 2. Don’t achieve option 1 and find ourselves in the vast expanse of Sicilian outback with no food or water. 

After careful consideration, we plucked for option 1 as we’ve not yet signed the right’s for a blockbuster movie incorporating a dramatic survival scene.

It felt good to be on the road early. From experience the focus for these days is simple; keep putting one foot in front of the other a few tens of thousands of times and the mission gets accomplished. 

The kids are seasoned passengers in the stroller now and they sang, chatted, questioned and played their way through the first couple of hours. Their most recent composition goes “I am a superhero, I can do anything, I can help, I can rescue people, I am kind!”

With the morning sun already beating down on us, we took a break in the shade of a tractor and trailer and snacked on crispbread, peanut butter and honey. Max and Sofia danced, sang and got sticky fingers. 

Refuelled, cooled and ready for action, we cracked on. The kids were able to enjoy some cycling and Max practised some serious downhill mountain biking, whooping and cheering through the stunning countryside. This was followed by some ‘super-hero-ing’ from Dad who attached a rope from the trailer to the handlebars and pulled him up the hills (a twenty kilogram Max adding to his heavily laden one hundred kilogram trailer), much to Max’s joy.

The scenery was both stunning and harsh. With no significant rain for the last couple of years it is dry and hot. However there is beauty in the rolling fields and the patchwork of yellow, brown and green landscape. The hay bails lay precariously on the steep hills conjuring up questions of how the tractor manages to navigate the gradients. 

Due to the pending re-supply, we bypassed lunch and by three o’clock our feet were throbbing and our throats were gasping. We took another pit stop, hoovered up some crisps, chugged more water and took a few deep breaths before our boots connected with the ground for the final five kilometres

Max enjoyed some more cycling, Sofia cycled, walked and ran and at around five o’cock we strolled into Castellana Sicula. 

The kids were immediately rewarded with a playground and ran to their chosen apparatus gleefully. Arian and I sat down on a bench in the shade for thirty seconds before the familiar cries “Mama, push me!”…”Papa, will you play with me?!”. 

And that’s how it is!… for now, we wouldn’t have it any other way.