I spied a...

....ginormous spider with its latest victim neatly trussed up in a food parcel.

I was wandering around in a daze just after dawn, having got up far too early, when I very nearly walked into the biggest web spider I've ever seen. And yes, I know there are much bigger ones in Australia, but this is Europe. As an ashamed arachniphobe, I was heartily relieved that I saw the beastie suspended in mid-air amongst the scrubby grassland near the Lighthouse Point before I found him/her attached to my flies (he/she was at that level).

As I say in tomorrow's blip. I misjudged the dawn and my position for the intended shot, so I've opted for the spider in the bright morning sunshine.

For later in the morning we had planned a trip south to Vendicari, a big wetland reserve centred around old salt pans next to the coast. But the others in the party were slow to get going, and after prolonged indecision, of the seven of us, it was only Miguel and I who set off like Mad Dogs out in the Midday Sun. We had a scorching walk around the reserve, rewarded by (distant) views of flamingos. What looked like a return route on the map turned out to be the reserve boundary, but rather than retrace our steps back the long way, with Miguel leading, we trespassed through almond groves and farm tracks to get back to the car. A pleasant little adventure, if a little dehydrating.

We celebrated our last full evening with a a meal at the local eatery. It turned out to be Karaoke night. Luckily, the locals were so keen, and so practised, and so good...that there was no need for any of us to be dragooned to humiliate ourselves with unknown Italian songs.