And Sardinia is definitely a hidden gem. I read reference to the island being "wild" and it's true! Miles of nowhere, landscapes similar to the Scottish countryside--green rolling hills, mountains, visible mountain islands off the coast of the island with fog settled around, farm-land with sheep, cows, goats…We even saw a white horse running around a mountainous area!
A rare moment of civilization...
We flew into Cagliari which is the south part of the island. Cagliari, by the way, is a large and bustling place. There is a beach resort about 45 minutes east but it was going to be long stretches of beaches with cold water so we decided to drive 2:30 to Cala Gonone. It's a little fishing village with a marina….with…..boats you can rent without a license! Freedom to enjoy the water when it's just a bit too cold to swim. I won't go into painful detail but once we were off the highway and on backroads, we discovered a main bridge had collapsed, closing off a lot of the surrounding country roads. Cala Gonone is located on the other side of a mountain and there's only one way to get there: a tunnel. We were battling the minimal sunlight left but fortunately my King Navigator found an alternate route and we made it just as the sun was setting. Not gonna lie, a little stressful. Mountainous backroads in the middle of nowhere with the knowledge that somewhere a big ole' bridge had collapsed. A little creepy.
But worth it as we arrived to meet Salvatore who would guide us to the apartment. laid.altervista.org
http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p447064 Salvatore and his wife, Katia were just fantastic people--so helpful. He even took us to the market as it was closing and asked them to stay open for just a few extra minutes so we could grab a few things for the morning.
Kerry and Scott! Coffee maker look familiar? Ha ha!
We were able to say "YES!" when Salvatore asked us if we knew how to use it!
And this time it didn't take the sweat and brawn of 4 coffee-crazed people..
True to form, Mike was up before me. But not for work.. to see the sunrise off the balcony.
Boats! We love boats! Although Cala Gonone does have a pink sandy beach, the "omg" beaches require a boat or insane hikes. Can't get there by car! And this is what we did the next two days…
The boat folks give you this map of all the beaches and grottos you can visit. Easy peasy.
Cala Gonone from the boat
That mountain is why you must take the tunnel to get here!
One way in, one way out.
At first we thought the water wasn't quite as pretty as we expected….
The coast is lined with tall cliffs. Grotta del Bue Marino.
Then we got a little closer.. And the water changed.
Had to switch to paddles in this area because it's so rocky
You can imagine the giggle-fest at this point.
I was not the best paddle-navigator.
"NO, the other way!"
Inside the grotto
Juuust so you know… these photos are not touched-up nor were they taken with a fancy-pants camera
This is what it really looks like!
Gotta love a self-timer.
We stopped by the market in the morning for sandwiches made in the deli.
All local salamis, cheeses, wine, and beer!
I never imagined I would be on a private beach with nobody in sight!
I honestly thought that was just in the movies or how wealthy people rolled.
Surreal.
Of course he was climbing on the rocks!
Water flowing through the rock!
We stopped at a few different beaches. I was surprised at the differences. Some white sand, some pink sand, some gold, some white rocks, pebbles, some black rocks. Some calm and some with waves… All different shades of blue and green.. Magical
This was supposed to be me. I just couldn't do it. So I give you….
MerMan
(If you don't think this is funny, please go re-watch Zoolander, come back, and then try again)
See, I tried. It was sunny and warm! But not the water!
Oh and also, I fell down.
I smile when I look at this picture. We were having so much fun.
Leaving the last beach on the first day, I was trying to hand Mike the backpack without dropping it in the water. The water was so cold and I was giggling uncontrollably while waist deep. I blame it on the wine but I forgot to zip up the camera pocket and my trusty 6yr old point-n-shoot took a dive in the pretty water. There was no water frolicking up until this point. In a matter of seconds, both of us were face first under the water. Camera has not recovered yet. Probably won't. As you can see though, the memory card did survive. I am so grateful. I would've been devastated had we lost all these pictures. Mike has proposed a shock-proof, water-proof, and freeze-proof camera for me. Carolyn-proof? Please.
It's been quite sometime since I destroyed a camera. Dropped it in a martini.
Cala Luna
The most popular beach along this route but our least favorite. It was beautiful and the caves were very neat but the beaches and water were not nearly as beautiful as Cala Mariolu and Sisine.
I'm hanging onto the Garner family's Flat Stanley here!
All iPhone pictures from here. RIP sweet camera. The water you could not resist. And I understand.
Flat Stanley enjoyed his day on the boat, too! He unfortunately was shoved in the backpack with the empty beer cans so he was soaked with beer.
Never fear, he's a spoofer. (Thanks for the tip, Ami) Real Flat Stanley was safe at home.
Spoofer Flat Stanley stayed in Sardinia!
Little tikki bar a few steps from our apartment. Pina Coladas in coconut mugs!
The last day….rainy and overcast. We fed the fishes and enjoyed a lazy day
It looks a little orange but it was actually pink. I miss my camera already.
