G in a fine letter but H, H is for haggard

which happens to be what I am now after 10 hours of work last night, then a motorcycle trip to the port authority in Catania, followed by a "get severely lost on the way home" exercise.

Like I said, I worked last night from 5:00 in the afternoon to about 4:30 in the morning. I guess that's more like 12 hours than ten, huh? So I made it home and took a nap until 7:45 at which time I had to take my motorcycle in for a customs inspection at the Port Authority. On the way to Catania I followed an Millitary Vehicle Registration Office (MVRO) representative out to the office where I was to get inspected. This all went fine except for the fact that I couldn't really pay attention to where I was going because I was too busy dodging the infamous sicilian traffic. Really it's crazy; if you have the opportunity, and a crappy enough car, I highly recommend trying this at least once. It is a lesson in patience.
Anyway, after an uneventful trip to the Port Authority and an hour to an hour and a half wait there while the Italians verified VIN's and did some paperwork I was released, free to make my way home. How again do I get there? Fortunatly for me the other gentleman that came with us knew how to get back to SS 417, the main highway between Catania and Mineo. When I say highway, you should think more along the lines of Route 19 at 75 miles an hour. No joke. The entrance ramps look like alleys. I followed the guy until we had made it onto 417, at which point I thought I was home free. I decided to show this guy what a speedy little bike I had and I proceeded to pass him at slightly over the posted speed limit. (good thing the Carabinieri have better things to do than pull over crotch rockets) Well, in my haste I forgot about a tricky little spot where you have to make a loop to stay on 417. I went straight. I have no idea where I went. I tried to look it up on Google earth later, and even that didn't work. There were fields, farmers, oranges, some construction and then a dead end. So I turned around to get back on 417. I ended up on the Autostrada (read: one of two main highways in Sicily; one runs north-south, the other east-west dividing the island in half. These are toll roads. ugh. Also if you have google earth and look at sicily the autostrada are the two big blue roads. Can't miss them) I managed to find an exit bfore hitting a toll booth and continued on my not-so-merry way looking for anything that was familiar to me. I found nothing. I wandered in the general direction of the base hoping to find a road sign that would get me close. This kept up until I found a sign that said SP385 (a back way to mineo that I am not completely familiar with) and a couple of farmers on the side of the road. I stopped to ask for directions and fortunately they spoke a little english. I asked about 417, they looked at me confusedly. I asked about mineo, they said gasoline? No, no Mineo, Gela (which is a larger city much further down 417) Oh Mineo, they say, keep going down this road and turn right. So with Hallelujah chorus playing in my head, I continue on my way. Sure enough I start to see signs for 417 and I am back on track.
I should have been back by 10:00, now it's noon and I am going to bed.