The Aeolian islands were amazing. Lipari had all these chunks of obsidian lying around that you could just pick up, and there were thermal mud baths on another island that appeared to be almost entirely occupied by Germans. The actual crater was pretty disturbing though, with thick sulphur/steam clouds that we ended up walking through (we went around the rim). I liked it but would probably not take my own kids there any time soon.

The field trip also involved excellent catering and copious quantities of wine - all the geology students were very cheerful drunks! Just as well as some of them had to crawl off the boat after a rather brisk crossing.