Port of Oristano

Location: Oristan, Sardinia, Italy

Summary: Feeling unwell, I stayed on board the Costa Diadema, attended a foot‑health lecture, bought new shoe moulds, and spent the day resting before an early night after dinner with Gail and Val.

Onboard The Costa Diadema

Today, I woke up in the port of Oristano in Sardinia, Italy. I had planned to walk into the town and explore, but I still felt lightheaded, dehydrated, and a little dizzy after yesterday’s ordeal. Because of that, I decided to stay on board the Costa Diadema and take things slowly.

In the morning, I went to a lecture on foot health and how proper foot care can improve overall well-being. The presenter made prints of our feet and, from the way my weight was distributed, he pointed out several health issues I already knew about. He then demonstrated how posture affects balance and gave us moulds to try inside our shoes. The difference was remarkable; my balance felt instantly steadier. Another man and I were so impressed that we both bought the moulds on the spot. They were expensive at €194, but if they help my balance and general health, they’ll be worth every cent.

I spent the rest of the day resting, reading my Kindle, napping, or wandering slowly around the ship while looking out over the port. The highlights were modest: watching clouds of flying insects on one of the upper decks, noticing a disused building in the port, and enduring a very dry, almost inedible burger at lunchtime.

In the evening, I met Gail for dinner, though I still wasn’t feeling well and didn’t eat much. I tried the pumpkin soup and the wild boar ravioli. The soup was fine; the ravioli was awful. As we ate, we watched a large group of people form a blockade in the port, though we never discovered what it was about.

After dinner, we walked to the Teadora lounge to meet Val. I had a couple of alcohol‑free cocktails, but I still felt unwell and returned to my cabin around 21:00. I fell asleep almost immediately.