http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Down-and-out-in-Millport-and-Arran/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Down and out in Millport and Arran en-us Tue, 05 Jan 2010 09:43:51 +0000 Tue, 05 Jan 2010 09:43:51 +0000 We arrived at London Heathrow at 630 after a 5am start courtesy of Bob Hannah's dad. The Virgin check in area was sleek and modern like a 1950s spaceport. You scan your ticket and passport at one of many automated machines then weigh your bags after printing out passes you still have to go to the desk so the whole process feels a bit redundant. The 10hr flight was pretty bad seatbelt lights http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/California/Los-Angeles/blog-378266.html We were picked up by Joe Jeroen at Auckland airport after a painless 13hr flight from LA. I'd arranged a 3 week campervan try before you buy rental over the internet before leaving this included airport transfer and a free night at his BB. The drive to his place was about three hours Joe talked most of the way covering a variety of topics fishing adventure sports driving advice and of http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Bay-of-Plenty/blog-378272.html I was up at 0630 after a relatively sleepless night thanks to a deluge of American exchange students. The ferry to Amalfi left Sorrento at 0730. With a 40min walk ahead I was cutting it pretty fine. On the way I realised I needed cash for a ticket. Unfortunately cashpoints which accept my card are suprisingly hard to come by. Every one I tried returned it usually after several minutes of wh http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Campania/Amalfi/blog-333657.html Naples has a bad reputation as a rough town with a rubbish problem. Much of this is true my first impressions of the city were not particularly good Noise rubbish decrepit buildings noise no parks NOISE Geeessus gaaad man It's so loud ambulances screaming all over the city at all hours of the day. I swear if I wasn't blessed with a saintly temprement I would have hated it. But I liked http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Campania/Naples/blog-333007.html My first helpexchange and the first time I've been to Italy. I flew out from Stansted arriving at Lamezia airport to meet Keith my host and Hannah another helper. Any worries I had were unjustified he was not a murderer weirdo or sexpest. Just a normal downtoearth guy. We had about a 40min drive through stunning scenery to his house located just outside the village of Rogliano. What a pl http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Calabria/Cosenza/blog-328552.html Woke up at 0630am on Wed morn to torrential rain. With a 40min walk to the train stn I had a slight sinking feeling perhaps this was not going to be the easiest trip Luckily Keith our host had also heard and offered a lift. The drama really started when we arrived in Cosenza. In keeping with ancient Paul tradition lack of planning would feature heavily throughout the journey.We got off the tra http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Sicily/Palermo/blog-327946.html I left Rogliano station around 11am with fellow helpex'r Hannah. Our train was a single carrige and looked resplendent as fook covered front to rear in graffitt see photo above. The Italians seem to love graffitti it's everywhere. Not your average UK attempt oh no. If an Italian writes on a wall it's to declare his undying love Princepessa ti amo We arrived in Cosenza around midday bad http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Italy/Calabria/Cosenza/blog-326424.html