Split(ing) up the Trip (Days 90 & 91)

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Its been a while since a two day blog, about 89 days or so. Just like that day I have little to write about except for traveling. I should have just called this blog Planes, Trains and Automobiles but I liked using my terrible pun in the title instead. Of course, I did not fly for this trip. I replaced that mode of transit with a ferry. Started my day (Aug. 8) in Sarajevo and took a late morning bus down to Split. A journey that looks like it should take only about 3 or 4 hours on a map but which takes about 7 or 8 in reality. The problem is that these two countries (BiH & Croatia) pretty much have no highways so its winding local roads the whole way on the trip. Plus we made way too many stops. We even made a stop in this small town where not one passenger got off the bus. Instead the drivers and some guy at the station started unloading cartons of bananas off the bus and minutes later some guy pulled up in his car and started loading them into his car. No explanation was given at all hah. Everyone on board was just like "Uh, What the hell?"

Got to Split in the late afternoon. Another beautiful town on the Dalmatian Coast. We spent a few hours driving up the coast and I could not find one town I would not mind stopping in for some quite some time. All picturesque towns with a beautiful mountain backdrop and beaches galore. I see why this place has turned into such a vacation hotspot for Europeans. Spent a few hours wandering around the old town and relaxing in a small park right on the edge of the water. Before I knew it, it was time to head over to the nearby ferry port for my overnight trip to Ancona. Of course, I would have preferred to take the Dubrovnik-Bari route as Bari is closer to Sorrento than Ancona but that route did not have an overnight trip this evening so it was easier to just take this ferry instead. Got on board early and found a nice place on the top deck (indoors) where I could set up shop for the night. Made a little pillow out of shirts, laid down my sheets and used my towel as a blanket. I actually slept quite well. Departed the ship around 9am and soon I was at the train station booking tickets down to Napoli. Quite a long day of traveling but I have gotten used to it after 3 months so I didn't mind too much. Took the local train from Napoli (Circumvensia I believe) down to Sorrento. The train runs along the coast the whole way and terminates there in Sorrento. Sorrento is a bit touristy but it's probably the best place to base yourself to explore the Amalfi Coast since the cities along the coast (Amalfi, Positano, etc.) are inaccessible by train so you have to rely on buses and ferries to get around. Enjoyed a nice run along the coast after being seated in transit the last day and a half and ended up going out for pizza with a couple of other Americans from the hostel. Feels good to be here after a long trip and looking forward to a few days of relaxation on the coast.

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