Day 49: Sorrento To Capri To Amalfi

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Another glorious day on the Med and we headed off to Sorrento on the train planning on a short visit then down to Amalfi and then back. Arriving in Sorrento Pam suggested we hop a boat out to the Isle of Capri, the playground of the rich and famous in the know. Sterling idea and we brought return tickets at a cost of 70e, sitting in the café with my morning espresso thinking about the boat trip and we decided to exchange the return tickets for tickets from Capri to Amalfi, great idea, only problem was the trip from to Capri to Amalfi was not till 4.30 and was around an hour and we had to then get a bus from Capri to Sorrento and then train back to Pompeii, not knowing when the bus left Amalfi I was a little stressed. Not to worry all part of the adventure getting stuck in Amalfi on Easter with nowhere to stay, no problem eh. As it turned out is was all cool and the bus left Amalfi right up until 9.00. Anyway Capri was just fantastic and very Greek in its style of building and food. The island is little more than a rock and it is near vertical in most places, so where did they build the village, tight at the top of course. It was so steep that the only real way up was via the Funicular, or in English the cable car. Very very steep it was and I am glad we did not have to walk. Arriving at the top the view was spectacular and a wander around the walk further the view was even better (see the pics). Being brave we decided to take the bus to Anacapri another village on the island and a scary bus trip later we arrived in a very Greek village. Again very cool and after a wander around looking at shops we could not afford to even go into it was back on the bus and Funicular down to the marina where the boats leave from. Thinking we had plenty of time to spare Pam and Bree decided to do some shopping with Bree scoring a nice new top and Pam being very expansive and buying a new Pandora type bracelet and a few charms. Some hard negotiating we got the price reduced by about 25e so all was good. Realising we were now getting late for the boat we headed off to Pier 22, starting at Pier 1 and working around would seem logical, but after a 5 minute fast walk and getting to the end of the pier and only getting to number 13 we were in trouble. Finally finding a guy who spoke some English he told us that the right pier was the other side of the marina, about 10 minutes walk, only 5 minutes till the boat left was the problem. I decided to run and see if I could get there and hold the boat for the girls, I made it but I really have to quit smoking (hahaha) I was a bloody mess by the time I got there. Anyway long story short we made the boat and really enjoyed the trip to Amalfi with a stop off at Positano. Arriving at Amalfi was like stepping back in time and the village was so cool, they were getting ready for an Easter religious parade with candles lighting the streets and house windows above. Wandering the streets and buying some cheap Pizza for tea we sat on this amazing church front steps and took in the amazing sights of the people and town going about their business. Deciding on catching the 7pm bus to Sorrento we headed off and along with many others for the bus trip back. What a nightmare to start with, not enough seats, as usual on Italian public transport, we had to stand until some folk got off. The drive around the coast was just spectacular with much of the road actually overhanging the cliff and little restaurants perched on the cliffs next to a hotel, you have to see this to believe it. Photos were hard to come by due to the trees and buildings but the Italians really know how to build on cliffs, I don’t mean on the cliff tops but actually on the cliff face, they just seem to hang there in mid air. The trip is 38 km and it took 1.45 hours so you get the picture of the road. Arriving in Sorrento the bus suddenly stopped and ordered us all off as the street was blocked by pedestrians for the parade. By now it was dark, we were 2kms or so from the rail station not even knowing where it was and there were thousands and thousands of people in the streets, crammed shoulder to shoulder and a recipe for disaster. Again asking a few locals we eventually found the rail station after about 45 minutes and got the train. Again jammed in like sardines we got back to Pompeii and the camper after a long and very tough day all around. My recommendation, DO IT, IT WAS GREAT just try and do it after or before Easter.

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