Sorrento and Amalfi Coast

---

Our journey to Sorrento on the south west coast of Italy was a very long one. We travelled from Athens to Patra in Greece by bus ( the trains were on strike), a journey which took 3 hours, to catch the overnight ferry to Bari in Italy. We debated whether to book ourselves a cabin @ 220 euros or reclining seats @ 115 euros. We chose the cheaper option.... a mistake for me. I should know from previous experience that if dont get a comfortable night, I am going to suffer big time. We arrived at 9.30 the following morning and caught the train across the bottom of Italy to Naples. About halfway, the headache which matured to a migraine later on kicked in. We had decided not to top in Naples but to push on to Sorrento, another 50 minutes away on the Circumvesuviana line ( similar to part underground, part above fast train). By the time we arrived it was about 8pm, I was feeling absolutely shite, and we had to find a room. Sorrento it seemed, like Athens was fully booked, but we eventually found a wonderful place, where we stayed for the next 4 nights.
At this point, I must say that Italy is very expensive. The accomodation is twice the price of the Greek islands, although the eating out is maybe only 30% more. Our 4 weeks on the Greek islands will only buy us scant 2 weeks in Italy.
HOWEVER, it is lovely in Sorrento and the surrounding area. After the first day, spent in bed with only my migraine for company, we travelled south to the Amalfi coast. A fabulous village called Positano.... absolutely gorgeous with views to die for. I have never seen such a stunning scenery than the drive along the Amalfi coast. After a delicious lunch, we went further along to the town of Amalfi itself. There we found a fabulous cathedral, well worth the 12 euros entry.
Just to the east of Sorrento is the magnificent Mount Vesuvius. It had to be climbed.....part by bus, the last part on foot. It was a fairly easy hike up the path they have created to the crater. We could see the lava river as we climbed. The crater itself is huge and you can easily see into it. The whole experience was awesome, but I was a bit disappointed that there is little or no eggy sulphur smell or steam, because the crater has a fairly shallow bottom which has grown over with grass. It wasnt even warm. I really wanted to see either an endless gaping hole down into the bowels of the earth, or, better still, some bubbling red hot centre. But it was an amazing feeling to be standing on the lip of the crater of the mighty volcano.
Of course, this had to be followed by a trip to Pompei to see the ghost city that was buried so many centuries ago by very nearly 18 feet of volcanic ash for again, hundreds of years before it was discovered much later by a peasant who was digging for a well and found some remains. It is absolutely huge, and awesome to wander through the streets, some of which date 300 years BC, peering into the remains of the houses and public areas which were once a vibrant town with thousands of inhabitants. What a shock it must have been to find the earth exploding and literally burying them alive to die from sulphuric fumes. It was appalling and very moving to be there.
Onwards to the north of Italy, to the elegant Lago di Como, set against the Swiss Alps.

---

Photos

The walk down to Positano
It is a beautiful quaint village, even tho its quite commercial