Travel Woes from London to Sorrento

---

Planes, Trains, Automobiles, and Busses

—an arduous journey from London to Sorrento, punctuated by moments of breathtaking scenery and defined by a rewarding finish!

7:30—8:00am: Drag luggage to subway station
8:00—9:00am: Catch crowded rush hour tube from Westminster to Heathrow Airport
11:30am—2:00 pm: Fly from London to Milano
2:00—4:30pm: Wait in airport due to flight delays
4:30—6:00pm: Fly from Milano to Napoli
6:30—7:00pm: Catch bus from Napoli airport to downtown Napoli and tote luggage in complete darkness and through wild, congested traffic to nearby train station
7:00—8:15pm: Catch train from Napoli to Sorrento.
8:15—8:30pm: Catch cab from Sorrento train station to hotel.
9:00—10:00pm: Enjoy a relaxing dinner at the fabulous hotel restaurant.

The journey was long and exhausting, and when we found ourselves dodging cars while toting heavy luggage through a very dark, dirty and seemingly out-of-control Napoli, we were all beginning to wonder if this was going to be worth the trouble. It turned out to be more than worth it.

The scenery as we lifted off from Milano was breathtaking. Our window on the plane faced the Italian Alps and I captured a few pictures through the airplane window that came out better than expected. Two of them are featured here.

As we descended into Napoli we were treated to another beautiful scene as the sun began to set over the Mediterranean Ocean. One of those photos is also featured here.

As our cab ascended the mountain on its way to our hotel we realized that even though it was dark outside this was clearly one of the most stunning places in the world and we knew that we were going to be treated to some extraordinary vistas of Sorrento in the morning.

Finally, to top it off, the Hotel Aminta is an absolutely gorgeous and luxurious hotel high on the mountain side overlooking the harbor upon which sits Sorrento, nestled beautifully into the side of the mountain below us. Out to sea we view the majestic Mount Vesuvius and the Isle of Capri!

We checked into our room and quickly rendezvoused in the dining room just before they closed for the evening. After enjoying a wonderful gourmet dinner at the hotel the lights suddenly went dim throughout the dining room. We wondered what was happening. And then we saw the wait staff come marching out of the kitchen with a beautiful cake lit with a single candle and accompanied by a bottle of champagne! The front desk staff of the hotel had noticed from my passport that it was my birthday and threw an intimate party for us that was very much appreciated.

All in all, it was a rewarding finish to an exhausting day. And, the next morning, the vistas from our hotel lived up to…even exceeded…our expectations from the night before, as you can see by the picture posted here.

---

Photos

The Alps from Milano
I shot this through the window of the airplane as it ascended out of Milano. It was an incredibly beautiful scene!

Another Shot of the Alps
Here's another from the airplane as we ascended even higher. It gives a better perspective on the awesome beauty of the Italian Alps. You can see a portion of the jet engine on the right.

Flying Into Naples at Sunset
As the plane from Milano decended into Naples we were blessed with a beautiful view of the Mediterranean at sunset.

My Surprise Birthday Party
The hotel saw my birthdate on my passport and arranged a surprise party for me. It was very sweet and fun!

Sorrento from The Aminta
The scenery awaiting us in the morning at our hotel! Breathtaking beauty. To the left, outside this picture, are Capri and Vesuvius.

Comments

[fran]

pictures
soooooooo beautiful. Now I wanna go!

[sean]

nice
Hope you guys are having fun. It seems that you are. Take plenty of pictures. I loved it while I was over in Italy and I am sure that you are enjoying the beauty. The food is probably not bothering you either. Be safe and have fun.

[Fred]

Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday, old man!