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Well, here we are in Sorrento where I am presently sitting in an Internet Cafe that actually serves coffee! Very happy little camper I am.
Getting to Italy proved to be a trial - but I haven't had much luck with airlines throughout this trip so I'm not sure why this should have been any different.
But before I go on about the Italian adventure I'd like to say a couple of final words about India. I feel that in the interests of keeping this blog amusing that I have made India out to be a backward and laughable place. It's not. There is no question that India is something completely different. Although much of India has hurtled headlong into the 21st century, they have done so without becoming Americans (more than can be said for most of us). Being a tourist there is difficult because it is so unfamiliar. Their history is unrecognisable - never heard of most of the "famous" people and events. Their modern culture is unrecognisable with few familiar movies or songs shared in common. Yes, there is alot of poverty....but I have seen more beggars in 5 days in Italy than I did the entire time I was in India. The most noticable difference for me between India and Africa was the amazing number of Indian tourists....this is a place with a burgeoning middle class that has an interest in their country and their history. It is a rich and amazing place - and the fact that it looks, smells and sounds so different doesn't make it "less".
Now.....Italy. As I said at the start getting here was a struggle. British Airways cancelled my flight from London to Rome without bothering to let me know....so there was drama when I checked in at Delhi. I then had to spend over 6 hours in terminal 5 at Heathrow - which actually wasn't so bad as it gave me a chance to readjust to western consumerism. Finally arrived at Rome airport to discover that my baggage had been lost - along with the baggage of about 20 other people. There was a great deal of yelling and screaming in Italian which I think was something to the effect of "how can you idiots possibly be this inefficient" followed by "not my fault you bastard". In the end it turned out that no ones bags had actually been lost. The baggage handlers had stopped unloading our plane midway through when another plane landed (no facility to unload two planes at the same time apparently), when they had finally finished the second plane they managed to find the rest of our bags. If I had thought that I was leaving inefficiency behind in India I was sorely mistaken.
Anyway, the Italians were fairly quickly forgiven any inefficiency when I had my first espresso the next morning! Soon after I was reunited with Dennis - which I'm not going to describe here!!
We had one day in Rome and then headed to the Amalfi Coast via a tour of Pompeii. I have wanted to go to Pompeii since I studied ancient history in grade 9.....but sadly it was a bit of a disappointment. Obviously its an amazing archealogical find, but the seething crowds make it almost impossible to get any real appreciation for the place.
The hotel in Sorrento, however, was not a disappointment. We are high on the hill and our balcony and room look down over the town of Sorrento, the Bay of Naples and Mount Vesuvius - you just couldn't ask for a more perfect view. We have spent our time here "dicking around" in Sorrento, Capri and Positano. The area is absolutely beautiful but much of it is spoiled by the crowds (and this isn't even the high season). We have found that to really appreciate the place you need to walk out of the major centres.
The highlight has really been the coffee and the food. I was so over Indian food by the time I left and to arrive in a place that serves such delicious simple food has been a pleasure. We've been having a "bang up" lunch everyday and then a picnic on our balcony in the evening. With regard to gelato we are on a strict diet - only allowed to have gelato every other day.
Today is a rest day - which means that I do the laundry and update my blog while Dennis lounges by the pool (no idea how it worked out that way) - followed, of course, by a "bang up" lunch. Tomorrow we take the train to Florence and begin the Tuscan adventure.
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Mike
non-member comment
In appreciation
Steph, I noticed that you do not seem to be getting many comments publicly on the site. I just thought that I would say that I do very much appreciate your blog. It is fascinating. I am not sure whether it has turned me off or on the idea of visiting India but that is for later. You sound like you are getting an amazing break from all things. Keep it going! Cheers, Mike.