Pompeii & Amalfi Coast - Italy

Sam's & Libby's Highlights & Impressions
• English audio guides at Pompeii
• 3 jam packed days cruising Amalfi Coast on motor bikes
• Jumping off camping ground rocks into the sea
• Italian Gelato's - (4 flavours in a small tub for NZ$6.00)
• Great deals on Italian football gear the day after Italy left the world cup
• Buying a toaster and having toast for breakfast!

Bonjourno from Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast, Italy!

Monday had us departing Roma and we headed to Pompeii, beneath Mount Vesuvius. It was of interest to us all as Sam had used the story of Pompeii in a topic study at Tamahere. We explored the excavated ruins of the village with audioguides which gave us all a better understanding of the vast ruins. The site is extensive with a collosseum, amphitheatres, roman baths and houses, covering some 44 hectares. The next day a short 50 minute trip turned into a couple of hours as we hit a traffic jam in Sorrento. Our campsite 1 km past Sorrento has a great pool and a beach - well sort of - to swim, it's a quick 4 minute walk downhill -then one must jump off the rocks...perfect for our adventurous kids and their parents! They think it's the best beach yet! The sea seems more salty and buoyant than at home - strange - perhaps it's more about our 'bouyancy' due to pasta and pizzas!

We've experienced a fantastic time on the Amalfi Coast. Over three jam packed days we have explored the region on scooters (aka Harley Davidson's 125cc) which has given us access to the coastal villages of Sorrento, Nerano and Marina del Cantone, Positano, Amalfi, and inland Ravello. The first day we got our scooter legs (ie established our confidence for tackling suicidal Italian traffic) and explored locally and headed to the southern point of the Sorrento peninsula, finding great ice cream, cooling beer and a beach. We headed back to the camp ground early to watch the football and NZ play - unfortunately the TV never once showed NZ and we were left to watch the exasperated Italians in the bar lose to Slovakia 3-2 - and with it NZ's hopes too!. A great effort none the less from our boys in white but with their demise, our back up plan has kicked into action - with 3 Netherlands passports amongst us and family fully kitted out in orange crocs we are now of course supporting the Dutch for the remainder of the tournament ... GO HOLLAND!!

Day 2, with the kids sitting on the bikes from about 8am we eventually set off to Sorrento to get our lunch from a local deli we had found - freshly sliced ham satisfied the kids and we added tomato soaked in olive oil, basil and celery - delicious! With lunch packed we zoomed to Positano about 15 km away. The roads 'wined' along the coast and are quite narrow in places. Positano village extends from the sea up the steep cliffs. The pastel houses are covered in purple bourgenvilla and linked by narrow steep steps. We parked our bikes and followed our noses downhill to the beach - lunch, a swim and after a few photos we headed back to the bikes - that's where the fun stopped - 2 parking tickets were wedged under the seats - an expensive mistake @ 38 Euro each!! We unknowingly parked in a 'residenti' only area. Having read the hire contract and with credit card imprints taken there is no escaping!! Yes, Steven did consider challenging with a 'letter', but his limited Italian saw it as a lost cause!

Saturday we ventured via Amalfi to Ravello, some 30 km from Sorrento. Ravello is a hillside village with a lovely outlook - we wandered the streets and explored the numerous pottery shops. With a purchase wrapped and waiting to be paid for, the matriarchal owner advised us that credit card wasn't accepted - we had spotted the machine behind her - we walked out of the shop to find Steven the banker - we decided not to play her game and continued down the street - Steven watched the frustrated Italian women looking for us as we stormed down the road. We also observed an Italian wedding, and the next bride and groom queuing for their turn at the steps of the church in Ravello. A 5km trip back to the village of Amalfi, and with local advice found the free parking area before heading back to the beach to cool off with the locals! The beaches are smooth pebbles or stones with a 'public' area sectioned off for those who choose not to pay between 5 - 15 Euro for a lounger and umbrella. We looked around Amalfi, meeting some kiwi's from Waikanae. A long day we arrived back at the camper around 7pm - a whole lot more confident than when we started, overtaking flash Italian cars and leaning through the bends even and getting every last ounce of fun out of our hired scooters!

Motor bikes returned, Sunday saw us checking out Sorrento by morning grabbing a few bargains like kid's Italian football gear that is now being cleared as stock ... oh and then there was the Italian designer hand bag, no reason nor bargain required there!

We are again on the move ... heading back north ... our destination this week - Bologne and Venice.

Thanks again for all your return messages which are always appreciated by us all ...

Till our next blog ... it's again ariva derci (over & out) from this Family on OE!