Due to not having enough annual leave I couldn't join the other five 'Cheeky Boys' on the Thursday afternoon flight from Luton to Naples, instead I would catch them up on the Friday.

Given the poor weather, it was lucky that we all managed to get to the airport and that flights got people to their destination. My Thursday evening in Luton was had at the Thistle Express Hotel, which was close to the main station rather than staying at the airport. The room, which was £41 a night, included breakfast and was actually pretty good - the hotel was much better on the inside than it looked from the outside.

I decided to skip the nearest restaurant to the hotel but plumped for Polish cuisine instead dining at Gospoda. Serving up tasty, filling food it was washed down with some fabulous fresh, unpasteurised, beer too. It was great! and I would happily dine here again if ever in Luton.

The flight out to Naples was with Blue Air, a new airline for me, but it did necessitate a change at Turin. Blue Air are actually a Romanian outfit but have a operating base at Turin. The first flight, OB4012, the 0920 from Luton was operated by a 21 year old airplane and was delayed by 40 minutes. Fortunately I still made the connection in Turin but it was a bit of a dash through Italian passport control and then back through departures and the luggage scanners to board flight OB4223, the 1340 to Naples. This second flight was on board an ex Lufthansa aircraft that initially entered service in March 1991, it was nearly the aircraft's 27th birthday in service!

Naples really isn't the most attractive city. Actually the first impressions, having got off the Alibus (€5.00 express bus from airport to city centre), was of a chaotic, run down and slightly grubby city. I don't think this initial impression was changed too much either by the time we flew back to the UK on the Sunday.

Having met up with the 'Cheeky Boys' at a local café bar it didn't seem like too long before my bag was dropped off at the hotel and it was then time for a Bellini cocktail in Piazza Bellini. Our evening meal was had in a typical Napoli pizza joint - the place was brilliant at churning out thin, wood fired pizza, at a great price. My marina pizza was just €3.00!

Next door to the pizza place was a limoncello producer, so it seemed fitting that we popped in for a sample, or two ,as an after dinner drink. The remainder of the evening was spent checking out the local bar scene and rounding off the evening, or morning, at Bourbon Street Jazz Club . . . . . this latter place must have been good as we went back for a second visit on the Saturday night.

Saturday morning brought us heavy rain so a little trip by train to Sorrento filled an hour and also, by the time we got there, the rain had stopped. Sorrento was everything that Naples wasn't, peaceful (well, half closed down as it was out of season), clean and a pleasant place to stroll and take in the sights. The walk through the narrow streets, winding down to the Grande Marina area was really nice. Lunch at a harbour side restaurant was everything that a 'Cheeky Boys' lunch should be - great food, plenty of wine, some good laughs and all enjoyed with a fabulous view over the marina area. Going back to Naples later in the day would be a shock!

Back in Naples, and after what seemed like a very long detour on foot through some rather dodgy back streets, walking from from railway station we found ourselves next door to Bourbon Street Jazz again, and an artisan beer bar. What a cracking place this was, but somewhere you could easily walk past. The range of beers was impressive including one at 41% . . . . but at €95 a bottle (750ml) this remained on the shelf for another day.

It seems with Naples you need to know where to go, there isn't a nice main square to sit in and watch the world go by. The buildings seem a bit shabby and the streets are busy with mopeds and cars. The back streets really are not that pleasant - even some of the main streets are not that pleasant either. I don't want to appear as having a downer of the city as there are are some bits that are reasonably nice, you really have to hunt them out.

After another pizza - they don't make 'em like this at Pizza Hut or Domino's - we were back at the Bourbon Street Jazz Club and enjoying some rather strong cocktails, probably a bit too strong as things did get rather hazy. The music, when they did show up, was pretty good, but the set they played did not seem too long.

It was then time to return back to the UK and on Sunday morning, with a rather thick head, it was out to the airport for our easyJet flight back to Luton. Flight EZY2416, the 1325 from Naples had us back in Engand at around 1530 from where it was then back north, by train, to Derby.

This particular 'Cheeky Boys' trip may also mark the end of an era, as Cheeky Boy #1 (aka, Spencer) is off to Canada to live and work in May 2018. The ease of doing a quick trip to Europe - at least for him - will be a bit more challenging. Maybe a future trip will involve a trip across the Atlantic Ocean to sample the Canadian micro brewery scene. Hopefully Spencer will have time to do some research in advance!