Prologue…
After a lot of agitations and fluctuations at work it was decided that I will have my summer holidays from 4th of August till 4th of September. I think, therefore, where I should spend these days. I wanted to go abroad but somewhere close. Italy was the country that I thought first, after a short discussion with Despina. Talking around with friends, I decide to include also Sardinia in my trip. A few days before the date of departure, I began to search hotels and tickets in order to make reservations, as I was really uptight facing the problem of travelling during the higher tourist period.
At first I visited the travel agency near my house. Unfortunately I faced an employee who could not say anything more than "... Niko I will call you tomorrow ... tomorrow I will tell you about Sardinia...» That guy was full of big words and promises, nothing more! So, I visit another agency (the first one still tries to find tickets for me!). It may cost me something more but at least I was satisfied with the result.
The day before our departure we tried to pack our things fast, as our business obligations didn’t give us a lot of time to prepare. We finally got in the ship! Luggage, tent, tank bag, everything loaded on my TDM, tied up however well with the help of my friend Stavros. We saw only a few passengers around. We could seat wherever we wanted. Still we had not realised that our holidays began. We were very tired. We had a coffee enjoying the sea view, next to a window. We ate something at the restaurant and as soon as I pump up our double sized “mattress” - that I had provided - we instantly fell asleep.
Sunday 6/8/2006
The mattress was excellent, the place where we had laid down also perfect. But we miscalculate one Spanish lady (age 40 +) that woke us up and everybody else around, with a not so gently way...!!!
7.00 o’clock in the morning and the sun was rising. I was barely looking the port of Bari. I charged my i-pack and GPS and had a coffee with Despina because there was a small delay till the ship docks. We reload our things and finally went down to the port. I must say that the GPS guided us perfectly to the motorway (autostrada), beside the signs that were also very helpful!
We got started via the motorway A14 for Avelino and the A16, roughly for 200 klm with a good asphalt and two lanes in each direction. At the exit for Avelino Est we paid 10. 60 euros tolls. From that point up to Salerno the motorway was almost the same with a bit heavier traffic, and a really impressive landscape, with big trees, green hills and mountains…
At Salerno we made a stop for pizza with crab and some other dishes that I did not understand what was precisely. In any case we had no after-effects!!! Salerno is a coastal city with a lot of people and unique beauty! My aunt had told me that the way Salerno - Vezuvio via Costiara Amalfitana is one of the most beautiful that she had ever seen in her life. Her words did not give me many choices... We followed the same route and I will agree with her! Amazing places. Houses built on the top of the cliff surrounded by a dark green landscape!
The way was very tedious (40klm. Salerno - Positano). It reminded me the old national road Nafplion - Tripoli via the familiar to us the Greeks "Kolosoyrtis". Following the coastal way, we met hairpin bends and not a few times met face to face with buses that were driving like it was an one way road! Italian motorcyclists with scooters were also driving like insane. The motorists, with old Fiat cars were trying to make overtaking in narrow streets, width of maximum 2 metres, and in small straight lines that did not exceed 10-15 metres! They attempted to overtake anywhere they found the least opening, being completely indeferent if someone was coming from the opposite direction!!! If you ever hear that in that particular road, some Fiat parked in the space of bus luggage, don’t look astonished!!! Anyway…
We had a rough time. It took us almost 2 hours including a few stops for photographs. Despite the tiredness and the discomfort the landscape compensated us! We reached in Positano. We went straight to the hotel that we had already booked via Mrs. Nafsika. The hotel was perfect as it offers an impressive sea view. It is cat. A and the double room costs 400€ per night. In any case it deserved the money!
We took a shower and went straight to bed to repose. After about two hours rest we went down to the small village for a quick exploration: very graphic and traditional. We tried the tasty local pasta by the sea (cost about 50€ for 2 persons). We chose to enjoy our afternoon, drinking coffee at a place that offered us a romantic view of the sea (5€ for 2 persons). Later we wandered in narrow streets with a lot of beautiful small shops. I really cannot describe the beauty of all the things we saw…!!!
The receptionist of our hotel informed us that there are two types of conducted tour in Capri. A Ferry boat that just sails around for about 4 hours with a cost of 30€ per person and secondly, a VIP boat costing 50€ per person including a complete guided tour! We chose the second one and waited for the next day with impatience…