Travelling home

Sorrento has been a good base for visiting Heculanium, but other than that it is just a tourist destination- hotels and eateries. We had lovely views and a relaxing stay apart from the church bells every fifteen minutes day and night. 

Today we caught the ferry to Naples then walked the couple of kilometres up to Garibaldi Station. We went for first class travel on the slow train- a good compromise, as it gave us plenty of time to enjoy the extra legroom. Then on to the Leonardo Express which seemed extremely slow but goes direct to the airport. Liking forward to bring home now. 

Sunday

A day of rest and mooching around- some pictures:

Saturday

A day of tourism. Started with proper porridge as we now have a cooker. Early call from our local church bells, they start at five. We met up with the rest of our group at the station, an hour on a little train to ercolano, then we went to visit Herculanium. This site is smaller than Pompeii, but lest touristy and very intact ruins. Quite an amazing place. After about three hours, our feet had had enough so off for a late lunch, then home for dinner- on the harbour front. So much more tiring than cycling!!

Day 5 Last little cycle ride

Lots of departures today, some off to Rome for more tourism, some going home, and Dave and Emma home for five hours before leaving for Greece.

We had to move accomodation today as the hotel was full, so have an apartment down on the harbour. Some complicated arrangements have allowed us to keep our bikes until this evening so Andy and I set off for a little ride around the peninsular. A very humid day after last nights thunder storm. After about ten miles, we found a lovely coffee stop, which then became a lovely lunch stop. An interesting conversation with a Canadian cyclist who comes over about once a year to cycle the Amalfi coast. He felt that Italians and English drivers were far kinder to cyclists than Canadians.

For dinner we returned to the same restaurant as Jacky wasn't feeling up to a long walk. No one complained because the food there was excellent.

Day 4 Naples to Sorrento

Early start today 7:45 breakfast to be on the road by 9. 18 miles of crazy driving to clear Naples. Quite exhilarating really. I actually like the drivers because there is very little aggression. The rules are only loosely followed, but I think that there is better interaction between road users, more give and take. No one seems to get angry if you make a mistake. We stopped for coffee when we cleared Naples, all three groups and support drivers managing to convene at the same place. Then we split up, a few doing the flatter coastal route, but most tackling the climb over to the Amalfi Coast. All agreed that going at individual paces was best. I cycled up with Emma for company, went through the tunnel which was well lit, and out to our cafe meeting point on the other side. The little restaurant provided us with one of our best meals yet, all home grown home cooked food, several different courses arriving. Andy made friends with Salvodali who looked like a cross between a poor ageing Elvis impersonator and something from the mafia. 

We then had the most fabulous descent, outstandingly beautiful. Winding it's way through terraced vines and houses built into the hillside, stunning sea views, goats in the road etc.

Joining the Amalfi coast road, we then enjoyed a rolling ride and refreshing rain. Soaked, we stopped at a bar for ice creams and coffees. On our final stretch of road, Jacky and Stewart came adrift from their bikes and sustained a fine collection of flesh wounds between them. After some time mopping up blood and checking limbs, they were able to cycle on for the final few miles. Dated hotel with stunning views. Great dinner 10 minutes up the road.

Day 3 Formia to Naples

It seemed a shame to leave our lovely hotel by the sea, but we planned a 9:30 departure. My front tyre was as flat as a pancake, so a good start! We split into groups of 6-8 people, and set off. Jaynes route today. The route took us across a beach at one point- she had warned us it would! A flat day, and quite fast until we reached the sprawl of Naples. I had another puncture on a fast busy road, which Andy fixed in record time- and as we were doing it, our support vehicle pulled up with the track pump! Great timing. We stopped at a very pink cafe for coffee. Then at a pizza pasta place found by our support crew. The owner was thrilled by having a group of 19 cyclists and support arrive. Loads of pasta and salads, plus three extra large bowls of pasta incase we hadn't eaten enough. Lots of photos were taken, and the owner said he was putting them on his Facebook page. He didn't speak a word of English, and none of us speak italian- it was genuinely lovely!

Fuelled up, we tackled the back streets of Naples for the next sixteen miles. Quite an experience. At about the last crazy junction with wiered driving, I dimly recalled something about priority to the right- it all made slightly more sense then! I've alerted the rest of the group for tomorrow.

We are staying at a very modern hotel in the middle of a down market residential area- so we ate here. I had a lovely meal, but some were less happy- small portions, and veg arriving 30 minutes after mains! 

Our room here is a massive corner room with two walls of window, a leather sofa, desk etc. it's like a large office with a double bed in the corner. We even had Jacky and Ian over for tea, as we have bought our kettle.

Sunshine and heavy showers forecast today with thunder and lightening too. Off over the mountains.

Day 2 Latina to Formia

The Winter Bike on its summer holiday.

The scrambled eggs had grey bits (recycled hard boiled from the day before?), no fresh fruit and the coffee was pretty awful, but we'd already eaten our cold porridge with raspberries in our room, so not a big problem. You've got to love your porridge.

Main group departed without Pete and Davy. Pete didn't want to arrive too early for lunch in Sperlonga. Elaine took a tumble about 4K into the ride but was OK. Soon after that we split into 2 groups with a faster group of 6.

Terracina for morning coffee by the beach and Sperlonga for lunch. Overtook Pete, Jenny and Simon on the hill into the town. Lunch mainly of fresh buffalo mozzarella and tomato.

After lunch headed into the hills. Route needed a bit of nudging here and there but very enjoyable riding. Arrived in Formia about 4pm. Overshot hotel a little but worth going back for since it's very nice. Lovely sea view.

Dinner at local Pizza place - incredible figs and melon for desert.