The excursion we didn’t want:

 

Recuperation

This is about our trip to Capri.  The weather hadn’t been all that cooperative and to see the Blue Grotto (in Capri) the weather has to be nearly perfect so we picked the best day to attempt our visit to the Island of Capri and the Blue Grotto.  It takes about an hour to get to Sorrento from our hotel by shuttle and train and then another thirty-five minute high speed hydrofoil ferry ride to Capri.  Ellie and I are sitting together near the front of the boat in the lower deck and Rylie and Nichole are somewhere in the back of the boat (lower deck).  Within the first five minutes of departure, people are laughing and squealing because it feels like we are riding a crazy roller coaster about that same time the crew starts coming around with “barf bags” I know that’s not a good sign especially for Rylie and me.  I use all the tricks I know and tell Ellie what she needs to do to help stave off sea sickness….ten minutes into the trip, the crowd is no longer laughing and we start seeing hands raising in the air for the bags….then it starts, by fifteen minutes into the ride people are hurling into the bags, I’m hanging on by a thread and Ellie is burying her head into my side….then about twenty minutes in, Ellie asks for a bag not hardly a second passes that I got the bag open she lets loose (the mint gelato wasn’t a good idea before the trip) – at that, I have to take my attention off keeping myself together and help Ellie, now the smell the sounds and another big wave comes….there I go into my own bag.  Once we dock and people are trying to get off, there is a garbage can filled with “baggies” and most people are not too eager to move.  I think about a third of the boat couldn’t hold it and another seventy-five percent was on the verge… 



Us heading to the Blue Grotto

In Capri the intent was to take a boat around the island and see the Blue Grotto…that was quickly dismissed and instead we rested for about an hour before we took a winding bus ride to Anacapri where we could head to the Blue Grotto on foot…of course we were told the Blue Grotto was closed but we attempted to walk to it to salvage what we could (we were told it was a mile and half) well after walking for forty-five minutes we gave up (and running out of time) took a bus back to the city center…the only thing we could do at that point is take a chair lift to the top of the Island for some breath taking views and fresh air before we had to head back to get on the what Rylie called the “barf boat”.  We were not too excited about the return trip!  All went well, we got the top deck open air of a slower boat and the winds calmed down so no issues (except it was freezing cold).





Ah, Fresh Air

Beautiful Sunset

Next we had to get home to Salerno…of course as luck would have it, distracted about our plans for dinner as our appetite returned, we missed our stop in Pompeii to transfer trains…when we realized it, we jumped off the train a little too quickly; once we were off and started to look around it was apparent we made a mistake…the place does not look at all friendly (actually the opposite) and it’s not really a station but a “stop” along the way.  There is no one to ask directions, it’s late, dark and we are definitely lost.  All we can do is pray another train will be coming by and stopping soon (we didn’t care which direction).  Another train comes by after about fifteen minutes of near panic on Nichole and mine part.  We have two stops to go to Pompeii…at the first stop there’s an usually long delay then we begin again….the next stop we jump off and we’re confused it’s not Pompeii about ready to freak out we ask a local what happened and where in the world we are.  He kindly informs us that the train was a “green” line and went a different direction….he shows us which track to get on and that we actually have to wait two stops to hit Pompeii on the next train that will be arriving in twenty-five minutes.  Now mind you, this is after a long day traveling to Capri, having little to no food and its late…Nichole and I start getting that giggle that’s between we’ve gone insane and freak out.  The girls are really wondering if we’re ok and what we’re laughing about, when someone on the platform starts burping a song…which puts us all into a belly laugh.  The train comes, we jump on sure enough the second stop is Pompeii, we jump off, but when we look around, it’s not either of the two train stations that we’ve used…apparently Pompeii has at least three train stations….we have about five minutes to catch the last train out of Pompeii for Salerno and about a ten minute walk to the other train station…we get quick directions and we’re off….we get there and the doors are locked we are definitely late..I remember there’s an entrance around the side and we get onto the platform, out of breath, positive we have missed our train we ask a local how we might get to Salerno (we didn’t see any taxis)…there happens to be one last train to Salerno!  In another twenty-five minutes we get on the last train for Salerno and arrive without any further hiccups (not exactly true but insignificant in comparison) – I called the hotel while in route and the shuttle driver kindly waited an extra thirty minutes from our scheduled pick up for us to arrive…needless to say, when we saw him we were so relived to be going home safe and sound….even if it meant no dinner for the day.