Vesuvius (24th July 1997)
24 Jul 1997
Nel and I decided to do Vesuvius the next morning. After a horrid breakfast that I couldn’t finish, we set off for Ercolano to get the bus. As usual, public transport was not conveniently timed. We waited for a few others to collect, and eventually five of us shared a taxi: Nel, a French woman with her 8–10 year old daughter, and another Aussie girl who spoke fluent Italian. She and the taxi driver kept at it non-stop all the way up – very pleasant sounding. I have decided that Italian is a lovely language. The driver was charmingly flirting with her; I figured this out from the way she kept saying ‘…complimento…’. On the whole a pleasant journey. We had photo stops on the way up.
At the top there is a 20-minute climb to the actual crater. I felt good and fit, and my leg muscles enjoyed the importance. We tried to find a photo point but the thing is so huge it wouldn’t fit in my camera frame! Before all this, there was also the matter of the ticket office. They have one right at the top of the 45-minute drive – you can’t do anything but pay up or go down, and nobody is turning back at that point. They had us there.
We walked halfway around the crater and turned back. You cannot go all the way round – it’s blocked. The volcanic soil was dry and dusty; difficult to imagine it in full fury. I was glad not to have a demonstration. Dull and dusty is better than dead and dusty.
We saw glimpses of Naples Bay and the Isle of Capri through the smog. No good for photographs. The sun was thankfully hidden under clouds – otherwise it would’ve been hell at 11:30 in the morning. Nothing much else to do up there. We came back down, waited for the others, got back to Ercolano by 1pm and to Naples by 1:30pm. I’d missed my intended train to Firenze. Had to catch the Italian Eurostar instead – supplement payable, reservation to be made. So I did.
Nel and I exchanged addresses. Maybe we’ll keep in touch. It was good meeting her – I wouldn’t have done Vesuvius without her. The walk along Naples Bay the previous night, also.
A sneak-peek at Florence
I made myself sick on a horrid pizza slice from a cafe near Naples station. The lack of breakfast always gives me a headache sooner or later; on the train to Florence, it was a full-time occupation.
Got to the YH at Florence by 8pm and had a long shower. When I came down looking for dinner, they had closed the mess. Something in my face must have moved the lady at the counter. She gruffly shoved a bowlful of pasta at me even though it was past dinner time, and wouldn’t take money. I have never eaten pasta with such relish – or was it gratitude.
Then took my book out and read for a while under a street lamp. The hostel had its own extensive grounds and streets, it felt like returning to BITS campus. Went for a short stroll in the grounds, came back and just sat out for a while. An American girl came up and chatted for a while – the it started drizzling so we went up.
