On early wake-ups and the South West cities of Italia

really need to pee atm
Again, apologies for Italian keyboard.

Sitting in receptionist's desk in my grey shorts & Thirsty Merc tshirt (yes Jonna)... slightly underdressed since the lobby in this hotel is soooo flash - chandeliers and marble floors, a terrace that overlooks the Mediterranean, giant vases of bright orange flowers and large, comfortable lounges.

My legs are exhausted and I'm already sporting a baby bulge because the last 48 hours have been absolute heaven and my tummy is quite (overly) satisfied.

So where to begin?

Wednesday morning woke up at 4am and already my stomach was demanding lunch (it was 12noon in Sydney). I tried to go back to sleep but ended up getting dressed and heading to the chapel (BEAUTIFUL chapel btw). Sr B and I caught the 75 bus to Via Farini 5... and we arrived about 45min early, but talked about life and other such things... you know how it is.

My insides were going goohey because everyone who turned up for the tour seemed to be with their family, siblings, friends or partners. When I took my solo seat on the bus to Pompeii I appeared to be the only person carrying more than just a backpack... but a beautiful tall, blonde woman sat next to me and I asked her where she was from. When she said she'd just celebrated her 40th birthday I thought she was lying, she really was gorgeous. Stacey, as she explained to me on our 3 hour drive south to Napoli, was a mother of two and lived just outside London.

Naples was a bit of a disappointment because of the weather. A dense blanket of mist had settled over the coastline, and it not only made it extremely humid, it prevented the view of what is meant to be one of Italy's most appreciated vantage points. Grrr...

BUT that didn't stop me from taking happy snaps and checking out the town, which kind of reminded me of Phils in that right next to a brand new pristine block of apartments lies a dilapidated building with half a wall falling off.

The drive through Napoli was interesting... it reminded me of how entertaining and hilarious I found European signage the first time I came here. Take this one for example - which was an enormous billboard that covered half of a 10storey building as you drove into Napoli:

(don't ask me what it advertises because I really don't know)

Eventually we made our way to Pompeii, where Stacey introduced me to her friend Elizabeth (also from the UK, whom she'd met the day before on a walking tour through Rome), and the three of us befriended 3 Canadians, one of which was a (pretty good looking) guy who was doing a PHD in Roman history. He introduced me to his friend (studying English Literature) and his wife (who knows what she was doing, but damn it life can be so unfair... hahaha... JOKING!), and he shared to me about the dream of visiting Pompeii, how we would've loved to see Herculaneum because it was better preserved, and wow... Mt Vesuvius was right there... (sigh)

When we got to the excavations in Pompeii, my heart was pumping so fast I couldn't figure out what was making it difficult to breathe: the excitement of my life-long dream coming true, or the 34 degree heat and humidity.

Stacey was a great tour companion, since she was happy to take my stupid photos at every stage of the tour... I realised that if my Dad knew how to speak fluent Italian he'd be a brilliant tour guide, because the man who took us through the ruine reminded me so much of him because he was funny and told good stories.

By the time we finished in Pompeii, my white shoes weren't white anymore, and dust seemed to plaster my body in a similar way to the ash body casts of the people in the city... (ok exag, sorry)

I'll skip ahead now... the tour group left to go back to Rome, farewelled Stacey (but only after getting her Facebook details) and I jumped onto another bus, which was on its way to Sorento... and an Italian woman introduced herself to me... funny coz she kept speaking to me in Italian and God only knows what she was trying to say. I just smiled, nodded, explained multiple times that I was Australian, and only spoke English. By the time we checked into the hotel, she (her name was Anita) had made sure I was meeting her in the lobby at 8pm so we could have dinner together.

I got to my room (a tiny shoe box of a room that smelled a bit funny but is actually really comfortable and the bathroom really nice), I wanted to collapse in my bed... but I jumped into the shower to wash off Pompeii dust.

Forced myself to walk around the grounds with my camera because the lobby had impressed me so much. This hotel btw... is AMAZING. I wasn't expecting to book into a place that was DIRECTLY overlooking the Mediterranean, with the pool right by the ocean, an enormous restaurant dining area... with the most impressive, fattening and gluttenous menu.

On the way down to dinner I bumped into a woman who'd also checked in the same time as I had and she introduced herself (also Anita) and her two sons (Steve and Vance), and the five of us were instant buddies from that moment on.

* * *

This morning we had (a buffet) breakfast together (fresh watermelon, rockmelon, grapes, plums, meats, cheese, croissants, nutella, cappucinos and grapefruit juice) and made our way to the Port of Sorento with a small tour group so we could catch a boat to Capri.

At that moment... I fell in love.

The moment the hydrofoil took off and we were cutting through the water in fast speed, I knew I was madly in love with the Med. This is where I'm happiest, and where I know I'm in my element. The sea breeze catching my hair, the ocean spray in my face, the smell of salt, the sun beating down... This entire day has been PARADISE.

We boarded a smaller boat and made our way to the Blue Grotto, and the entire time I leant back and soaked in the sun (yes I've been wearing strapless tops day in and day out), and I am... so ridiculously in love with this entire region... I really don't want to meet the Australian delegates on Saturday. I'd much rather swim in this salt water pool or peer out into the horizon, where the sea meets the mist and mist meets the clouds and the blue, blue sky.

Capri was awesome. It's a little island off the coast of Sorento and the view is divine. Spent the day walking in the little village streets, walking in and out of shops (not buying anything coz I'm poor hahaha), meeting new people (including Japanese couple from New Jersey with two gorgeous lil kids), and I spent an hour swimming in the sea next to a whole heap of gleaming white yachts.

I don't want to leave...

* * *

Wish I'd brought:

- my boyfriend

- more skirts because it's so damn hot!

- a bigger hand bag that fits my journal

- a personal washing machine

Was thinking:

- Bags having honeymoon in the Mediterranean... hahahaa...

- Sorry if I don't bring home any presents, I'm being incredibly selfish during this holiday... and it's just too damn hard to look for nice things that I can afford.

- Wish I had an SLR camera to capture the views... it's been spectacular in this region!!!

- I think some Italian mosquitoes are feasting on my bare legs... better return to my room soon

- Steve and Vance are cute: wish I had brothers like 'em.

- As I dove into the ocean I wished Ryan was there coz he enjoys the beach and would make me swim out to sea even when I'm scared.

Funny moments:

- Met a French couple... the guy is everything a archetypical French man would be: tall, muscular, hairy, loved taking his shirt off... and loved making out with his woman (especially in the hotel pool... hahahaha...whenever their lips weren't touching, I'm sure whatever was under the water was making up for it)

- Yesterday I had 3 glasses of wine which left me walking around the terrace haphazardly

- Italy has no sand on their beaches. Instead there is just rocks... hard to navigate through the rocks... ouch ouch ouch...

- Pompeii was a kinky place. Found an engraving of a penis on the pavement... and the penis pointed to the direction of the brothel. When in Italy... hahaha...