To Ravello and back....in one piece - 29th March

Today was our drive along the Amalfi Coast, an exciting experience to say the least!

We set off rather late, but we blame the change of clocks. Putting Positano into the satnav, we headed up hill, and up, and up. Almost the most exciting part of the day was early on. Imagine the precipitous, narrow roads that worm their way around these hillside towns. Then combine with satnav that has three settings: Fastest, Shortest, and Bloody Eccentric. Using the latter, we are commanded to climb south, then veer off onto minor side roads, until we are very nearly wedged up someone's back ally (and that is no euphemism!). It took some embarrassing reversing to extricate ourselves, after which we just followed the obvious road signs.

Cresting the peninsula on which Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast reside, a spectacular view unfolds, and we glide our way down hill and along the windy, fearful roads. Gripping the steering wheel with a Herculean squeeze, I can't imagine this trip being one we get out of alive. An early conversation went, "Who should write the blog tonight?". "The survivor", came the reply! Only at that moment, whilst I fretted at the wheel, did I notice a young lady riding a scooter behind me trying to overtake us, steering one-handed, whilst nochulantly smoking with the other. Quite emasculated, I felt.

I realise now why there are few Italian cars without bumps or scratches, and many without wing mirrors (not that they make excessive use of them - why bother when you have a horn?). The road along the coast is as beautiful as it is anxiety-inducing, but I loved every moment of it. Not only did the sun shine all day, and the sea was an incredible 'turquoise-ie', as Zach put it, there were gorgeous views in every direction. Driving, I could only snatch glimpses, but I was fascinated by the terraced slopes, the bridges and the tunnels, and the ingenious ways in which inhospitable contours had been tamed.

We passed through Positano (though we did look for a place to park, we failed, and the consensus was that, pretty though it was, we had seen enough of the town by the time we reached an exit point again), so we wheeled our way along towards Amalfi and lunch. Once sated, we braced ourselves and headed up hill to Ravello, and the recommendations did not disappoint. I have not seen views like it since travelling in Himachel Pradesh and the foot hills of the Himalayas. The only thing missing was a Tibetan Buddhist monastery hanging precariously off the side of a hill. The exquisite beauty of the place was not even diminished by the fact that the Americans (and plenty of them) seem to ohave found it first. We explored the narrow lanes, drank coffee in the Piazza Vescovado (not the kids, they are hyper enough already!), and even popped into the church of San Francesco, where you light electric votive candles by dropping coins in a slot.

The journey home provided its own entertainment as streams of  life-limited motorcyclists overtook us on hairpin bends and blind corners. There were even cyclists and joggers along the road, vying for space and mortality (even though it is up to 20*c, the locals are still in heavy coats and hats, and one jogger was wearing a full balaclava to protect them from the cold - I've never felt more like a Yorkshireman than in recent days when I have donned little more than shorts and tshirt in defiance of the native's winter apparel).

So that's another one to chalk up to experience. Fear and beauty in equal measure.
Tomorrow, Pompeii and 'the most dangerous volcano in the world'.

Nick