Travelling to Amalfi

There is a long standing joke in my family that no one will ever get me on a boat. Lots of kidding around that I would rather drive, fly, walk or swim--anything to avoid stepping on a boat.

The teasing is well deserved. The very sight of boats bobbing up and down in a harbour makes me nauseous and the smell of engine petrol causes me to turn positively green.

Not only do I dislike the movement and engine odours, the isolation of being on a boat is very unappealing. Being stuck in the middle of a lake (or horror of horrors, an ocean) and not being able to get off until the boat finally docks in port sounds dreadful.

Unfortunately, on the Amalfi Coast, travelling by boat is just a way of life. I had hoped that while we were there, we could take a bus or a car to the various towns along the coast. But soon after we arrived, I realized that this coastline was not designed for motor travel. (Let us not forget that in Positano there are 200 steps between the beach and the main road.) For many years, this beautiful coastline was dotted with fishing villages.

Because my daughter and I were both worried about potential (and likely) seasickness on my part, we stocked up on lots of Gravol prior to our trip. On the days we were heading out to Amalfi or Capri or Ravello, I dutifully swallowed a pill at least 40 minutes prior to departure (as the airlines advise).

Then we nervously boarded the ferry--and prayed.

Well, that woman in the photo at the top of my blog is me. Yes, relaxing with feet up, looking out the window and having a perfectly lovely time enjoying the ruggedly picturesque coastline.

I spent most of the trip daydreaming and picturing how this part of Italy looked hundreds of years ago when the warm waters of the Mediterranean held dozens of fishing boats. Nowadays, these waters are host to ferries that take tourists to the quaint and historic little towns.

A couple of days later, I swallowed another Gravol pill in preparation for the trip to Capri and was quite proud of myself not only for not being ill but for my complete enjoyment of the boating experience.

On this trip, I actually enjoyed the solitude and the quiet time on the boats.

(I can't wait to go back to Italy!)

Ciao!