Sipping on Lemoncello on the west coast of Italy!

After having a night in Rome  which was by far the worst experience of sleeping in a tent EVER. We woke up on many of occasions to people vomiting out there tent, people wheeling there suitcases at 3am up the drive way behind us and even to a guy who clearly couldnt sing screaming at the top of his lungs 'like a virgin' by madonna. We woke up at 7am to have a shower in the communal showers where our feet were in a bath of water that wouldnt drain... why we wore thongs in there I dont even know.

After finally meeting our tour guide Simone or Simona in italian we got on the bus to head down to Sorrento for 2 nights.
We met a few people on the bus that were going to be on our tour for the next few days. We met Amie and Abby who became part of our family for the next few days and who we hope to meet up with further down the track. After driving down the coast for 3 hours we arrived in Pompeii where we had a walking tour through the ruins. It was unbelievable the size of the ruins and really sad to think of the amount of people that would have died from burning alive with volcanic ash. We even got to see the remains of a little boy, a dog and a pregnant lady which after years of technology they could make moulds around there bones and in between the ash where it had solidified around there bodies to make a cast and you could even see there facial expressions and bones.  We got to walk through the largest Brothel in Pompeii ruins which still had intact the paintings on the wall of what you could choose to do with your lady . Was urm.... different.

Little Boy

Pregnant lady found trying to cover her face and protect her baby

Lemoncello shop with Antonio

After visiting Pompeii we stopped to have some Pizza then headed back onto the bus to our home for the next two nights in a Tent. YAY!

Our tents werent as bad as Rome as the camping ground was quiet and everybody respected the 'being quiet' at night. We went out for a group dinner and stopped by a lemoncello shop where we were told how they make lemoncello and Antonio the man who owns the shop who is a true Italian, (short, fat, hairy, funny, nice and Very loud) sung us Italian songs and gave us all a taste of the different types of lemoncello and the lollies. Was lots of fun.

After we had a few cocktails at a bar and then headed home for a big day the next day.

Day 2 in Sorrento we caught a boat over to the Island of Capri. We were supposed to get a boat to the Blue Grotto (the one thing we have wanted to do our whole life and the only reason we chose to tour down in Sorrento) but ofcourse with our luck the swell was too big and it was closed so nobody could enter. We were very disappointed. After we caught a convertible taxi up to Ana Capri and then caught a chair lift up a really steep hill to the top of the mountain where you had a panoramic view of the island. The view was incredible and was rather romantic when Sal and I got photos on the Love seat . After heading back down the chairlift we caught the local bus down to Capri and had a look at some expensive shops and then walked down to the beach where we had lunch and a swim and then got back onto the boat to head back to Sorrento.

The blue grotto that we never got to see

Courtney, Amie, Abby , Sally and I heading up in the converitble taxi with a shade cloth.

By the beach of Island of Capri

On the boat to Capri

Love is in the air. Doo doo doo doo doo doo

When we got to Sorrento we had a group dinner at our campsite which was huge and rather delicious. It was 4 course and Sally and I had Gnocci for the first time which was to die for! so good! (I think by the time we leave Italy we will be masterchefs of Italian food) After dinner we had an early night.

Day 3 we woke up had breaky and was on the bus by 730am. Today we were driving down the Amalfi coast. How exciting!! Something you always hear about and wonder what its really like. At the entrance to the drive along the Amalfi coast was a fresh fruit stall which had the most amazing tasting fruit we've ever had. The flavours were so much fresher then at home and the fruit was HUGE. Good start to our day.

YUM peach

Sal trying to choose which fruit she wants

After having a group photo we got back onto the bus and headed along the coast which was a long windy road (similar to the coastal road to wollongong ) with amazing views of the little towns on the water. The roads are so narrow that only a small bus and small cars can fit on and there was definately a few times we didnt think we'd fit through. After we stoppped at a little town for breaky at a bakery where we got croissants and chocolate pastries and had a drink then we had a look around the shops and headed out on a boat for a tour down the Amalfi coast.

We got back on the bus and then headed to a town on the top of the hill for a homemade lunch. We had lasagne and these little deep fried balls of potato and rice they were delicious! We got a Gelato and had a stroll through the town and then headed back to Rome. The tour was lots of fun and Sorrento was everything I pictured Italy to be like.

Did I mention the size of the lemons they grow down here?

Huge lemons