17 September 2016

Lady Helen had avoided doing any boat-related activities without The Earl as she had a phobia of travelling in anything that does not touch terra firma. Only with him to protect her would she board a sea-bound vessel.   But on the day before they were to depart for home she thought “Hey the Mediterranean is a calm sea isn’t it? What could possibly go wrong? The ride would be smooth and the weather amazing – I can’t leave Italy without seeing the Amalfi Coast – I can do this.”
So after a fortifying breakfast and seeing to her ailing husband’s needs she bravely set off on her own.   She got to the harbour just in time to get the 9:30 ferry. It was only 15  minutes to Cetara and she decided she would go there and then come straight back.
When she saw the tub she was to board she almost changed her mind. It looked like what the butcher, baker and candlestick maker would have chosen. Tiny didn’t begin to describe it.

But board it she did, and she befriended an Italian Mama and her daughters one of whom was also named Helen. The latter offered to take a photo of her doing her brave deed.

She was the only passenger disembarking at Cetara and a handsome crew member helped her off.
What a stunning little village. She explored for about an hour and took loads of piccies.

Okay so the ride was a little bumpy but it wasn’t that bad so she messaged The Earl and said she would go on to Amalfi.   It was supposed to be 35 minutes but she got the slow boat that stopped at every port.  Well – that was probably a good thing because she got to see the ports close up from the sea. Although this was a bigger boat it was less stable and the ride was rough.

Amalfi was amazing. She explored for a couple of hours and visited the cathedral.   She decided against swimming. The beaches were cute but very stony and she would have had to buy flip flops to walk on the stones and also pay to hire a lounger.Being used to the long white beaches of Struisbaai and Fish Hoek she thought it wouldn’t be worth it.

The wind got up in the afternoon and the calm Mediterranean looked somewhat choppy. She thought she might take a bus back to Salerno but it turned out that it would take an hour and a half and she’d left The Earl for too long already. So she risked life and limb to take the fast ferry directly back to Salerno – only 35  minutes. Fortunately, it turned out that that particular vessel was more stable than the one before and she hardly felt a bump. She was back at the hotel before 2 o’clock.
The Earl had slept most of the time she was away which was good as sleep is a wonderful healer.
At 6:15 they met Filippo for farewell drinks.  He had to leave for a family dinner and so she and The Earl went out for chicken wraps and so ended their sojourn in Salerno Italy.