Our Third Day: From Gaeto to Naples
We had another day of long distance riding. For the first 50 kilometres, we still had rather high traffic, before we turned right and rode in the direction of Pozzuoli along the coast. Here, traffic was less dense, it was more pleasure riding the bikes.
All of a sudden, we were in the middle of Africa for several kilometres – on the streets, almost everybody’s skin colour was black. And again there were many girls leaving us in no doubt what they were offering. We found that rather thought-provoking.
Again, we rode a total of 105 kilometres, but this time the whether remained at its best all day long. The coastal road with the small pass from Pozuoli to Naples being closed because of a landslide, we had to turn around and ride through the tunnel on the main road. What a tunnel! It is as high as a cathedral. In Naples, we finally found a hotel (Bella Capri – a back packer hotel). Now I am sitting here and finishing my journal of travels for the day – albeit not before having relished another delicious meal with special Napolitan cakes for dessert.
Let me give you an idea of the costs: the ticket Munich – Rome in the double compartment was 500 Euros. Staying overnight was 70 Euros for the fist two nights, and only 60 Euros in Naples. Lunch and dinner was always less than 40 Euros – including wine and water. Tomorrow, we are going by ferry, and then comes the trip from Salerno back to Rome on Friday. As you can see, it adds up. It is quite possible that flying to Tuneais and staying in an “all inclusive” hotel might have been significantly less expensive. But this is somehow nicer, the adventures are more numerous and more intense than they look on paper.
And about the streets: yes, there are many cars in Italy and the Italians always seem to be going somewhere. But if you want to go from Rome to Naples by bike, there is hardly an alternative. We saw many cobbled streets and “mended” roads. Sometimes it feels really bumpy. And if you are riding on the right side of the street, you have to be careful. Since the embankments are rather “unstable”, it can easily happen that you accidentally slip down 20 cm or more – which would probably meant you could not avoid falling from the bike and hurting yourself.
About the hotels: everything is clean and the hosts are all friendly. What is more: all rooms have floors made of tiles or granite – never carpets (I hate the carpets in German hotels)!
Well, now that we have survived the way from Rome to Naples, we are spending the evening in Naples, where the small motorbikes seem to be rolling through all the small and colourfully illuminated alleys. All those altars, all this busy night-life on the streets … it definitely has its charms.
I am content and a little proud to have managed the roughly 280 kilometres from Rome to Naples in a speed that was rather steep for me. Tomorrow morning, we first go to Capri by ship and then on to Sorrentino. So soll es sein, so kann es bleiben!
RMD
(translated be EG)
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