the only way we could get from naples to our bungalow in sorrento was via the cicumvesuviana. you’ve probably never heard of it and you definitely don’t want to ever ride on it. it was the sketchiest, most crowded tram we could have found. it creaked and jerked like it was about to fall apart. we stood shoulder to shoulder without a/c while straddling our luggage and inhaling cigarette smoke for an hour. just when we thought the cart couldn’t fit one more body, the italian equivalent of a mariachi band pushed their way on and began blasting despacito. even if we wanted to drop coins in their basket, we couldn’t physically move to get into our purses. we did what we had to do, though, and made it to sorrento with smiles on our faces.
we were able to drop our bags off at the bungalow, which boasted a private view of the sea, and then went on a search for a bus to positano. evidently the sita bus doesn’t have an official stop. after flagging down every bus that passed by, we found what we assumed to be the right bus and lo and behold, it was filled to the brim with people. my best comparison is a can of sardines, but like, vacuum sealed. it’s important to note that the route to positano consists entirely of switchbacks on the edge of the cliff. one of us had to focus on not throwing up, another was being launched across the aisle, and all of our hands were so sweaty that we couldn’t grip the poles. for another hour, we were hysterically laughing and also trying not to fall into the doors and tumble down the face of the mountain.
don’t worry, though; we arrived safely and the process of getting there made the breathtaking view that much more incredible. positano was the most beautiful place i’ve ever seen. we laid out on the beach, swam around the crystal clear water, ate lunch at a restaurant on the sand, and browsed in little linen shops until the sun began to set. we watched it go down while drinking fresh strawberry daiquiris and eating pasta on a rooftop bar. when it got dark, we went down to the bottom of the city to retrace our original path back to where the bus had dropped us off. no one talks about the amount of stairs you have to climb in positano, either. climbing 400 steps to the top of the duomo was child’s play compared to this. at the top, we decided to taxi back to sorrento and managed to wave down a van that fit us all. our driver was lovely and gave us a history lesson while teasing us about our american obsession with ice water.
day two proceeded in similar fashion. we took the circumvesuviana, bless our hearts, to the port of sorrento after missing the tram we intended to take. a ferry took us to capri and as soon as we docked, we hightailed it to a pastry shop and munched on some of the best croissants and coffees we’ve had yet at grotta azzurra. then, we bought passage on a boat that sailed us around the entire island of capri. halfway through, we literally jumped off that boat into a 4-seater rowboat and when the waves subsided, lay flat on our backs as the guide launched us into an underwater cave. we slipped him 5 euros to let us jump into the blue grotto, which illuminates a neon blue due to the reflection of the sunlight through the tiny opening. back on the island, we sprinted back onto the ferry as the crew was untying the boat from the dock and waving at us to hurry. to save a little money after an expensive day, we swam at the public beach in sorrento and took home some zucchini flower pizzas from the beach bar. we ate them on our little porch in our damp swimsuits, watching the sun go down. then we got gelato from a bakery and stayed up late belly laughing at all our attempts of getting good pictures of such a hectic and fulfilling day.
this has been my favorite weekend of the trip, not in spite of the challenges, but because of them. not many people share the realistic aspects of traveling in a country where you don’t speak the language. the destinations are picture-perfect but the process can be messy. i mean, the hotel van got into an accident at the bottom of the driveway on the way to drop us off at the tram station. the driver of said van loaded our suitcases upright on their wheels and we were doubled over trying to stifle our laughter as they crashed around the trunk the entire way. we got kicked out of a pool for not buying a swim cap. we spent an eternity trying to get cute pictures in capri and ended up with maybe two acceptable shots. if you have the wrong attitude, these things can cast an irreversible shadow on your trip. luckily, i made friends with some girls who would rather laugh til they cried than complain.
we accomplished what we set out to do. we figured it all out on our own (special thanks to apple maps and universal hand gestures). we saw so many beautiful things, met tons of wonderful people, made unforgettable memories, and learned to be independent. i could have written this entire blog post without mentioning any of the less-than-ideal stuff, but that’s not always how life works. of course the view was great, but the path that lead us there brought so much meaning to the experience. miley cyrus really hit the nail on the head when she said it’s the climb.
Junior English/Creative Writing major Rylie Frederick is spending the summer 2019 term at the University of Arkansas Rome Center.
Read more from Rylie at https://rylieinrome.home.blog/
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