Tues 2nd ...to Naples DAY 10

We rode the next stage of the trip today and only one photo during the day. We did 327miles some on really good Autostrada but some on the most amazingly variable road I’ve ever been on. Some surfaces were perfect – smooth, even and predictable but, even mid-corner, the surface would change to worse than dirt-track in that there were bits of road actually missing and pot-holes galore which needed avoiding.  Quite hard to get lulled into a false sense of security on the new and smooth places and then rattle your jaws at the next instance.

We travelled down from Macerata (which too us about 40mins to leave ‘cos we couldn’t find the motorway – crap signs and confusing pointers with the wrong names on) to Pescara then overland via Foggia and then on to Naples.

These signs appear AT the junction you need to turn making
no time at all to decide. Very scary esp. when everyone else
knows where they are going and do it molto presto!

Naples…. The most scary place I have ever driven. We arrived at about 3pm and dear little SatNav took us straight to our Hotel in the middle of the ancient district. Getting there was amazing. It seems the Neapolitans do what they want, when they want especially in heavy traffic. Traffic lights are COMPLETELY IGNORED by almost everyone and if you don’t just GET ACROSS the junction everyone gets annoyed and hoots like mad. Pedestrians are similarly minded so when there’s a million people trying to do a London-like crossroads it is basically a free-for-all with the scooters winning, pedestrians next (they shout ‘cos they can’t hoot) and then small cars followed by big cars…. we were last in the competition but got quite good at it quite quickly even though we lost.

Via Biagio del Librai - buzzing and wonderful

Rob mashed in the left pannier, on a laundry van’s tailgate, trying to ride the wrong way up a one-way street (on purpose, of course) finding a parking place. We eventually arranged for a garage to look after the Goldwing (for a price) er…safe now in the distinctly ‘shady’ environs we are staying in for the next few days.

We did go to the railway station – there is no way are we will attempt to get to Pompeii and back on the bike after this afternoon’s fun – and were served by an absolutely delightful man who couldn’t really understand us behind his booth so he came out and spoke to us in person. He made sure both he and us understood what to do and the cheapest way to do it and went back inside to sell us our returns to Pompeii for Thursday: wonderful. We left happy in search of a bar!

Our hotel is cool, air-conditioned and we’re in our room having a beer or two before venturing onto the streets for some evening diversion…what ever that might be.
The streets are FULL of rubbish and it's such a pity because the city is so brilliant with huge palaces, churches and buzzing with activity and commerce. Dinner was in a lovely little bistro - pizzas and a crisp bottle house wine and really cheap too! This last pic says it all...

Beautiful background - foreground...er...rubbish!