Day 25:07.2016The day before, for the first time, I felt tired of travelling. What I needed was a day at the beach! I was driving along the coast for such a long time recalling that, during this time, I had not properly enjoyed the sea!
In the morning, I woke up and ate breakfast with a traveling Polish couple. I packed only those items that were necessary for sunbathing, put biker clothes on and headed towards Sarrento, a town located 40 km, or an hours drive from Torre del Greco. It was the twelfth day of my journey, and that day I wanted to gain energy for the next part of my trip. And I had to decide how I should continue my trip. I had two options: the first one was to continue driving along the coastline till Reggio Calabria, and I would have to travel over 450 km within the next two days, or take a ferry from Naples to Palermo. Both options were doable. Although one option was more comfortable than the other. My main idea for the trip was to drive along the Italian main land till Reggio Calabria, cross the Mediterranean sea and enter Sicily through Messina, a harbour city in northeast Sicily. Later I would have driven around Sicilian, mainly along the coastline. At the end, I would have taken a ferry from Palermo to Sardinia. Reality forced me to change my plans. There was only one ferry provider operating between Sicily and Sardinia, who offered services once or twice a month. As a consequence, the time I could spend there was defined by the limited amount of possibilities for my departure. I had a choice between a ferry that was leaving on the last day of July, or on August 4th. Taking the second option would have meant that I would have had only six days for my trip back home. Hence I knew, I had to take the ferry on July 31st.It was July 25th, the heat and previous day made me tired, and I knew, I had had only six days until my departure to Sardinia. By taking the ferry from Naples to Palermo, I would have gained a day extra in Sicily, and in addition I would have had time to heal my, still wounded, feet. Hence, I booked a spot on a night ferry to Palermo for the next day.I left Torre del Greco around 11:00 am and made my way to Sorrento, crossing Pompeii, Castellamare di Stabia, Vico Equense. In Montechiaro, located on a slope of a hill with a beautiful view of a coastline, I stopped at a small, but crowded, parking lot. I left my Harley near the entrance of the parking, and watched a street vendor making lemonade. I leaned against my Harley and watched the guy with fascination. He took a large block of ice and water mixed with fresh lemon juice out of his truck, and every time a customer asked for a fresh drink, using the hand-grater he would grind it and filled a plastic cup with this delicious "hand made" sorbet. I had to try it, and, therefore, I bought one cup of this yummy drink. I stood next to my motorcycle and, for about twenty minutes, observed this vital and engaging spot. Looking at scenic landscape, alternately at passing people, cars and touristic buses. The place turned out to be a very popular spot for very rich people because several limousines had stopped there while I was there. The luxurious cars with well dressed passengers had breaks no longer than 3 minutes. The Chauffeur was opening the back doors, either a family or a couple was getting out of the limousine, making a pose facing the street rather than the coast line, the chauffeur was making a photo, and they were all going back to the limousine. I was wondering if they actually looked at what was behind their back?After I finished my refreshing drink, I drove down to Sorrento with one goal in my mind: I had to get as close as possible to the harbor, change my clothes, take a boat and head towards Capri! The best place I could think of, for sunbathing.Riding a motorcycle or a scooter has an economic advantage over cars. In many places, parking lots are located in more convenient places and they are either free or cost less than what it does for cars and buses. This was also the case in Sorrento. Parking was located just next to the harbor. I paid for the whole day what a car would pay for an hour. Before my departure to Capri, I parked my Harley next to tens of other motorcycles. Behind me sat a highly overweight couple on a rock wall. I looked at them, smiled and came back to my own thoughts. Suddenly, I realized that the man was commenting on everything that I was doing without considering that I might actually understand him. He:"Girl on a motorcycle. Really ?"(I looked at him and said nothing but I started slowly pulling out clothes, sandals, and suncream from my bags.)He:"No way she drove this alone. Anyway, a woman should stay at home and cook." (Sweat was dropping off his round face. I tried to stay focused on my things, the motorcycle would stay on that spot for the rest of the day, and I had to make sure that I took all the valuable items with me, and locked the motorcycle.)He:"What else you can do babe?"("You will not provoke me today", I thought. I looked at the woman. She said nothing. Just observed with a consternation on her face. "I feel sorry for you miss." I talked to myself, and started to change my clothes.)I sat with the couple behind me, and in that parking lot, with a real satisfaction, slowly took off my jeans. I knew the guy was observing me. "What will you say now jerk, your wife is sitting next to you, and I am taking off my clothes and the only thing you can do, is to look, better you say nothing or you will have trouble with your wife later."He: "Oh, so now what, she is taking off her clothes? Yeah, go baby, go."His wife: "We should go."He:"What?"His wife: "Go."Me: "Have a good day"They both looked at me surprised. ("Really? Are you so dumb enough not to consider that I might hear and understand you?). They left loudly arguing with each other, and I felt like I was a part of some sort of comedy. Half an hour later, I was sitting on a boat aimed at Capri, where I spent the rest of the day on a beach heeling my feet in warm salty crystal clear water. I took the last boat back to Sorrento at 6:30 pm, waited till the sun went down, and, in the darkness, drove back to my hosts' house, where pizze fritte was waiting on the dinner table. That was a very kind gesture from my wonderful hosts to prepare local specialty for all their guests. Relaxed, energized and ready for the adventure, I went to sleep.

Day 12 Pompei, Sorrento, Capri