Naples 2012

Naples and Rome were our Easter destination this year, last year it was Portugal. We decided on Naples as we have friends living there - The Lunns. We first met the Lunns in The Falklands and have since met up with them in Portugal too. Perhaps we'll see them every Easter. Due to my dislike of flying I decided we'd try the overnight train from Dusseldorf to Rome and then get the fast train down to Naples. Dusseldorf to Muchen was fine, a normal intercity. We then changed onto the overnight train to Rome. It was the oldest most knackered looking train I've ever seen and it did not improve inside! We had booked a sleeping cabin, very much like the ferry cabin we had when we sailed from Amsterdam to Newcastle, although there were 6 bunkbeds, 3 on each side of the cabin. The guard was checking our tickets when 2 people arrived saying they were in with us. I lost it at that point and, bless her, the guard found them another cabin. I hope I never have to take an overnight train as it was very loud and hot! Jacob and Abi loved it and slept the whole night. Allen and I slept a little, I coped with the toilet - just! I'm actually glad we had booked a flight back.

Anyway we arrived on time in Rome and went for a very nice breakfast with excellent coffee. We caught the fast train to Naples, only an hour and 10 mins away, and Adam was there to meet us. We headed off to a harbour for a lovely seafood lunch meeting Helen and the kids there. In the afternoon Jacob, Allen, Adam and Henry went off to explore an Ampitheatre and I headed home to the Lunn's 6 bed palace to relax and catch up. Their house is lovely, it's in a gated community of other military Brits. The surrounding area is a little rough though as we went past a burnt out car and mountains of rubbish plus stray dogs. The roads are worse than the Falklands ones and that's saying something!

I know there is a lot to see outside of Naples and the next day we visited Herculaneum and Mt Vesuvius, places I studied when I took Latin at school. It was amazing to see and we were all impressed. We didn't get to Pompeii but it leaves something to do next time. We ate and drank way too much but it was great!

Rachael.