Italy

Saturday 20 August 2005

We walked for 7 hours taking in the Roman Forum, Coloseum, Circus Maximus, Trevi Fountain and St Peters, where Sandy was turned back for wearing shorts by a hysterically orthodox apprentice cleric! Walking up towards Roma Termini three young men deliberately bumped into sandy with a 'Oh I'm sorry!'. Sandy started feeling his pockets to see if they had been picked. Then he recognised the culprits. Three of last year's TGS Year 12s, Fletcher, Innes and Kavanagh. Then Patsy recognised the two girls who were with them, Gemma Innes (Liam Innes' twin sister) and laura Hunt. The girls had spotted Patsy from a bus they were on and the boys had spotted Sando in his TGS cap and had jumped off to accost us. A great moment for both of us. A real Italian pizza finished the evening.

Ex-Pupil Backpackers

Trevi Fountain

St Peters Cathedral

Friday 19 August 2005

Took the train to Pompei Scava and took in the ruins. They are about three square miles in area all buildings preserved to some extent minus roofs. Two theatres and a mini Coloseum. Quite the most amazing ancient site we have seen - better by far than the Roman town at Split. We then went back to Naples and caught the train to Rome. We have just had a great spaghetti meal and are about to go to bed in our hotel.

Mt Vesuvius

Pompeii Ruins

Thursday 18 August 2005

Arrived in Bari at 8.15 Italian time. Caught a bus into the station and booked on a train to Naples leaving at 4pm. Hung around Bari until train left. After a four hour trip, changing at Caserta, we hit Naples at 8.30pm. We did not die, although the station area is pretty full of low life, and booked into the Ideal Hotel for the night. Very comfortable.

Addition for 4th August 2005