Day 21 And off to Italy

The day began super early for Johnny and me with a 5.30 start. There was no breakfast as the hotel lounge opened at 7 and we were being picked up at 6am. We travelled to the airport by Uber and by the time we got there the rest of Lisbon must have had the same travel arrangements as the airport was heaving with people. We joined the line to self check in our luggage but were sent back to another line to self print the baggage tags. It pays to know the system. THEN, with our luggage disappearing out of site (hopefully on the way to our aeroplane) we joined the longest line in human history, to go through security with our hand luggage. We walked up and down the line about 10 times, then crossed a corridor and did it all over again. We saw the same passing faces so often, that I had the weird feeling that I knew them. People take all sorts of weird things on board aircraft, but this one topped the list. One guy was carrying an enormous artificial plant.

After we boarded there were no issues. I read a couple of pages, put on my noise cancelling headphones, popped a Travacalm pill and promptly fell asleep. I slept solidly for the next two hours. I woke with the plane starting its descent into Rome. I could barely believe my good fortune.

There was strange system getting the rental car. We had pre booked it and just had to read on a big TV screen where to find the car (JOHN - because Johnny is an Avis Preferred customer). There it was in bay 29, with the keys already in the car. Without seeing a human being, we loaded up the car and drove out. The only check was at the exit gate where a guy asked for the rental agreement and a look at Johnny’s licence.

It was all autostrada to Casserta and that meant that the speed limit was 130km per hour. Johnny was driving well below that until he got used to the car and the road culture. Apparently few, if any drivers indicate they want to change lanes and one silly sod was riding across two lanes. The road to Casserta was an easy run but it took so long.

Caserta did not impress on first sight. It looked dusty and downbeat and I consoled myself with the thought that it was only a quick stopover. We found our hotel and again it lacked the wow factor. Somehow the whole place looked as if stuck in an 80s time warp. It was a worry when the sleepy guy on the desk took a huge metal camp apparatus off the hotel’s front door to let us in. Still, we had a huge room and it was clean and centrally located.

We went straight out to explore and walked down to the palace. From here Casserta was a revelation. There were streets and streets of elegant and interesting buildings. Many needed a bit of TLC, but then again so does so much of old Europe. The streets were flooded with tourists. The cafes were full. Shops were open and there were hundreds of holidaying tourists  about the place. We took a route that took us through several squares and around back to our hotel. We passed several restaurants that would do for dinner, but most were closed and promising a 7pm opening. Italians apparently like to meet up for a drink and chat through the afternoon and early evening. They like to eat late…very late.

At 7 we found a place that looked as if it had just opened for the evening. It was totally empty, but they let us in and told us we could have the table if we could be out in half an hour. They had booked out for adult dining and curiously, for children’s parties for the evening. The pizzas we ordered arrives almost immediately and they were pretty good. I learnt something. Marinara pizzas do NOT have to have seafood. All they need is a marinara sauce.

Back at the hotel, the WIFI was Fawlty Towers unreliable and Johnny was super stressed as he wanted to lock down the parking in Matera and pre book the tickets for the palace explore the next morning before we leave Caserta. There was huffing and various trips to the clerk at front desk. There was even a phone call to Matera. But the matters could not be resolved. It will all just have to wait till tomorrow.

Meanwhile in Paris, the guys found some very suitable accommodation, and began their Parisian exploration. Charlie bought an apple, found a friend in a playground and learnt how to introduce himself to people in French. Tres bien.

And in Rome, Perry and Michelle found themselves in the thick of preparations for the pope's funeral. They ran some of the course of the Rome marathon. Bravo!