Amalfi Coast Trip – Day Two Summary (Praiano to Arola)

I have fifteen minutes at the moment to try and write about our bravery of yesterday. There is no way that I can fit everything in that happened, but I’ll do my best and the photos can come later.

The morning started in our lovely hotel where we all were, some of us in budget accommodation, some of us in what can only be described as the bridal suite. The breakfast was lovely, especially my five cakes, croissants, meats, cheeses, pastries and other miscellaneous produce. Bev had an egg and complained about it, Gordon looked worried about the walk (he was right to be looking back….) and Steve looked professional and calm.

After checking out of the hotel we started the walk up to the Path of the Gods. The first part of this walk is up steps within the town and it’s fair to say that of us four elite walkers, we were all exhausted before we even got to the start point. I spent about 25 minutes complaining that the path up to the Path of the Gods (which is on a bloody great cliff) was too hard and looked too scary. As it happened, for two thirds of the way up there was a staircase. This pleased me greatly as it meant no scrambling or scary heights.

We got to a church two thirds of the way up and had a rest. Bev started to get annoyed by some locals and I started to get grumpy when I saw that the steps stopped and I could see people walking on very dangerous terrain above (which later transpired not to be dangerous, but I do worry). I had a sulk going up the last bit to the Path of the Gods but Bev, unusually, was very helpful and supportive.

We got to the top of the path and then joined the Path of the Gods. We decided that we’d walk towards the start of the Path of the Gods and then walk to the end point which was in the direction of our accommodation. Actually, we didn’t decide that, we did it because I’m incompetent. We missed the sign, which it later transpired Bev had actually taken a bloody photo of. But ultimately we got lucky, as we saw more of the Path of the Gods.

And, as for this path, it was stunning. The views were some of the best I’ve seen, we were so high up that it was hard to comprehend just how high we were. If that makes sense. Which it probably doesn’t. We walked along the Path of Gods and I was slightly nervous that it might be difficult, but it was actually surprisingly acceptable.

Everyone was very brave and we walked to the end of the Path of the Gods and found a restaurant to have a drink and snack in. I won’t dwell on this restaurant, but it was the worst service I’ve encountered in many years and that must be in the thousands of restaurants. I don’t seek to understand their issue, but I imagine Bev upset them. Gordon had an expensive salad and shouted at his B&B owner over the phone when they called and we were then set to get a taxi back.

Until we discovered that a taxi would be €150 or so for four of us. Gordon was fine with that. Some of us weren’t, we decided to try and get a bus. We go and find the bus stop and to cut another long story short, we had a long wait there whilst Gordon purchased half the cafe bar’s products. However, he bought us all a coffee, so we were very pleased with him.

The bus came and we hardly fitted on, but luckily there was a seat for me. The others didn’t get a seat, but I didn’t mind that. We get off the bus, ready to connect to another bus, and luckily found the right spot to do so. Steve wandered off to check something and then we nearly missed the bus, but we got on and were then told we couldn’t buy the tickets on the bus and so we got off it again.

We then walked back into Positano, bought the tickets, looked at the lovely views, and then got the next bus. The bus journey was tremendous along the coast road, really charming views. We got off and began the final 60 minute walk to our accommodation. We were very pleased with how this was going, until we discovered it was uphill. Up a very big hill. No-one had checked that. But we were brave adventurers and we just carried on, unworried by this.

We then trek up this bloody hill and settle into our accommodation. Well, Bev, Steve and me did. Gordon was elsewhere and he then promptly got lost. But we only discovered that later otherwise we’d have been straight out to assist him. Gordon hardly mentioned that he had wanted to get the taxi in the first place to avoid all of this.

So, then it was on to the restaurant after a quick change in the B&B. That was an experience as we accidentally got caught in a wine tasting event with some very lovely people. It was hard to extract Bev from that, but we managed and went into this wonderful restaurant with views over Naples. The service there was much friendlier and my three course meal of meat & cheese platter, seafood spaghetti carbonara and a cheesecake was delightful.

Gordon then turned up at the restaurant, he had been given a lift in and was surprisingly content and happy given the drama of the day.  We then walked back to the B&B (Gordon got escorted back by a chauffeur) and that, as they say, was the end of that.

This is the abbreviated version of the day, much more to follow….. And photos of course.