25. Sorrento, and a tour of darkened train stations

We spent an afternoon and evening strolling and having dinner in Sorrento. Had a nice, if very pricey dinner, and then caught the Circumvesuviana back towards Pompei. Dinner wiped out our cash, and for some reason we didn't top up right then, so we had about 10 Euros between us.
Then, on the train, we were preoccpied & missed our stop. Easy! Get out next stop & catch train back. Hmm. 5 platforms. Which one?
Ask at ticket office : "which platform for Pompei?" Platform 4. Good.
Wait 20 mins train arrives. Doesn't say Sorrento on front.
Ask someone
"per pompei?" Si.
It's one station, right?
Train arrives at next station. Name at station bears no resemblance to Pompei. Says
Boscotrecase - which means Three Houses Wood, by the way.

Panic & get off train, realising it is heading up a branch line. Wait another 20 mins on a dreary, dark (now about 9.05) platform to go back to previous station. Get there about 9.30.

Ok. This time we're right. Train arrives. Oops! Again doesn't say Sorrento. Train doors open & I stand there just long enough to study map above opposite door to realise there are TWO pompei stations on different lines. (well 3 really cos there's also the state rail mainline station we first arrived at from Rome)

Then the doors closed. Ok. Got it figured now! These trains from platform 4 go to
the OTHER - 3rd - Pompei stationn, & guess what! We realise from piecing together
info it is 300 m from hotel, not 2k! Bonus!

Two trains bound for Sorrento pass thru on platform 2, & we breezily watch
them pass.

Two other passengers arrive. Two women we had seen in Pompei earlier in the day.
English speakers. From Thirlmere. They have a map of the trains! And atimetable. Except only for Sorrento trains, not this other branch.

We all wait together. After 40 mins we kinda think there might not be another train! Err, one last chance...there is one more to Sorrento - last for the night, at about 10.45. If we miss that one we're up the creek, we with 10Euros - not enough for a taxi fare.

I stroll up other end of platform where I can see some blokes on platform 1, and mustering my best Italian scream into the night air : is there another train to Pompei from this platform?

Hand signals & shouted replies indicate Nup. Ci sono finito for tonight.

Onto platform 2, & last train, then 2 k walk. With dogs. For Pompei turns into a town of strolling dogs after dark. Arrived back at about 11.30pm, instead of 9.30 having had interesting tour of boring, darkened railway stations somewhere between Pompei & Naples.

Below: View towards the bay
Below: Picturesque street
Below: View across the Bay of Naples towards Vesuvius, from the Villa Communale, with the bathing jetties below





Below: the small Villa Communale (public garden)
Below: A picturesque spot for wedding photos.

26. Travellin' around

Below: Pompei Scavi - the station on the Circumvesuviana line which is on the Sorrento line. Many visitors to the Pompei site arrive here.

Below: Ercolano -The station for visiting Herculaneum's ruins.
Below: the Circumvesuviano - return from Sorrento. This is the train we were on when we over-shot the station.

Below: the brand new regional train taking us from Pompei to Naples for our return to Rome. So new the remnants of the plastic which had covered the seats was still visible.

Below: the train from Naples back to Rome.

Below: leaving Naples
Below: The station at Lucca
Below: Waiting at Viareggio (I think) for train to Genoa
Below: The train from Viareggio to Genoa

Below: train from Pisa to Lucca