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Bari, Italy

Todays travel had an element of anxiety to it as there was no early connection all the way through to Bari, so our best option was via 3 train changes and operators to arrive at 18:50 and then find our way to the Port and check in by 20:00 for departure at 22:00. If there were no delays or cancellations we would be just ok, but really we do not like leaving things so tight and if we missed the ferry we were non refundable and stuck for 2 days, not to mention upset the schedule in Croatia.

On the first leg on the “Delhi express” to Naples a lady across the aisle asked us if we spoke English and then for some help on the stops. As it happens she was a 72 year old Romanian from Bucharest and a delight to chat to for the rest of the journey. She was travelling with the group in the photo (dark hair and pink tights) and they were all over 70 – not that they looked like it. For a 10 day holiday, including flights and accommodation they only paid around 400 euro each with their seniors discount. She spoke several languages and was very well travelled and friendly. I think she found us just as interesting, as we found her – or perhaps Vernon very charming and asked to take our picture – so we took one of them too.

One of the nice things with travel is meeting fellow travellers from all over the world and exchanging helpful and interesting information. We find that most people whether in the hospitality trade or travellers think that New Zealand is on the far side of the galaxy and that we are very unique having travelled so far. The Americans in particular think that their flight of 8-10hrs is so long….. and can’t imagine being stuck in a plane any longer. We get the impression that chatting to a Kiwi is a novelty for many.

Fortunately our train connections went really well and we made it all the way across Italy in time to Bari. The train line between stations of Caserta (about 1 hour up and inland from Naples) and Bari begins by following the Campanian Mountain range. It is pleasantly scenic with green rolling hills with lots of Italian horticulture mainly grapes and olives. The mountain range was large and rocky in the background. Vernon even saw a few cows in one area and some goats (I was busy typing)! There was not a high concentration of cities but sprinkling of farm houses and smaller towns without those ugly apartments.

The last leg of our journey was in 1st class on the Italian fast train. If we had gone by bus this particular leg would have been 5.5hrs, but on the bullet train it was a smooth, 3 hour glide. We were quite lucky when we went online to book the tickets in Sorrento to find there was a Saturday half price special for the month of May, and some of the cheap rate left so the whole leg from Naples to Bari only cost 54 euro each. First class was actually cheaper than second class for the tickets left. Can’t work that last one out, but it was true.

At Bari we did break one of our rules, its so easy to slip up when you are a little tired from travelling all day and easy to drop your guard. When we hopped off at Bari we were approached on the platform by someone asking if we wanted a taxi, we said yes which was the first slip up – only go to taxi stand. Then second error – his car was not on a taxi stand nor did it have writing. Mmm we did give each other little looks and checked to see if it had a meter which we thought it did so we hopped in. In defence sometimes things in places don’t look as you expect yet are the real thing. We moved along a little and noticed the meter was in fact not a meter, so I did click into gear to ask how much the fare was to the port. I don’t know what we would have done if he gave a ridiculous quote except perhaps ask to hop out? The price he quoted was reasonable we felt and when we checked with an Aussie couple who were on the train, and again at the port and had just stepped out of a real taxi we only paid 5 euro more. Lucky lesson, and good reminder without too much cost or disaster.

Check in at Bari Port involved exchanging our voucher for a ticket and then you had to mini bus to the ferry and pass through customs. All this took nearly 3 hours including boarding.

It was quite exciting to see the huge Ferry docked at port in the early evening, with cars and bikes being loaded. Despite my fears of a Titanic experience it looked modern and safe so it was a great new adventure rather than a foreboding event. Hardly any need to mention what Vernon feels about being on a sea craft! We were personally escorted to our cabin which was on the top deck and then checked out the dining room for dinner. The meal was simple and cheap but more western that we have seen for a while and we devoured cabbage, potatoes and coleslaw with the fervour of someone who had not seen food for a few days!

Our first impressions of Croatians were that someone must have stretched the crew – all over 6 foot and probably around 6.3. They were tall, dark, muscled and handsome in a proud sort of way – funny to see that most had moustaches which looked a bit like a time warp. They also spoke good English, had excellent service attitude, were very well groomed in white shirts and black trousers and shiny shoes and smelt well whats the word? Clean.

The sea had a gentle swell and the boat a gentle roll but minimal. After dinner it was very romantic to stand on the deck and watch the lights of Italy fade to black. Yet another new experience and looking forward to waking up in a new country at sunrise.

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