After an uneventful train ride to Napoli, we arrived in the city centre shortly after noon. Checking into the hotel we found that our room contained the worlds smallest bathroom with the worlds biggest basin. After using the toilet, you could wash your hands right where you were seated or with half a step, around the basin, be in the shower. 

We left the hotel to walk down the main street leading away from the Gibraldi Piazza headed for the port to purchase ferry tickets to Capri the next day. Being a Sunday were were surpirsed that almost everything was closed but to make matters worse the city was filthy, with piles of rubbish and long stretches smelling like a urinal. At the port we were told we needed to buy tickets on the day so we decided to search the city for 2 of the 3 things that are recommended there, Pizza and Gelato (the 3rd thing being to leave). The top choices for pizza were closed so we settled for the only place that was open, which was tasty but just pizza. The next hour was spent searching high and low for gelato, to no avail, so we instead retreated to the confines of our room and our awesomely big basin. The next day, after the meager provided breakfast we walked to the port, noticing that the streets were beginning to be cleaned and there previous days state may have been abnormal, where we jumped on the ferry to Capri.

From the port of Capri we took the local bus service up the winding roads to Anacpri, that barely fit two small buses, and often  requiring one bus (and traffic behind it) to reverse back to a wider point so they could pass. All this was done at breakneck speeds with either the solid rock scraping passed or a thin railing "protecting" us from the severe drop down to the waters below. It was becoming obvious where the Italian formula one drivers learnt their trade. 

Our hotel turned out to be the complete opposite of the one in Napoli, containing a bathroom the size of the complete room in Napoli, service to compare and a breakfast that included some of the best food we had yet tasted, all run by a friendly and helpful family. Following their advice we headed back to the town of Capri. To fuel our upcoming exploration we stopped for some lunch where we were rudely introduced to the overpriced cost of food in Capri, which doubled if you had the audacity of sitting at a table instead of standing and eating out of your hand. Our sprits still high and our wallets significantly lighter, we began following the steep winding streets and paths through the town then along the coast of the island. Everywhere we looked there was amazing clear water, rock formations and stunning views. After several hours of walking up and down hills and stairs we returned to the town of Capri for some well earnt gellato, ensuring they scooped it directly into our hands to save having to sell a kidney, before risking life and limb catching the bus back to Anacapri. 

After a great night sleep and an even better breakfast we headed off to Belvedere Migliera to begin our walk along the west coast of the island. This took us past many of the ruined forts that once existed as a defense for the island and even though the day was overcast the scenery and waters were still magnificent. The walk ended at the Grotto Azzurra parking lot (which we had been advised not to go and see due to cost, 25 euro each, outweighing the duration in the grotto, 30-60 seconds). The bus trip back was entertaining with the driver being extremely happy, singing away to his Bob Marley songs and adding a nice ending to the walk. The remainder of the day we relaxed while researching Sorrento and Pompeii which would be our next stop.

After a windy and rainy night, we went to breakfast where our host advised us to eat quickly in case the ferry was cancelled due to bad weather. Arriving at the port, we were greeted with a long line of would-be passengers all waiting expectantly for the ticket office to confirm if the ferry would continue to run that day. Our plans to go to Sorrento from Capri were soon changed when the ticket office advised that the last ferry would be leaving for Napoli in 10 minutes, whereby we bought our freedom and boarded our ride to Napoli. The ride back was an event itself with the ferry being thrown about as it left the island, resulting in the TV going flying (who doesn't restrain a TV on a boat??) as our stomachs entered our mouths. Thankfully the seas calmed a little as we got clear of the island and the remainder of the trip back was rather dull in comparison. Once we arrived at Napoli, we quickly became drenched as we briskly walked to the train station (dodging any rubbish that happened to float past) where we spent the next hour in various lines organising train tickets to Pompeii, plus return tickets to Venice.

Finally, after a brief train ride we arrived in Pompeii at 5pm, having left our hotel at 9:30am that morning, to the warmth of our new home for the next couple of nights. Unfortunately, the cold I had been brewing over the past few days came to it's peak the following day and with the weather wet outside we spent the day in our room, missing out on the famous city and it's active volcano. After checking out, we boarded the local train back to Napoli, before taking another to Rome, then another to Venice.