Departing Rome after a morning of Papal perving, we caught the 4.30 fast train down to Napoli, 2 hours of rather ordinary countryside, especially around Napoli.

Napoli is not a highlight on the tourist trail. The only city in Italy with a significant number of high rise buildings, unattractive sprawling suburbs, and a over supply of McDonalds. No reason to stop here so it’s onto the rattling Napoli rail network, Circumvesuvio, for the hour run down to Sorrento.

Arriving in Sorrento around 8, we realised that the 19 million tourists had followed us to the Amalfi coast… AND, they had brought friends! Given that they had arrived just before we did, they had left only one room in the entire town for us to rent… And they all stood there pointing at us while we tried to find it!

We did eventually locate the last room in town, a downstairs windowless concrete box. Of course, poor aircon, no English TV, and a double bed.

Late dinner and a stroll around town followed by a late night web search for new digs down the coast.

The next morning, Wednesday, and the bus trip down to Amalfi is a highlight of the Italian leg of the tour. Hairpins, near misses, narrow roads and of course a stunning view of the Amalfi Coast. Our home in Amalfi is the Hotel Dorio Amalfi, 4 k up the hill and the view is magnificent.

Tomorrow Capri and the Blue Grotto.