Letters from The Sea - Part V: Naples

Hiya! finally found an internet caf in Naples, so HELLO!!!!!! I cannot believe how out-of-touch I've been feeling.... There's this massively annoying big red cross underneath the words "internet is not available" on the screens of all the on-board computers...

Since I last wrote, things have been very up-and-down for me. Starting to be so damn BORED I'm losing my mind. The only thing I can find to occupy my mind is eating continuously. The weather has been incredibly crap, so relaxing on top deck with a book is out. This also means that all the comfy indoor areas are occupied completely by passengers, so no luck there. And my cabin is so depressing I really would rather not be in there unless I'm asleep! So I find myself wandering aimlessly around the ship, passing by the Cyber Zone every ten minutes to check if maybe, just MAYBE, they've sorted the connection out...

And of course, the crew bar is another danger... At 85p a beer... And with my poker winnings I now have pounds in cash again, so I can do my share of round-buying... Had another seriously late night on Wednesday, then last night was a crew party, so more lateness, and I'd booked myself on a trip up Mount Vesuvius which left at 8.50 this morning, so I am suffering somewhat! I also missed Tunis completely, yesterday, as I was fast asleep in my dark hole of a cabin...


Crew Bar!

As crew I can pretty much go on any of the shore tours that get me back in time for soundcheck, and Vesuvius was kinda cool. Long trek up the slopes of an active volcano! Last erupted in 1944, and you can see the lava flow where it cooled. It's also the volcano that buried Pompeii in 791AD (or thereabouts). You can see little puffs of smoke coming out of the cracks in the magma, although the actual centre has been "plugged" since the last eruption. And loads of people have houses on the slopes! They all live in daily fear that it will erupt again - there are early warning systems in place...


The outer ring (previous incarnation of the mountain) of Mount Vesuvius and lava flow from 1944. Taken from the side of the current active volcano.

Anyway, gotta go, my battery is dying! DAMN!

Next port is Livorno (also in Italy) and I want to head into Florence, or maybe Pisa... And tonight's entertainment is a Kylie tribute, tomorrow is Elton John.. Whatever...

Love to you all!

Dxxxxxxx