3-2-1...Vacation!
The time has come (trumpets blare, firecrackers go pop, pop, pop!) We’re going to Europe! We’ve got it all handled.
Pets are taken care of, thanks to my sister Carol
The house is clean and secure
Our work is done
AND Dave and I each have one only carry-on bag and a backpack for our 17 day getaway.
Let’s do this!
We get to the airport with plenty of time for our 4 PM flight. Of course we grab a celebratory cocktail at James Beach. It’s the same airport bar we hit prior to our Italy trip in 2015. We were also waiting for our flight companions Chris and Cara Knight. They arrived with about 20 minutes to spare before we had to move on to our gate.
It’s really happening!
Being fairly compact people, Dave and I are usually comfortable in economy. However, it is a long flight (14 hours) and Dave is an apprehensive flyer - therefore I upgraded us to premium economy. Long story short, we could not choose our seats; we got our assignments at the airport. We were bummed to discover we were in two middle seats in a row of four. I am outraged! (not really) The rows in premium economy sat 2-4-2. Dave and I were hoping to get two side seats - that was the main reason I paid an extra $2k! Because of that, and a couple other issues, I’m going to do my best never not to fly Alitalia for transAtlantic flights. Pretty disappointed.
Chris and Cara were in comfy pods in business class. That’s all I have to say about that. :(
“Nice to meet ya Kevin!” He was the guy sitting on my left - the person I’d be rubbing elbows with for the next half day. Super nice older gentleman traveling to Jordan in order to hook up with an organized travel group. He lives in LA working in the entertainment industry (shocker) as an editor for an Amazon Prime show, “Bosch.”
Waiting for Chris & Cara to get off the plane at Naples airport
Fast forward to a long 14 hours later...we have arrived in Roma! But, wait, there’s more - another flight to Naples. Nessun problema, meaning, “no problem!” (I speak Italian now) We make our connection, land on time, and our driver is waiting to meet us. As Dave likes to say, “bingo!”
Driver from Barbaro Car Service got the 4 of us in Naples and day drove us to Positano. $200
Deb and Steve trained from Milan and got to the house first.
Gaetano was our host and homeowner. www.villamaristella.com
He owned the entire residence which included an apartment for him, two separate apts for his son and daughter, a studio vacation rental, out 4 bed 4 bath unit and a downstairs vacation rental.
We headed out around 5 pm. We took a staircase down to the street below.
Went to Ristorante Saraceno D'Oro at Viale Pasitea, 254, 84017 Positano SA, Italy, where we shared a sausage pizza and had two bottles of wine. Our server Pepe was young and charming. After dinner, we walked further along the main road towards central Positano.
Christ pointed out stairs that look like they would cut us across the switch back and get us there quicker. They did.
Deb was in the lead commenting to Steve she wanted to cry from happiness. She was making a beeline right to Le Sirenuse. We went to champagne and caviar bar where we were seated in a loungy area. Munched on olives and chips and drank cocktails.
I had a cucumber smash - made with gin, but Robert our host had the bartender change to vodka for me. Yum.
We walked back to towards our place and stopped for food Hotel Villa Gabrisa, while the gang stopped and sat down at the restaurant at www.hotelmontemare.it/en/ Ristorante Il Capitano. I tapped out - so exhausted from the flight.
