Short Drive to Paradise

Rome * Car Pick up * Stop in Caserta * Vietri Sul Mare

3.42 miles walking

We got an early start from Rome this morning.  We had to take a taxi to our lease car agency near the airport then drive the 3 - 4 hours south to Vietri Sul Mare.  Our first adventure came when they pulled up in our lease car and I wondered how we would all fit inside - let alone find space for our luggage.  We managed to do it - good thing Charlie is little and can be squished in a back corner.  There is NO way we are fitting Stewart in this car when we get to Spain.  I'm already forming a plan B.  Maybe he and Maren can take the train or bus from destination to destination and the rest of us will drive?  Stewart should be able to handle that - he's been living in Spain for 2 years. We have just a couple of short legs in northern Spain and I think this plan could work, and then rather than drive to Barcelona, may be ditch the car in Madrid and take the train.  Hum.....I'm sure Eric is formulating another plan which might involve all of us holding our luggage on our laps or tying something to the roof.  This will be interesting, everyone will have to stay tuned for the decision.

Our next adventure with the car came when we stopped at a rest stop to get Eric a coke (that's his drink of choice while driving) and we couldn't get the car into reverse (this car is a manual).  We had to open the glove compartment to find the driver's manual and try to read it in French, gratefully we found the instructions for the gear shift - pull up on the gear before putting into reverse.  I guess it's been a while since we've driven a manual.

On our way to Vietri we saw an exit sign for the city of Caserta - a city I served in as a missionary back in 1992.  Without too much effort I was able to get us to the chapel (with some help from Google) and we took a quick picture in front of the church.  I was only in Caserta 2 months as a missionary, but I sure met some great people in the branch and in the city.  Some of the best people I taught were here.

We arrived in Vietri Sul Mare by 2:30 and were relieved to find our apartment quickly.  We drove down a steep cobble-line street to nearly the beach (we can walk to the beach from our apartment) and were surprised by a darling pink, blue, and purple tiled "beach house" with a nice open kitchen (a big improvement from Rome). We're a bit early in the season for vacationers so the town is a bit sleepy, but we found the town piazza and a gelateria and had a nice quiet stroll along the beach.  It'll be good to unwind for a few days after the hectic big city (and sleep without ear plugs).

Apartment in Vietri

Meditating on the Mediterranean

LDS "chapel" Caserta Italy