Max Hotel Bari

... shouldn't have taken the first agent's word for it. Seemed to be ships sailing at all hours - must surely have been one with space on it overnight? Definitely the only way to do this route.However, we get by: but I wouldn't recommend Ventourist line: cheap, for sure; but tacky -very, very tacky!Another night in an anonymous port.

... Cross. But that wouldn't have made for quite as snappy of a title. Besides, the Atlantic City is the only legitimate version of the game.

NB2: for all you Americans out there, did you know that Reading Railroad is pronounced "REDding"? I had no idea. Sorta takes the snap out of the title after all.

NB3: there is a really annoying, bratty kid on this train. Italian is my favorite language to hear ...

... were pretty bussy and the itialians in their true style were weaving in and out of all 3 lanes and using the shoulder as an extra lane, but as we approached a tunnel, the traffic all slowed, just moments before we passed a brand new sports audi has plowed into the back corner of another car spinning it and causing it to hit the car in front. Luckily it appeared as if everyone survived, but then with out a word of a lie, no more than 5 minutes down the road ...

... Dan got a map of Pompeii and we saw like 1/16 of the ruin! I was dissapointed we couldn't see more but Enzo did say that it would take 2 days to see all of the ruin. The bus ride from Pompeii to Bari was a few hours, we stop for a snack/lunch/toilet break after a few hours. Dan and I had a calzone and a drink, we bought some onion pretzels, pepsi and paprika italian pringles for munchies on the ferry.
We made the ferry on time ...

... Italian, it was little surprise to find that this was once part of ancient Magna Graecia; in fact you are more likely to stumble upon Greek temples than you are Roman ruins. Known in Italy as a land of myth and fable, this little region was clearly full of surprises.

Whenever I think back to the first day in Basilicata, images of mountains, beautiful scenery and sunny skies fill my thoughts - a lovely start to the holiday!

This is where Pietro, an old Italian guy, jumped into Bruce and navigated us to the trulli. He saved us from a traffic jam in the narrow streets of Puglia.

Pete was also called Pietro while in Italy. :-)

Trullo comes from the Greek word, "tholos" – meaning “dome”. See the pictures of the wee houses.

We found the Belvedere pub here too - also the name of our local in Aus – meaning “beautiful view”. It was beautiful.

... then set off in search of accomodation. I take a look in the hostel book and find there is a hostel 40km away so I head off to another beautiful fishing town, unfortunately when I arrive I do find the hostel after several circuits of the small town. They have vacancies but the parking is in a really dodgy area, warning signals go off in my head. It's back to the toll road for me and another night in car.

You don't want to go to Bari trust me. Big city, not much to see, very industrial, no reel unique feel. The hostel I stayed in was the most crummy hostel I've stayed in since I arrived in Italy. I did meet a nice Argentinian fellow there though, and we spent the night wandering around and having some drinks at the local bars.

... now regret...) and a Toblerone to split. It was delicious. But the ferry was so long. We got on at 20:00 and got to Patras at around 9-10 oclock. I dont remember. I was so tired. It was very hard to sleep...it got cold on the ferry at night, so we had to take out our sheets, and try to stay warm. But we didnt get much sleep... it was very uncomfortable... But we got to Patras, and then had to take another train to another station to switch trains to Athens. It was another two hour ride ...

... t work so well. Everything was closed then I arrived and there was some sort of event going off that filled the cheaper hotels, so I got stuck in this $200 hotel, but it was nice to have my own room. In the morning I headed to the ferry and ran into Mike and Steve from the midwest. If you hate me then you will really hate them. They are both living in ...