I was going to call this one “Great Expectations”. Instead, it’s been a day of “Changing Expectations” today. As I’m typing to you, the room feels like it’s see-sawing a bit – we spent a bit of time on boats on the Mediterranean Sea today – and my brain still thinks it’s on a boat!

After breakfast, our group walked to the nearby train station where our big coach bus was waiting to drive us to nearby Sorrento. The original plan was to take a bus ride around the Amalfi coast to Amalfi. But parts of the road are “not working”, so the plan changed to take a hydrofoil boat on the Sea and ride to Amalfi. Great plan – I love a boat expedition and being on the water. We’re not sure whether that hydrofoil boat broke down, but we stood on the quay in the hot sun for one and a half hours waiting for our ride.

I think Italy is marginally behind India when it comes to disorganised chaos – from my very, very limited experience – but only marginally! There were people crowded everywhere on the quay. I felt for those waiting who are not physically as able as the rest of us. It was very hot and crowded. Eventually we were herded onto a boat – a much smaller ferry-type boat. A very crowded boat. Philip was downstairs and stood the whole journey. I was on the upstairs deck – with the fresh sea breeze and salt spray – where I sat on one butt cheek on a hard, plastic, crowded bench for the long, slow ride. At both Positano and Amalfi, our boat had to bob around in the Sea outside the little harbours, waiting for our turn to tie up at the little quaysides so we could disembark.

The towns on the Amalfi coast have pastel-coloured, stacked houses that tumble down the high, steep, dark-green mountainsides right to the water. The tourist shops crowd around the shoreline and the houses climb behind back up the mountainsides.

No mention on any of our boat rides today of boat safety or emergency protocols. I didn’t see any anyone wearing any life jackets, or see any stashed away. They may be there – I just didn’t see any. It made me laugh a lot, especially when I consider that the smallest boat ride anywhere in Australia or England gets the full boat safety procedures!

We got off the boat eventually at Positano. But because we’d been held up, there was only just enough time to try to find some lunch before we needed to get on the next boat. Not that we needed to stay longer anyway! All these towns are swarming with tourists – swarming – people, people, people everywhere! Long queues at all the food places. Philip finally got himself an apple slice for lunch and I had brought some fruit and a home-made museli bar for me.

Back onto another ferry – a bit bigger this time and not quite so crowded and a shorter trip to Amalfi. It’s a bigger town and port with lots of boats, including some larger ships with cranes and shipping containers on the wharves. Amalfi was one of four powerful Maritime Italian Republics during the Middle Ages (800 – 1100AD) and traded heavily with other countries like the Orient and Northern Africa.

We walked up to the piazza, full of tourist “tat” shops and food shops, including the many ubiquitous lemon sorbet and ice-cream shops. We filled our water bottles – we were very thirsty in the warm sunshine – at the big marble fountain in the centre. Other people were filling up too, so we figured it was probably safe water!

Facing the Piazza was the huge, colourful St. Andrei’s (Andrew) Cathedral. We willingly paid 4 Euros – about $6AUD each to explore this shady, quiet and fascinating place.

There was a basilica here in the 400s, but down through the many centuries and with the changing financial and political fortunes of Amalfi and the changing architectural fashions of buildings, there’s been huge, extensive and expensive alterations.

So much to see – the Cloisters, the Basilica, the Crypt, the Cathedral – far too much to absorb or take in – from so many different eras and histories.

A wonderful place to sit, meditate and think on. St. Andrew’s (the first disciple of Jesus) bones are said to be kept here. But I forgot to notice where – and does it really matter anyway, and the provenance seems very sketchy to me. It’s probably hidden away.

The front door is made of copper cast in Constantinople one thousand years ago.

We were tired when we finished in the Cathedral. It wasn’t the Cathedral that was tiring. In fact, we noticed that in there, even very young people responded instantly to the interiors by whispering and quiet, respectful silences.

But outside – the constant noise and the people… the people… people everywhere! I’ve been surprised at the lack of English-speaking tourists. They’re mainly from continental Europe. We went and people-watched in a shady spot down at the harbour for an hour while we waited for our next boat. (By the way, I’m going to probably need to do a lung-detox when I get back to Perth. So many people smoke! We can’t avoid them.)

I washed my hands and feet in the Sea at Amalfi – first time I’ve able to get onto the “beach”. I’m amazed at how clear and clean the water is – with all the people and boat traffic around.

In this photo, you can see the intense cultivation on the slopes around the housing. Citrus, grapes and olives usually.

We did get a hydrofoil comfortable boat ride on to Salerno and then it was straight onto a bus to bring us back to Vico Equense and the hotel where we’re based. Philip was busy talking to the person next to him on the bus, but that road was built on lots of aqueducts with high narrow columns, hair-pin bends and long tunnels.

Back for a late dinner together. I skipped the evening meeting to write to you, but Philip went to it.

As I’m typing to you, the window of our room is open and there must be a crowd somewhere watching the European soccer match outside together. I could tell you what the Italian score is just by listening to the wild, exuberant cheering! I can hear fireworks popping loudly now! Goodnight!