Chillaxing

After Easter we went to a little island off Naples for a few days. Kev organised everything a few days before with a travel agent. We bought a full package which included transport, accommodation and all meals....to easy. Except that we got the wrong train. Well, kinda. We got on a train at the station in Rome, from the correct platform, to the correct destination, at almost the correct time (it was different by four minutes). We asked the conductor if it was the right train, and as he told us that it was a different company, the train started moving. After a lot of frustration and 110 euros, we made it to Naples. There we had a transfer waiting to take us to the port. Then we got a ferry to Ischia!

There was a driver waiting to take us to our hotel. It was marvellous... such a pretty spot. Luckily there was nothing much to do there except eat, drink, pray, walk, watch dvds, play in the heated indoor pool, or sit by the outdoor pool. So that's what we did.

 Kev in Ischia

 Hele in Ischia

Ischia - view from our room

 Ischia - reading by the pool

We were very relaxed after a few days, and only had to do a little bit of ESM work...so it was great. A driver took us to the ferry for the return to Naples. Again, a driver was waiting to take us back to the station. I think he like practicing his English because he was very chatty. When we told him that we had time to spare, he offered to take us on a driving tour of Naples....for a small fee of course. We agreed, because the best way to see Naples behind the safety of locked doors of a car.

Hele and a fancy building in Naples

Then we got the correct train back to Rome!

We still had a few days left of holidays at our place. The weather is starting to get really nice so we have been out and about.

One day I had a nice little trip around Rome on the back of my friend's motor scooter. Philip knows everything about Rome, so it was very informative.

The following week we went to Castel Gandolfo with the ESM, the local Emmanuel Community and parishioners from a local church where we will have a mission later in the year. Everyone took the bus together, but I went on the back of another friend's motor bike (a real one). Kev reckons I am becoming a biker chick. I agree. (The first friend is a consecrated brother and second is the chaplain of the ESM).  I am fairly wild. Now Kev calls me, 'miss adventure'...or perhaps it is, 'misadventure', I'm not sure.

Papal Gardens at Castel Gandolfo

Good news....Summer is on the way! I went to the beach with Louisa on Sunday. The water was a tad cool, but so refreshing, and the sun was shining all day...beautiful!