1 June 2012

Continuing on our travels we went along the Amalfi coast line via Sorrento. The road wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be but then again I wasn’t driving. The views were stunning but the parking was at a premium and we were unable to stop in any of the small villages along the way. We travelled for about 5 hours and had just gone round in a big loop ending up North West of Salerno at Avellino. We opted to stay on a farm for the night, another freebie. When we arrived we were warmly greeted by the owner, Biagio, who introduced us to his wife, Patrizio, who was making some semolina pasta , rolling the shapes by hand making it look so easy, then I had a go and it wasn’t that easy.  It was quite funny because they didn’t speak any English and we had to talk one word at a time from the dictionary until their daughter arrived home from Uni when she translated for us. They gave us a drink of a liqueur called Herbalina, minty cough mixture only 45% alcohol. We then had espresso and cake while we told them of our plight the day before. Kev asked for the directions to a hardware store as he needed a screw to fix the TV bracket. Biagio offered immediately to take Kev in his car, about 15k each way, to get the screw. On the way back they stopped to pick some broadbean stalks and lettuce for us to have. When they arrived back I couldn’t see Kev in the car for all the broadbean stalks. We then sat down to bacon and beans with bread and some wine that they produce on the farm. We had told them about the door being broken and they phoned a friend in the village who came out to have a look at it but was unable to fix it but gave us directions to a shop called Camper Sud in Telese just north of Benevento who he said should be able to help us.

In the morning Biagio knocked on our door and he standing there with a posy made of leaves with some blackberries which he had just picked for us. What a lovely family restoring our faith in Italians.

Off we set to Telese in search of Camper Sud. When we reached Telese we drove about for a wee while seeing big billboard adverts for Camper Sud but not finding them. Stopped to ask a couple of Policemen directions, they were in the process of booking a driver, I tried in my best phrase book Italian to ask if we were going the right way and they gave me a big smile and said that once they were finished their paperwork they would escort us there. 3 police escorts in 3 days!

When we got to the shop they advised we required a new lock which they could fit for us and we opted to buy another door lock as well from them which they fitted also. No charge for any labour time, wouldn’t get that in Britain. Cost of both locks and fitting 70€.

Moving on again to Pineto, just north of Pescara on the east coast. Decided to stay for 2 nights and have sunbathed all day today. Heading north again tomorrow.

TTFN