A bus ride to remember

Positano is, they say, is one of the jewels of the Amalfi coast.  It lies about halfway between Sorrento and Amalfi.  We made the mistake of trying to get there by public transport - the Sita bus.  There was a stop outside the hotel and the timetable was in the lobby so we waited at the allotted time...and waited.  Eventually - and 20 minutes is a long time when it's 30+ degrees - a bus came...and went.  It was full and the driver wasn't for stopping.  So we waited some more...

At some point you have invested sooo much time waiting that while your head says 'Give up' your heart says something else.  And so another 20 minutes later another bus came along.  Two things then happened - both, in hindsight, mistakes.  (a) the bus stopped for us and (b) we got on.

I could see the bus was busy but Hey, I thought, Sharpen the elbows and just get on...people have to make room - right?  Well, yes, correct - up to a point.  When there is no room left on the bus then it's difficult to make some.

Positano, from the road

I severely underestimated how winding the road was between Sorrento and Positano.  It wends its way around the coast and there are sharp bends every 100 metres or so.  And the driver (Italian, obviously) must have had been on a serious bonus to make the bus run to schedule as he wasn't holding back.  Either that or he was hoping for a drive with Ferrari sometime soon. We were stood trying to hold on as best we could - at one point all I had was one finger wrapped around a chair's armrest trying not to fall over.  Missy was trapped in the stairwell next to the door and every time the bus swung around another 90 degree bend I couldn't help think if those doors swing open we're all going to hell in a handcart, ending up a few hundred feet below in the Mediterranean Sea.  It was, I have to say, bonkers and that bus trip will never - never - be erased from my memory as long as I live.

Positano buildings

Now Positano is, I have to admit, a pretty amazing place.  Nestled as it is among the mountains the only way to build is upwards, not outwards. So you have buildings built on top of buildings and the whole thing is pretty nuts.  The Sita bus leaves you at the top of the town and it's a very steep walk down (and up again) to the main drag. Once you get down to the bottom, however, it quickly becomes apparent that the whole place is geared up for tourists and all trace of authenticity has been lost.  I know the locals have to make a living but I was disappointed - the place isn't real.

The bus ride back wasn't quite so bad - or maybe my nerves had settled a bit.  We were on the mountain side of the road going back so less likely to fall into the Med in the event of a mishap and that probably helped.  So...Positano - was it worth it?  Somehow I couldn't help but be reminded of Samuel Johnson's reply when asked if our local attraction the Giant's Causeway was worth seeing...'Worth seeing yes, but not worth going to see'.