Getting from Ascoli Piceno to the Amalfi Coast, our next destination, wasn’t exactly a straight shot. We decided to rent a couple cars to avoid taking about 10 hours worth of buses, trains, and ferries. The plan was to drive down to Salerno, a 4.5 hour drive according to Google, before taking a 3:30pm ferry (the last of the day) over to Positano. Doing the math, I knew we’d be cutting it pretty close, but I tried to keep that part mostly to myself.
We of course got off to a late start, walkie-talkies in hand to communicate between cars. The back and forth conversation between cars evolved from playful banter and jokes for the first couple hours to one word answers after the 3rd or 4th U-turn. About 1 hour before the ferry departed, my dad made the assessment that there was no way we were going to make it. I explained to him that I had a history of cutting things pretty close and I always ended up making it. I have to admit however, as we were driving around Salerno at 3:25 unsuccessfully searching for the rental car office, I’d given up hope. That was until we came upon the hole-in-the-wall office and had this conversation with the Italian attendant:
“Where are you going?”
-Positano, on the ferry…
“When does it leave?”
-3:30
“What time is it?”
-3:30.
“Let’s Go!”
All 7 of us, bags and everything, crammed into one, 4 person car and we jetted over to the port. The Circus has nothing on what we somehow accomplished. The man made a call and explained our situation to the port authority and we somehow made it to our boat, which, along with my sister’s boyfriend, Daniel, sat there waiting for us.
The first order of business was to grab a seat on the deck and an ice cold Peroni, two ingredients necessary for soaking up the spectacular views along the Amalfi Coast. I looked at my Dad, and couldn’t help but say it:
“Told you I always end up making it, right?”