Driving on the Edge of the Earth

Amalfi coast – you think of breath-taking views, houses perched on the hills and beautiful teal blue water. What you don’t think of is the ride out there – a bus that practically takes up the entire road. Each bus is  filled with dozens of tourists with dropped jaws and conflicting emotions toggling between amazement and acute fear.

The Amalfi coast has one road connecting all the small towns which was not built with mass tourism in mind. Looking out the window, the 3-foot tall wall separating us from a deadly fall, disappears. All you see is a sheer cliff ending in the Mediterranean Sea. It’s as close as you’ll come to flying.

The driver of each bus takes their job very seriously and is talented. As they slowly, and I mean slowly, pass one another on a curve, they have secret hand signals indicating who’s going where and how they’ll make it past one another. Going around each twist and turn they honk 5-7 times alerting all other drivers they’re taking over the road. They squeeze through spaces so small I could practically touch my nose to the side view mirror of the passing trucks.

What I kept thinking? L.A. and New York bus drivers have no idea how easy they have it.

…As Far As The Eye Can See

We’re taking a break from the helpin’ and the workin’ to enjoy one of the most striking parts of the world: the Amalfi coast. Above is the view from our apartment. We’re in Praiano, a small-ish fishing village between the bustling ports of Positano and Amalfi. Pompeii is tomorrow, then Calabria (a.k.a., “the toe of the boot”) on Tuesday for our final worksite. The host runs an agriturismo business, and we will be helping in the on-site restaurant.