RC3: Trip Itinerary

It has taken me a few days to get back into the swing of things here.  Just in time for a really sunny and active weekend back at home.  Tomorrow we welcome my sis back to CA for several months; it will be so fun to have her close again!

While I finish sorting and editing photos, I thought I'd post the itinerary of our trip, with a few photos to begin to tell the story.  The trip began with me running after the bus I missed by about 20 seconds--I chased it for a half a mile (yes, I had time to map the chased distance while I waited--sweaty and frustrated--for the next bus...).  Things picked up with beers in the airport bar--we knew vacation was on its way!

A few layovers later--one of which offered complimentary espresso and Toblerone!--we arrived in Naples after dark.  We opted to stay near the train station so that we could hit the road early for Pompeii.

After Pompeii, we re-boarded the Circumvesuviana train for Sorrento, a town overflowing with lemon trees, where we strolled the town streets and watched sunsets.

We enjoyed two days of relaxation in Sorrento before we crossed the peninsula to the Amalfi Coast, to the town of Positano.

The highlight of this part of our trip was the hike we took along the coast, Sentiero Degli Dei--"the walk of the gods."  It was amazing.

We gained some serious, serious elevation!

Despite some rainy weather, we loved the coastal towns, cliffs, and quaint streets of Positano.  

Our next stop--the main purpose of our trip--was to Santorini, Greece, to watch my sweet college roommate get married.  

They kicked off the festivities with a group sailing trip around Santorini's caldera in a pirate ship. 

The ship stopped at two swimming holes, including the hot springs (below), where the water was incredibly refreshing.  On board, Greek dancing ensued!  It was such a great way to welcome us to Greece.



On OJ's wedding day, we spent the early afternoon exploring Oia, the northern-most town on Santorini, most widely recognized by the blue domes and white buildings that are built into the cliffs.



Sunday night we gathered in the Greek Orthodox church, and we celebrated their marriage.

After a joyful night of celebration, we woke up late on Memorial Day and explored the town of Fira, before heading back on a flight to Athens.  Tuesday morning we boarded 3 more flights and finally arrived home that evening.

It went by extremely fast--thank goodness for all the photos!  I love vacation.