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12 hour itineraries, Adventures of a 'Gypsea', Mother-Daughter Adventure, Uncategorized

12 Hour Pompeii (from Rome)

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We made our way to the train station and grabbed our 2 round trip tickets to Naples from Rome Termini station (be warned this is the expensive part, though prices vary by the train line, times, and location on the train.) With over an hour till the next train, we grabbed some breakfast and socked up at the small grocery that is in the station. (I recommend grabbing snacks, since Pompeii does have a restaurant but its really expensive. Don’t take sandwiches because they get super soggy. Fruit and Focaccia bread pizzas are prime.) The Bullet train got us there in an hour direct where we had to change trains to the Circumvasuvio line (which is down a floor  from where the log distance trains stop.Follow the signs to get to the ticket office, where for only 2.90 Euro each way you can get a round trip ticket that is valid for any time.)

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The train, which was 15 minutes late, was preceded by three other equally late trains, which meant many of the fellow tourists that waited to be Pompeii bound with us jumped onto trains that we are still unsure where they went. Once we figured out the board, we realised that the times being posted with the train destination were the times that the train was supposed to arrive (which is how we knew it was 15 mins late). We realised this and explained it to a family that was waiting on the platform with us and had tried getting on one of the previous trains before being told it didn’t go to Pompeii.

Once on the train, the half hour ride was crowded, but offered some amazing scenery of Vesuvius and the Island of Capri before dropping you off nearly at the gate for the site of Pompeii (which is marked Pompei Scavi, you would need to keep an eye open for it, since the stops are not announced.) For us it was pretty easy to find because that is where the entire train emptied in a flood of tourists onto the platform.

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Courtyard in residence near city centre

Getting off there train, ticket offices and shops are just to the right as you get off the platform. Right away we were asked if we would want to join a group, and we thought we would just want to do an Audio guide to go at our own place and hit the places we would find most important. We bought our tickets to the site and the museum for 15 Euro, and went to look for the audio guide. In the building behind the ticket office, up a flight of stairs, is the audio guide office. The guy at the counter informed us that the audio guides were only in Finnish, and we would have to join an English speaking tour. As I turned around, I saw guidebooks. I highly recommend getting one.

The guide book, which is offered in many languages, comes with a pullout map labeled with the different attractions, which have a short paragraph that tells you about them. For 10 Euro in the guide office, this is also a wonderful souvenir.

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Original door in the Villa of the Mysteries

Pompeii is big. Once you’re in the site, its almost a lot to take in. Its best to have a list of about 5 things you really would like to see, and then spend the rest of the time wandering. We had little idea where to start, but I have made a list of some key places of interest

  1. Villa of the Mysteries, with a great preservation of the art on the walls and a couple bodies in the lobby.
  2. Temple of Apollo, The statues and the view. You really feel like you’re in the heart of Pompeii.
  3. Garden of the Fugitives, An example of how devastating the site was. (We were rained out in the late afternoon, and didn’t make it.)
  4. The Brothel, which has some raunchy pictures on the wall. (When we were there they were excavating that area, and it was blocked off.)

We left early because a thunderstorm rolled in, but that turned out to be a good thing.

Tip: The train to Pompeii, and the train back to Naples from Pompeii, is usually late. If you have a return ticket, it is a good idea to look at the time table, find the train that gets you to Naples before your train to Rome, and leave a train earlier.

The site is massive. We could easily have made a weekend out of it. Wear good walking shoes, bring a water bottle, and plenty of sun screen. (Mum brought the umbrella, and she recommends it.) Also, with the enormity of the structures, I recommend a wide angle lens for photography.

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A person praying

12 hour itineraries, Adventures of a 'Gypsea', Mother-Daughter Adventure

When in Rome, do as much as possible.

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For an ancient city, Rome offers plenty to see and do, no matter what you want out of traveling. The key is to have a good plan before jumping in.

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As we left baggage claim at the airport, a Mobile Sim card company snagged us for a sim that will work in almost all of the countries that we will be visiting along this trip. The card, which we got with both internet and phone minutes, has already helped as we wondered the back alleys around our hostel looking for our street. And if you’re carrying a internet enabled phone, Google Translate (which you can download for offline use of typed text translations) can use your phones camera to translate signs on-the-go.

We stayed at Orsa Maggiore (for women only), which is centrally located in Rome, though got in early enough to drop our bags at the hostel and go wonder at the ancient wonders near by. The Colosseum and Roman Forum, stooping for Gelato on the way.

When approaching the Colosseum, we were stopped by numerous tour guides with the same plug trying to get us to join their tours for an additional 18 euro.

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My recommendation: Get a Roma Pass (the price varies by how much time you would like to keep it active for. There is a special line for both the Colosseum and Roman Forum for pass holders. While the guides were trying to convince us it would take nearly 2 hours to get through with the pass, it was really only 10-15 minutes. We also get free transportation with it, and makes the pass a worthy addition to our planning. If a tour sounds like a good idea to you, they offer audio tour devices just inside the gates into the Colosseum.

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When walking all over the forum, there are a couple things you will want with you. A camera, a hat/sunscreen, A water bottle (which can be refilled at one of the many water fountains in the city,) and a map/guidebook (we have the DK eyewitness Italy book, which explains a bit more about what were looking at.)

 

12 hour itineraries, Adventures of a 'Gypsea', Gap Year Ideas

12 hour Tokyo

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Tokyo, where the future comes from. If it is cartoonish or technological, obscure modern fashion or traditional culture, you can find it in Tokyo. But what if your time to explore Tokyo is limited? what can you see/do that will result in the full Tokyo experience?

1. Tokyo tower

The red Eiffel-tower-looking structure in the heart of the city is a must, day or night. During the daylight hours you can take an elevator to the primary viewing platform which can see out over all of Tokyo (and on a good day, see Mt. Fuji). for an extra 700 yen (adult price) you can go up to the highest viewing platform.

Im not sure if you can take the elevator down, (im sure you can if you have a disability,) but I decided to put my young legs to work. Did you know that there are 600 stairs to come down from the main viewing platform. You need to go through the two layers of the 3 story platform, which house cafes and souvenir shops, and down a zigzagging red tunnel of stairs.

In the daytime, the tower is noticed soaring 333 meters (1,092 ft) above the surrounding buildings, and when coming from the JR train station or Dimon subway station, it can be seen accenting an old temple and gate that welcome you to the tower park area.  At night, the tower is lit up like a constant firework, seen throughout most of the city.

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2. The Hie Shrine

This underrated shrine doesn’t make it to a lot of guide books, and even many of my Japanese teachers hadn’t heard of it. about a thirty minute walk from Tokyo tower, the Hie shrine sits atop a hill in the middle of the city. The main gate and temple, which are ornately decorated and worth a visit themselves, block from view a photographers dream. The shrine, which cosists of many consecutive shrines that turn a stairway into a tunnel, was surprisingly not crowded. It is hard to that that “perfect picture” though, as many people do stick their head in on the opposite side of the tunnel to get a photo themselves. communication here is pretty universal, with waving to the other person then stepping out of the line of sight, and taking turns.

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3. Tokyo Sky Tree

So you were impressed with Tokyo tower, but feel that you werent high enough? well then, there is the Tokyo Sky tree, which is 634 meters (2080 ft) tall and towers over even the tallest office buildings in Tokyo. To go to the viewing platform is 2,000 yen (~20 usd).

4 . Asakusa Temple/Senso-ji

Fairly close to the sky tree is the Asakusa temple, or Senso-ji, which is the temple for the Buddhist goddess of mercy.

5. Capsule Hotel

You’re in Tokyo for 12 hours. Maybe you are spending the night, maybe you want some place to crash between flights. Try out the futuristic Capsule hotels. Sorry ladies, there are very few that cater to women, since the idea started as a cheap accommodation for businessmen traveling into Tokyo. With it being the 21st centery and all, but the number that have sections for women are growing.

6. The owl restaurant

This I haven’t been to personally, but was made aware of by a friend who had traveled in to Tokyo for a weekend of fun and exploration. The owl restaurant requires that you sign up ahead of time for a one hour time ut where you get to hang out with an owl. It opens at 10 and spots fill up fast.