These past few days I’ve been camped at a hotel just outside
the village of Camogli, which is situated on the Liguria coast some 25 km south
east of Genoa, Italy. The actual hotel
is high up on a hilltop overlooking the ocean so with spectacular views of the
sea and mountains it’s hard to contemplate leaving…
Looking towards Genoa at Sunset from the Hotel - the Liguria Coast is a very special place indeed! |
However, I wanted to tell you about one of my adventure this
week. As usual the sun was shining high
in an unbelievably blue sky – “azure” as the locals would say. I had decided to hike to Portofino via the
small and remote village of San Fruttuosco, which is only accessible either by
foot or boat. The hike to Portofino is
about 10 km through the Parc di Portofino.
Interestingly the Italian government realized that both the land and sea
in this area is a natural wonder to Italy and decided to create both a national
and marine park. You can see why as its
absolutely gorgeous!
Parc de Portofino trail - looks easy! |
Definitely feeling up to the challenge given that I’d hiked the
Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea last year and reckoning I could now pretty
much tackle any type of local hike I set off with high hopes of an easy stroll
in the park.
Prior to leaving the hotel I had stopped into the front desk
that doubles as the Concierge; I tried to explain to the somewhat bewildered
front desk clerk that I was planning on hiking to Portofino and wanted to know
how I could get back to the hotel.
Clearly my Italian is not primo, or his English equally up
to the challenge, that being said he endeavoured to explain that the best way
back was to catch a boat from Portofino that would stop at San Fruttuoso,
where I would change boats and then take one to Camogli from whence there I
could catch the shuttle back to the hotel.
Which shuttle would I like to book for this afternoon back
from Camogli he asked smiling?
I then asked him how often the boats left from Portofino to
San Fruttuoso and Camogli…every hour he said confidently. Looking at my watch I calculated that it
would take me a couple of hours to hike to Portofino – it said 3.5 hours on the
guide (however given that I was an experienced hiker) I thought it would only
take me a couple of hours, then a look around in Portofino, possibly lunch… “Put
me on the 2:15 pm shuttle back from Camogli” I told him self-assuredly.
Smartly I ensured that I had water and snacks for my hike,
but instead of hiking boots (which I decided to leave home at the last minute
to save on space with my carry on) I decided to wear my sandals…(mistake number
one). I reasoned that if the porters in
PNG can hike across the Kokoda track in thongs (flip-flops to you in North
America) then surely I could handle this little jaunt in my sandals… How hard can it be I think naively?
Walking through wild and ancient olive groves |
The Parc entrance was at the top of the hotel car park and
so with high hopes for easy walk and some magnificent views, I set off at 9:38
am. The path leading out of the hotel
was well laid stonework and very flat, but after the first turn the path turned
into a dusty and narrow pathway…well it is a national park after all I thought
to myself. Fortunately the path was
well signed and so not easy to get lost, thank goodness because it became
decidedly steeper – both up and down and actually quite reminiscent of my
Papuan adventure.
Hhhmmm these sandals were probably not a good idea I said
out loud (first sign of madness) after about an hour and still not at San
Fruttuoso…where the hell is this place anyway? Sure enough through the trees from my high
cliff vantage point I spot what looked like a church down in a little
cove. Slowly winding my way down this
steep grade through wild olive groves to the village…hardly a village as it
consisted of half a dozen stone houses an ancient abbey, bell tower and
restaurant. Such a remote but beautiful
little place I think to myself and so after a few quick photos decide I better
get a wriggle on if I’m going to make the 2:15 shuttle.
Now that I’ve come down into San Fruttuoso I have to get
myself back up and over to Portofino, and thank goodness rather than having to
scale that enormous mountain, I can follow the path around the ocean and over
the headland…now for the easy part I think to myself…just a little stroll to
Portofino and everything will be back on track.
San Fruttuoso can only be reached either on on foot or by boat but is such an enchanting little village! |
As I continue my ever increasing hike up the headland, the
sweat is dripping off me and my camera is at the risk of being drowned so
clipping it to my back pack I trudge on – man it must be 35C I think to myself…
I run into a couple of other hikers coming the other way and
what strikes me is that they are clearly experienced as they all have walking
poles, oh and the proper footwear…
The views of Portofino are magnificent as I round the track
and spot it far off in the distance. It
takes me just over 3:15 min to make it to Portofino, and now completely
drenched in sweat, I look as though I’ve been swimming rather than hiking. After a bit of an explore I look at my watch
and calculate that I probably don’t have a lot of time to spare before the next
boat leaves for Camogli so I quickly seek out the Tourist Office to get
directions or the very least a ticket.
I asked the bewildered agent when the next boat to San
Fruttuoso and Camogli leaves – she stares at me and says…”no boats today – perhaps
tomorrow”. “You could walk - its only
three and half hours to Camogli if you don’t visit San Fruttuoso” she says
smiling.
At this point I think she realized the look on my face as
one of utter dejection…then she said that perhaps I could catch the bus to San
Margherita Liguria and then the train to Camogli, but I would have to hurry as
the next bus was going to leave in three minutes from the end of the road… She quickly showed me where the bus would
drop me off and where the train station was (10 min walk from the main piazza
in San Margherita) on a tourist map which she now gives me and bundles me out
the door pointing to where the bus will be in mere moments.
Destination - Portofino |
No time to wait, I sprinted up the road to find a long line
of people waiting and if I wasn’t completely drenched before I was positively
dripping now as I stood in line for the bus under the continuingly unremitting
sun.
Sure enough the bus is absolutely packed and I’m stuck at
the back standing in a pool of my own sweat surrounded by, for the most part rather
unhappy tourists as they eye me with horror.
The bus swings wildly around each corner on the exceedingly narrow coast
road I’m often pushed into those around me…feeling acutely embarrassed and
apologizing (“mi scuze”) like there is no tomorrow we eventually arrive in San
Margherita.
At the second stop in San Margherita the bus starts to empty,
so thinking that this must be the main stop I also jump off only to realize as
the bus pulls off in a cloud of blue diesel fumes that I am about a kilometer
from the main piazza…crap! (Mistake number two)
After an additional 10-minute walk I find the signs to the
train station – buying a ticket and getting a confirmation that the next
regional train via Camogli leaves in 15 minutes I allow myself a deep
breath.
Looking at my watch, surprisingly I can still make the 2:15
pm shuttle.
I observe a number of express trains fly through the station
at high speed and even a couple of regional trains heading in the other
direction (La Spezia) on the other platform, they are all meticulously on
time. I think to myself how Trenitalia
have really got their act together and run a tight ship. Nice!
My train is due any moment, but there is an announcement to
say my train will be delayed 15 minutes, which is in both Italian and
English. Okay still good! With 5 minutes till my train is scheduled to
arrive another train slowly chugs into the station and stops in front of
me. Almost all of the people around me
get onto the train; this must be it I think to myself as I board (Mistake
number three). In the hub-hub of boarding there is another
announcement but I can’t hear given all the noise around me, so I ask another
passenger if this train stops in Camogli…they have no English and have a
slightly confused look as I ask again – “Camogli?”
The jerks forward…this must be it I think to myself, there
can’t be too many options although I must admit a shadow of doubt begins to
sneak into my psyche as the train builds up speed and heads into the first
tunnel.
At the second tunnel it seems to be traveling at least 100
km per hour, and given my understanding of the local geography Camogli is just
on the other side of this tunnel…
Not exactly my first choice of final destination for the quick trip back... |
“Noooooo” I think to myself as the train barrels through
Camogli and I sit somewhat dejected for the next 20 minutes as the train
travels all the way to Genoa without another stop. So now I’m 30 km from where I need to be. Seems like the harder I push the further I
am from my goal…hhhmmm seems like a life lesson to me!
Eventually detraining at the Genoa Brignole station I now
procure another ticket back to Camogli and wait patiently for the next regional
train that eventually arrives on time (without any delays) and to the right
platform.
What a day I think to myself – such an unexpected adventure! I could be mad, upset or dejected, but instead
I choose to smile and think how fortunate I am to have had such an amazing day
in such a beautiful part of the world. This
is what traveling is all about, dealing with the unexpected, both good and bad…enjoying
myself along the way and now getting to you tell the tale.
p.s. Yes I missed
the 2:15 pm shuttle….no surprise there!
The 20-euro taxi ride back up the mountain to my hotel was worth every last
centime. :-)
T - getting lost and having travel issues are my favorite parts of travel!!! glad you're still making rookie mistakes. :-)
ReplyDeleteMate - all fun and games! The other big news is that I have left ACN...wasn't sure if I told you. Feeling liberated!
ReplyDeleteCiao & congrats again