november-2011

Two young men sitting in the
shade of a tree started clicking
suggestively and pointing at
Giulia. “Bellissimo,” they exclaimed
at us, followed by a flurry of Italian
that was clearly a gratuitous
declaration of passion for my little
red Spider. I smiled proudly as we
headed back into the maelstrom.
At the next set of lights an old man
outside a café began shouting and
blowing kisses. I had to get Giulia
out of the city before someone
pinched her bottom.
Halfway along the main road
between Pompeii and Salerno a
mountain pass takes you high
up into the hills and down again
to Ravello, an ancient town on
a spectacular site overlooking
the Amalfi Coast. Giulia purred
enthusiastically as I let her have
as much ‘gas’ as I dared on the
narrow, winding road. I soon
AMALFI COAST, ITALY
got the hang of driving on the
wrong side, wrestling a steering
wheel without power assistance
and braking without electronic
input. And you know what? It
is proper driving. It is driving
without distraction. No radio, no
flashing lights, no nonsense. Just
a beautiful, sleek vehicle of natural
beauty and curves and no make-up.
We meandered down to Ravello in
style. Like every other settlement
Left: Browsing for holiday mementos. She wears shirt from
Amber Sakai, shorts from Paul and Joe’s Sister, sunglasses
from Paul Smith. Below: Coffee break on the coast. She
wears shirt and sunglasses from Paul Smith, trousers from
Tommy Hilfiger. He wears shirt and sunglasses from Ralph
Lauren, trousers from Tommy Hilfiger; photographed at
Ristorante Al Palazzo (ristorantealpalazzo.it)
Thomas Cook Travel
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