Exploring Italy

Several months ago we decided to plan the adventure of our lifetimes. Visit Naples, Italy and focus our efforts seeing the Amalfi Coast and the towns that dot the coastline.

My wife is second-generation US citizen of Italian descent. She had not until recently really cared to travel abroad much. But let me tell you, she has to bug now. International travel is really in her system now.

For our mode of transport we decided to utilize space “a” travel benefits. Space “a” travel for those that never spent time in the US military is a benefit that most active duty and retirees get to enjoy as part of the bargain made during enlistment/commission ceremonies. Space “a” travel happens when there are available passenger spots on military aircraft and/or DOD chartered flights. Just all depends on mission requirements and availability. The flight I chose was a DOD chartered flight out of NAS Norfolk in Virginia. We arrived one day prior to our departure date and reported for rollcall as specified.

When we arrived in Virginia Beach we headed over to the Navy base in Norfolk. We checked into the Navy Lodge for one night. My wife is always relieved when we arrive for our flights, seems like she gets a sense of security staying on US military installations. Wonder why …

We were in the area early enough to go over to the Navy Exchange and grab some items that we either wanted to take or needed to take on the flight the next day. Our stay was nice, the Navy Lodges are usually setup to accommodate our needs and more. This stay was no exception, good bed, full kitchen, and TV for entertainment. WiFi was good enough for our needs.

Next morning we got up and checked out of our room, and drove over to the Norfolk Passenger Terminal. There were already a lot of people there and more arriving when we did. I unpacked our luggage going with us to Italy. We checked in for our chartered flight to Naples. I had been watching the schedule and felt pretty confident that we were going to go to Napoli, Italia courtesy of DOD. We waited our turn to process for the flight, seems that everyone wanting to depart was getting the chance of their lifetimes.

It is always kewl for get in line with all the people wanting to travel. We met a bunch of really great retired military folks headed into Europe with different goals and destinations. One dude was taking his daughter on a month of backpacking in Spain, his way to bond with his graduating daughter one last time before her life gets too busy. Another family was headed further downrange than us, they were going on to Souda Bay, Greece for what we later learned was the 2 week rotation we were on, as they were on the plane when we headed home. He was taking his wife and their teenaged daughter to Greece for two weeks of fun in the sun. And there were a bunch of other folks headed into Europe for 2+ weeks of sightseeing, concerts, etc.

Our flight was fairly routine and we arrived in Italia as expected. Well there was a slight delay, we spent one additional night in Virginia because of a couple of issues that delayed our original departure by a day. But our Boeing 767 flight did arrive at NAS Naples in Italia. We were dead tired and got a room on the base with the Navy Inn. The location was extremely convenient and once again … very safe and secure.

Getting around Napoli was easy and simple. The Navy base and the International airport share runways, so the commercial terminal is just a short 10 minute walk off the base. From the terminal you can catch what is called the Alibus, this bus makes essentially two stops. One near the central train station and one at the port. Once you are in the downtown area you can just wonder the streets and enjoy the local everything. I mean to put this into words is very difficult, the textures under your feet, the sights that are Napoli to the cuisine. Look if you have ever wanted to see Napoli, just do it, you will never live to see the day that you regretted the decision to go there. Of course there is the Hop-On, Hop-Off (red) bus that will take you around the city showing the tourist points of interest. We did that once (we bought both routes) to get better acquainted with the local lay of the land. The cost is nominal and it sure beats trying to rent the car and learn … trust me the bus is much simpler.