Ciao! Off to Procida

We set out from Rome in discovery of south Italy and what better place to start than the place where they say margherita first appeared 'Naples'. The ride was simply breathtaking, the fishing trawlers floating like lazy buoys along a pristine clear coast, the overhanging cliffs doting the water, they were surely a sight from those picture perfect postcards. After the  two hours that we spent admiring the picturesque Italian countryside we chugged into Napoli Centrale and this is where all our planning ended. We stepped out of the station to find a scene no different from the ISBT in Delhi, and in no time were swallowed by the blister of activity that Naples is.

As they say different strokes for different folks, we all had a different purpose in Naples, while some swooned by the woody wafts of the birch, maple and oak fired ovens, wanted to experiment with their palates at the Mecca of Pizza, while others wanted to set foot on the ebullient sunlit sands. Nonetheless we marched on in the direction of the port only to be greeted by none other than the master of the Port. A balloony man in his fifties, he suggested us to set sail to Procida. 

The journey was a revelation in itself, their is no sight more beholding than the violent flutter of a flag against the churning contrail traced by a ship's impellers, more engrossing the aloof lighthouse standing tall against the rolling sea and more captivating as the seagull gliding through the convective currents over the sea. And in no time we reached the tiny island of Procida. Setting foot on the wharf, you transcend time and feel a part of a multi-hued mediterranean canvas. The island is a milieu of small houses wrapped in rich pastel hues, stone gullies wriggling along its slopy terrain and ofcourse the roadside cafes and gelaterias serving one of the best gelatos I've ever had. After having let the island sink on us, we headed toward the main beach and it is just then that my fear of sharks took over, that is possibly the worst thing that national geographic does to people living in cities like Delhi. But then the waters are too alluring to keep you off them and we jumped. It was a salty affair, a shot too strong too compensate for all the bland food that we had for almost a week in pellegrino parmense. But definitely swimming in the sea was an altogether enthralling experience and for me it was more so since I had conquered my fear of sharks. It was an exploration of places, people and most importantly oneself.

And as I have started to believe, the penchant to wander sometimes spells utter chaos, but then whats life without being on the edge. Once on the edge, you add a perspective that is impossible to have from the safe confines of our guarded lives.