An early start to a long day of travel... we are journeying south from Verona via Rome by train and onwards east to Abruzzo where we will explore Capestrano and the area where Sue’s other side of the family. 

We have an 8:17 train to catch at the Verona Porta Nuova train station. It’s a 15 minute walk but we are planning on calling a taxi since of all the heat and late night yesterday. However, when we are ready and we call the number for the taxi there is no answer. So weird. Sue suggests that we just walk since it’s really not that far. So off we go. 

It’s actually not a really super hard bag drag to the station. We find our way - along with other little groups of people doing the same thing - pretty easily. We don’t have a very long wait at all for our train to arrive. We find a lift to bring our bags up to the platform, number 8. In about a hot minute, there is an announcement and then a mass of people heading towards the stairs down. Our train’s platform has been changed to platform 3 at the last minute. Ugh. Now in the interest of time, we have to lug our bags down the steps and over to number 3. Then shortly the train arrives. We are in carriage 1 which is pretty much stopping right where we are standing. We booked early so got the Prima class ticket in the Club compartment. There are few seats in here and we get drinks and snacks offered to us throughout the journey. 

Our train journey is about three hours to reach Roma Termini station from Verona. The train is comfortable, quiet and good for a quick snooze between Verona and Bologna Centrale,  the first stop. The train also stopes at Firenze Santa Maria Novella and Roma Tiburtina before arriving at our destination, Roma Termini. This train station is pretty much the busiest one in Rome. It’s huge and bustling with people. Sue comments that it feels like an airport. 

We walk through the station and across the street to reach a restaurant where we plan to have lunch. This restaurant serves vegan food including a vegan version of Pasta Carbonara. I have always wanted to try this type of pasta so this vegan version lured me here. The place is pretty empty when we arrive but quickly fills with people. Sue opts for a pizza. We also have some cold drinks. After lunch we walk back to the train station in hopes of picking up our rental car a little early. 

At the Hertz counter, we find out that they don’t have our car yet so we are not lucky to get an early start out of Rome. Try back in one hour the guy says. The rental car counters are just down the hall from the new Mercato Centrale in the station. They have one of these in Florence. It is packed to the gills and it looks impossible to find a seat anywhere. However, the food stalls look amazing! We finally locate a couple stools off to the corner by the door. We’ll wait here. We watch the artichoke guys serving up delicious-looking food. Too bad we just ate and it’s not really feasible for us to be managing any take away on the next leg of our journey. Before it’s that hour when we return for the rental car, we get some super yummy gelato - hazelnut and crema for me & cherry and chocolate chip for Sue.  

Back at the Hertz counter, we are told that we have to wait some more. I was assured that our car would be ready at 3:00 pm (our reservation time). Hoping they are correct and we don’t have further delay. Just not lucky to have the care ready early today. Chalking this up to picking up at such a busy location. Not really looking like I’ll choose this one again. At 3:00 however our car is ready. The paperwork completed, off we go to walk a few blocks down to the parking garage to get the car (another negative about picking up here). At the garage, it’s a fairly quick process to get the keys and the car. It’s a white Lancia Epsilon - economy but blessedly small car. 

Driving out of Rome is our next task Knowing what Rome traffic normally looks like, even I find this task a little intimidating. So at home I made a very detailed, turn by turn instruction sheet that gives me a picture of each intersection with how to go each step of the way. I also google street map “drove” the route to the motorway several times at home. So when we were actually doing the drive, it all looks familiar and I pretty much know the way. Sue is navigating and reading the driving directions perfectly to help me out. We drive to the highway without any problems. Off we go to Capestrano in Abruzzo!

It’s about a 2 hour drive. We stop for a short break at a rest area where we get a cold coffee and chocolate drink. Yummy! Also some cheesy puff goodness in a sack. Back on the road, we drive through beautiful countryside and through to the mountains of Italy. Lots of tunnels. Lots of bridges (just to scare Sue). Gorgeous views wherever we look. 

When we arrive to Capestrano, we find that the town on the mountain has super steep and narrow roads with no road signs. I drive up & up to reach the main piazza where we will meet our host, Irina. We make it to the piazza and locate the gelateria which is our meeting place. Up pulls Irina in her car. We get into our car and follow her back down a little ways to reach our house. We park along the steep road against a wall. 

The house we are renting for 3 nights is super old-school Italy and cute. We have terraces overlooking the area. We arranged for Irina to make dinner for us so it is waiting on the table. Vegetarian lasagne, salad, wine, and cake for dessert. We settle in and enjoy a delicious home-cooked meal. A very good ending to a very busy day of travel. Good Night Capestrano!