We had a slow start to the day - no early opening hours to meet - and made a few phone calls home. We knew that Naples is the place for pizza, and the Antica Pizzeria da Michele is reputed to be the best in Naples- high praise. All the reviews just speak of queue and long waits. Our plan was to get there soon after it opened at 11 to beat the crowds. The plan succeeded. The shopfront is so unassuming we walked past first time. Inside, plain marble top tables, simple wooden chairs, and casually indifferent staff. Only two types of pizza have been made here since 1870 :Margherita - tomato, mozzarella and a hint of basil - and Marinara- oregano, tomato, garlic and no cheese. Only four drinks are available- beer, coke, Fanta and water. Simple! We ordered one of each pizza and they were huge and delicious and done in quick time. Italians do "fast food" so well without the salt and sugar added in other places. (M: Confession time: If asked to be honest and to say which of my two Naples pizzas I have enjoyed more, it would have to be the pizza a portafoglio (folded in four in brown paper) we ate on the street the other day. I may burn in pizza hell for this!)

We decided to avoid the complications of Napoli Centrale this time and use the home station of Circumvesuviana which was close to Da Michele. A coffee along the way and a pleasant chat in Italian with the barista about Australia and Italy and refugees ( we didn't quite agree!) and we were on the train to Herculaneum again, this time getting off at the right stop.

When you get out of the train you see the large apartment blocks right in front of you as we had seen yesterday. Right next to them is the Vesuvio Express office where you can book tickets for the drive up to the car park and from there you walk. This company has bad reviews but so do the only alternatives that are running at this time of year so we decided to take a punt. We got our tickets from the rather curt seller who told us to be there at 1.15 and the driver would take us up, and then return us. These people know they are the only show in town, but it all worked out as planned for us. The driver gathered his seven passengers in the Mercedes mini van and set off pretty much as planned at 1.15. The drive up the narrow winding road to the summit car park certainly sat right on the edge of reckless at times. The universal safeguard seemed to be to sound the horn as you approached a blind bend. I deduced that the tighter the corner, the more toots. Anyway - I'm writing this, so it must work!

We were given an hour and twenty minutes to make the trip to the crater and back. The walk up to the crater was along very uneven and sandy soil and you really have to watch your step, but we have been doing this lately! I found the walk back down a little more difficult but I'm so glad I did it. What a site at the top- the massive crater and some steam coming out of it. It was cold but we were well prepared. Sadly, because of the low cloud the views over the Bay of Naples were rather obscured, so the views left a lot to be desired. All of our passengers were back by three, having easily made the return trip, but we had to wait until ten last while the driver finished a game of cards in the parking lot cafe. When I asked him if he had won, he didn't even have the good grace to look abashed. As it turns out, I think he made up the ten minutes on the twenty minute trip down the mountain!

We returned by the same route, again on the train with the locals going about their business. We have had three pretty big days and I am looking forward to a day in the museum tomorrow and then a pizza cooking class on Thursday. Rain forecast for both days.