Normally at the end of my trip I review the various pieces of equipment I have used and offer suggestions to those many contacts I have in the world of motorcycling who often depend on each others advice on the validity & general quality of those products used on the trip.

However when a new piece of equipment fails before the trip begins I feel obliged to let people know.

In November of last year I attended as did those of us on this trip the Motorcycle Expo at darling Harbour in Sydney. I was looking to purchase some new gear to make ths and futre trips both safer and more rider friendly. One or infact the most important piece of equipment I was looking for was motorcycle friendly ear plugs with the capability to connect via BlueTooth to a GPS.

Like so many others I joined a long cue at the Noise Guard display and paid, even with discount, about $379 for a set. I was told to come back in about an hour as they were very busy, taking that at face value I did as requested after all they had my credit card payment already. at the agreed time I returned and sat and sat while staff attended to new customers until finally i insisted on having my ear moulds done. This was done with a request to have them in two colours so as to make matching with each ear canal so much easier. I was told about 10 days delivery.

An email duly arrived advising of a delay due to the large volume of orders and eventually in January they arrived. Was their two colours NO.

Was the finish smooth and suitable to be inserted into the ear canal with ease NO. Infact the finish looked like the mould had been cast in sand.

However the delights of actually hearing the GPS directions in my ears lead me to accept a substandard product and connect the bluetooth. Well I read the enclosed directions they were of little help seemingly a generic Chinese translation. I photographed the set up and emailed Johhny at Noise Guard. Shortly a good reply came back and I eagerly reconnected in the correct manner. Now for the test. Well what test the volume of the Bluetooth was so low without the motorcyle being started that it was going to be useless. I took the bluetooth out and connected the phone with music directly yes it was working , if you could stand the sand mould in the ear canal.

Not giving up due to the substantial outlay i emailed Noise Guard and was offered a Sunday afternoon appointment which would have been an 1100km return journey and also the information that "äll the Bluetooth units had the same volume" I was offered a bluetooth unit refund big deal about $35 out of $379! I advised them that No a 1100km trip by Sunday was not possible but offered to them alternatives. That was some 4 months ago and No reply, Well Johnny I hope you enjoy my money I have now left the country with out earplugs nor the Bluetooth setup that Noise Guard took my money for. So fellow motorcyclists a big shout out stay away from Noise Guard! Johnny you will get this blog and the opportunity to respond either privately by my email or post your reply publically either way you have my money and I have garbage. If you have a way of giving me a quality working product I have several more trips planned and would only be too happy to give a review of a working product.

On arrivial at Bari in Italy no customs formatalies took place I just rode off the ferry out the gate and into the streets of my first Italian port of call. Luckily the overnight charging of the GPS had it working, less sound (thanks again Johnny) and following the blue line on the screen I travelled a mass of back alleyways until a large roundabout loomed in front that required me to travel 180o to the other side. Well it appears no rules are the way in Italy and everyone thought they had right of way and if not then they were going to take it.Funny how a full size motorcyle has a habit of intimidation and soon I was on a freeway heading south to my expected overnight but that changed as you read about in the last blog so now I was at taranto heading East towards Pompeii via Potenza and Salerno. In other words across the heel of Italy.

The actual ride covered mostly farming countryside and mountain passes which the Triumph loved as generally the freeway (actually I found out later an electronic tollway) had smooth surfaces and sweeping bends as one passes olive groves and market gardens until Potenza. Lucky for me the freeway bypass this large highly industrialised city .Salerno loomed closer and then started to become further distant, that cant be right I thought but now enjoyng the downhill side of the mountain range I had previously being on the ridgeline I pressed on. Hold on my Geographical background called a halt. If I was on top why then am I going down on the inland side when I want to be on the coastal side? A quick turn around and a 40km ride back revealed all. A bridge was out so yes they sent us on a detour just failing to tell us where to turn back onto the main road. A small street name sized sign was sitting at ground level and the track back onto the freeway was just that a small single lane track but all was forgiven once the open stretches of the freeway came into view.

Pompeii next to Naples (Napoli) was a challenge one wrong off ramp, they have a habit of having two off ramps together seperated by only a narrow concrete island with arrows both sides had be lost well not lost just riding the unknown. Tom Tom kept sending me down narrow bicycle tracks into market gardens. I had just about given up and was pulling over to get the phone out to call the lodgings when I saw two men standing in a gate way. Thinking they might speak English I said "Green Gardens B&B", one man replied "Yes " Fortunately for me with the helmet off I had better vision and immediately saw they wetre standing in the gateway of Green Gardens. The gate was opened and I was shown a garage for the motorcycle and booked into what really is a house to myself.

Changed into civillian clothing I walked back to the main town area (only 6 mins) and soon found wher the Pompeii ruins were located and a suitable restaurant for tea ($8).

The next day my plan of attack was to catch the red Hop On Hop Off bus to Naples in the morning and do the Pompeii ruins in the PM. Wrong after a wait exceeding 90mins after the advertised bus arrivial time I approached another bus driver, Sorry Sir Winter timetable they only do one trip in afternoon if at all!

Pompeii was then a day excursion. I joined the long line and after 20mins was told "You people move to blue line get cue moving faster"The man in front approached the blue window "Go away Sir only online collections"She asked me to come forward and we "discussed"the situation, I lost, and like the others we also lost our place in the original line so back out onto the street. The line seemed to be moving quickly now and you guessed it I arrived at the same Blue window! Now serving anyone. So what does one do in this circumstance, pay and move on thankfully-Not likely. We again "discussed the situation"she recognised me and I WON. Dont try that one again lady well not to an Aussie. I think she fully understood that Pompeii was razed once and it could happen again.

Once inside the enorimity of the total destruction from Volcanic ash and lava in 79AD or 82AD or whatever year they want to put it down as was total,if you lived in the city you died in the city. The homes of the rich, the academica,the Priests,the children,the commerica,the poor all perished.

Thousands of bodies not only human but pets and livestock are preserved in the death position some peacefully others in agony.

Much of the city appears to have been excavated and in a number of places remarkably well preserved but often at the mercy of the weather and the naturally occuring changes of the seasons,ie climate.

Work like so much of Europe is steady or non existent especially projects of the EU where signage proudly gives a finish date perhaps as short as 5 years ago, seems like Europe stopped in 2013.

The lifestyles of the citizens of Pompeii can be viewed and studied and a feature of Pompeii is even early in the season,thousands of school students, journey to Pompeii and relish in days off school (pun) the uptake of the history of this uniquely preserved historical city.

The city did not die however and we can today see what advances have been made. One can observe running water from brass taps, electrical lighting especially from underground lights posed for maximum tourist benefit at nightime. One can see stainless steel railings in abundence even lifts that move you to the souvenior shop, the advances that allowed books with colour photographs to be made for the bookshop,a cafe with pizza but dont venture up to the food court as it has become a ghost city,well until the Summer I might guess. The city is definitely not motor friendly with unique speed humps that even the tourists can surmount apart from the teenagers.

Finally well before it's time Pompeii became apparently an access city. Steel ramps go over the top of the speed humps,they cover steps and look great but apparently like the EU money ran out and well wheelchairs must first negotiate the large rocky roads and gutters 40cms tall,still progress like Rome was not made in a day