Day 42 Wed 22/06 - Wild Camping with Abandon Trucks after Napoli

Today Disatnce : 84.4 km     Total : 2098.8 km
Today Temp : 22 - 33°c    Hot and Sunny
Today Spending : 13 euro    Total : 678 euro
Time on Bike :  5 hr  15 min
Today Ave Speed : 16 kmh      Max : 43 kmh
Trip Altitude : 372 m    Max :28 m
Today Ave Climb : 3 %        Max : 13 %

50 km to a big city of Napoli. I was wondering what Napoli has to offer as compared to Pisa,Florence and Rome.I had never heart of anything special regarding this city,soon I will have the answer as i pedalled closer and closer and actually rode passed the city centro without stopping. This is a city full of RUBBISH !! Yes rubbish everywhere so long as your eyes can see, littering and flying on the street, overflowing in the rubbish bins,looks like noboby's business, where are the workers supposed to collect them? Are they on strike or not happy with their salary? I had read about this uncollected and overflow rubbish issue in southern Italy few months back home in Malaysia, and it really surprised me that it drags until today as i seen it with my own eyes. I had the opportunity to know the reasons from one of the locals that this uncollected rubbish has drag for more than a year now as the parties still cannot come to a compromise as how to dispose them, this must be a war between the authorities and the environmentalists.Not only the rubbish issue but also the city is not safe and i was warned  to keep a close watch on my beautiful bike, so to stay here is definitely out of the question but to get out of here and find a place to camp, the ride continued until late 7pm where i found this abandoned trucks field to call it a day.

Resting on a downhill to Napoli

Coastal view near Napoli

Lonely women......

Getting closer to Napoli

The fun at the seaside on a hot day

Sleeping beauty

Beautiful lake on the way to Napoli

Napoli Port

Napoli centro

Large field at the camp site with a volcano view

Abandoned trucks provided cover for camping

Don't play play with this plant- with thorns and caused itchiness when touch

Day 41 Tue 21/6 - Beach Camping in Mondragone

Today Disatnce : 69.7 km     Total : 2014.4 km
Today Temp : 22 - 32°c    Hot and Sunny
Today Spending : 12.22 euro    Total : 665 euro
Time on Bike :  4 hr  04 min
Today Ave Speed : 17.1 kmh      Max : 64 kmh
Trip Altitude : 414 m    Max : 216 m
Today Ave Climb : 2 %        Max : 7 %

Today's ride started 8.50am,already the sun is burning hot. To avoid the busy coastal road,i turn inland on SS7 Via Appia route with just one mountain to climb to reach Fonti before the downhill to Itri, and then it was flat all the way to the coastal town of Formia. On the left with lots of mountains, but the road is actually at the valley, lots of holidaymakers with their cars parked on both sides of the road, and walked across to enjoy the seaside.Under such extremely hot weather, it will be tough to ride all the way to Napoli which is another 50km. At Mondragone surprisingly found a cheap campsite near the beach for 10 euro. Just in time for a complete clean up and recharge of all the dead batteries. Too early to cook dinner, so i went for a swim in the Mediterranean sea, my very first time! but only lasted about 10 min as the water is very cold although under hot sun, quite a different feeling as compared to our Malaysian sea.

SS7 Via Appia Road

Fonti town center

Fomia Seaside town

Holidaymakers at the beach

Safety guard tower

Facilities provided by the camping

Mediterranean Sea

10 euro campsite in a parking lot

Day 40 Mon 20/6 - Wild Camp under Highway Bridge with Mountain Stream

Today Disatnce :  78.3 km     Total :  1944.7 km
Today Temp : 21 - 32°c    Hot and Sunny
Today Spending : 5 euro    Total : 652.78 euro
Time on Bike : 4 hr  39 min
Today Ave Speed : 16.8 kmh      Max : 30.5  kmh
Trip Altitude : 189 m    Max : 16 m
Today Ave Climb : 2 %        Max : 5 %

The high cost of camping fee has me worried that I might cut short my days in southern Italy and quickly take a ferry across to Greece. There were quite a number of campings along the coastal roads and the high cost could be caused by the peak season as the beaches were full of people enjoying the sun bath. 3x enquiries at the camping receptions were disappointed at the fee of 20,43 and 25 euro just for a single person and a small tent. I would have consider if its in the range of 10-15 euro. So gave up to look for wild camping, the only problem is unable to charge my batteries for the Camera and GPS. Luckily I spotted this nice place when I was desperately looking for one. Under the bridge of a highway after Terracina, As i slowly wheel my bike into the empty space, what greet me were rubbish all over, venture further in, what surprise me is a very clear crystal mountain stream flowing and the source is from underground . I am not the only one knew of the "treasure" as I found out later that the locals came with their glass and plastic bottles to collect the icy water every now and then, which according to them is fit to drink without boiling.


Parking for boats




Anglers trying their luck




One of the beach




Wooden plank leading to the beach



Straight long and hot coastal road

Terracina town

expensive hotels facilities

Heading to Napoli 126 km

Perfect campsite with icy cool water

Water from underground

I am not the only one....

Day 39 Sun 19/6 - Wild Camping after Nettuno without Ivan/Annie

Today Disatnce :  97.3 km     Total :  1866.4 km
Today Temp : 20 - 31°c    Hot and Sunny
Today Spending : 3 euro    Total : 644.78 euro
Time on Bike : 6 hr  11 min
Today Ave Speed : 15.7 kmh      Max:  47 kmh
Trip Altitude : 515 m    Max : 267 m
Today Ave Climb : 2 %        Max : 9 %

From today onward,I will have to continue my journey without Ivan and Arnie cos' they are flying back from Rome to Paris and then back to Malaysia. As an experience tour cyclist,I am prepared and truely understand that everyone has their own and different commitments to fulfill, families..business...friends..etc. So be self sufficient. Here i would like to thank them for keeping me company and all the helps and i hope they enjoy the whole trip and a safe journey home. After having paid up the 3 days camp fee of 31.50 euro and exchanging good wishes,I left them at 9.10am. Thanks also for the chocolate,Arnie. I am heading southeast from Rome in the direction to Napoli,passing thru the city centro again, and out of the ring in Ciampiano, exactly 40 km,then following route SS7 via Appia to Albano, too much traffics for my comfort, so turn into less busy route R207, this road will head all the way to the seaside town of Anzio and Nettuno, couldn't find any camping ground, the ride had to be continued until late 7 pm, finally settled for this wild camp.Almost 100km done but not really tired as I am riding solo today. Relax at your own pace.




Farewell and thanks for the company- Ivan/Arnie



What a colourful bus stop

Anzio seaside town

Anzio seaside town

Anzio seaside town



Wild camp at Nettuno