AnuragAshok

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The next morning, we got up late. it was 10 AM and we were already late for breakfast. By the time we were packed and ready to leave, it was already noon. We wanted to take some video shots and more pictures before leaving which we started to do.

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I was interrupted by some official calls and for the next one hour, I was forced to be on the phone managing work remotely. Finally, at about 1:15 PM, we bid adieu to Pescocostanzo and started our ride. Today, we were headed for Matera which we had read a lot about.

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Matera was a good 450 Kilometers away and we did not have the luxury of taking the inner roads. At the nearest fuel station, Sunny set the GPS to the fastest route which brings the Autostrada into the picture. It was another 80 Kilometers from Pescocostanzo before we reached the Autostrada! the roads kept curving and taking us through inner roads where there was construction work., the progress was slow.

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We started coming across farmland where the crop had probably been harvested already and the hay was tightly rolled into huge cylinders! It was too tempting to resist and we stopped for a photo session with these hay stacks.

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Shortly into the photo session, A BMW rider stopped and started talking to us. He had been in India (south) way back in 90's (seems like so long ago the 90's). He gave us some tips about being careful in Sicily and Napoli and we duly made a video recording of the same for our upcoming production.

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Finally we hit the autostrada and it was speed riding thereafter. Nothing spectacular for the next 300 Kilometers except that it was a constant high speed run and we took breaks after every 100 Kilometers at a fuel station.

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At each stop, Sunny would duly go into the shop at each one of these and buy some more models of bikes … I could not help but smile at each of these times. There was one notable exception.. Adriatic Sea appeared and stretched into the horizon on our left. The water was a mixed hue of many blues and sea green. We had stopped at one place and took some shots.

We took one wrong turn and started heading towards Napoli…. we realized this after about 8 kilometers and so took a u turn to continue our journey.. Soon thereafter, the road turned and we exited the Autostrada and started towards Matera.. This road felt like the one we take from Chandigarh towards Kalka… detours, construction and roadwork was everywhere and the progress was slow.. The only difference was that the traffic was intense but orderly and people respected rules much more than on our roads!

We finally arrived in Matera and the GPS took us to Hotel Del Campo, our home for the night without any problems.. We had arrived by 7 PM which was early by the trip standards. We dumped our gear into the room and changed. Then we had a long chat with the receptionist who was a kind hearted soul and even offered to bring us to the vista point at 11 PM after his shift got over if we wanted. He also strangely recommended us to take a Guide for the tour of the ancient city which he insisted we would not be able to see on our own. He organized an english speaking one for us and set the time a 7 AM pickup.

We still had some time so we went to eat dinner at a restaurant he had booked a seat for us. We had yummy spicy pizza and pasta and sat there till 10:30 PM. When we returned to the hotel, we realized how tired we were and excused ourselves from the 11PM trip.

Then we sat at our computers and I typed this blog.. Sunny worked on his pictures and all the other things he normally works on each night! We again slept at about 2 AM..

Until tomorrow

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Life is like riding a bike. It is impossible to maintain your balance while standing still.

Sunny

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DeepMahal

exciting n beautiful...

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Haroon

When you pass thru many of those quaint villages, dont you get the feeling those people live on a different planet & a different world than ours....... no stress, no tension, no pollution etc..

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Growing old is compulsory - growing up is optional

AnuragAshok

Would give an arm and a leg to trade places with them. Have toyed with the idea of actually trying it out myself but have not been able to muster the courage. What I still have to solve is that if I take the plunge and go there, what will I do for a living!

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Life is like riding a bike. It is impossible to maintain your balance while standing still.

bluevolt

I would think I would get bored very soon if I was staying there all the time -a month or so every year would be welcome though!

Writers/Novelists are known to live in such places when finishing a new book!

AnuragAshok

Well neither am I a writer, nor a novelist. However just love the peace, ambience and the (perceived) quality of life that these place promise to offer. You are right in a way though, being alone would make me mad but what about moving there lock stock and barrel ? (With family et. al.)

It probably still wont make sense as we will all end up getting mad except if we have something to do there as in regular 9-5 variety.?

What do you think?

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Life is like riding a bike. It is impossible to maintain your balance while standing still.

bluevolt

It really depends from person to person, the best thing is to take off for 2-3 months and try living there. That will give you an idea (or a dry run!) of how life is going to turn out there. No matter how peaceful or scenic the place is, one needs something to keep partially occupied - and also need enough money to get away somewhere once in a while.

You're not alone - I have often toyed with such ideas myself!

AnuragAshok

Hmmm, the idea is radical for most but I am sure there are many like me and you who would toy with such things. For me, if I can find something to do on a regular basis in such a place without the language barrier, I would be game to give it a try. I am going to try atleast once for sure.

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Life is like riding a bike. It is impossible to maintain your balance while standing still.

bluevolt

A few years ago, I took off to a quiet corner of Mussoorie (away from the tourist crowds or the mall road) for a month and half, just doing nothing and staying in a small hotel. I carried a lot of books, trekked, and went to downtown mussoorie once in a while. I made a few local friends, so it was fun to hang around them with them.

I had to cut short my utopian vacation as soon as my money ran out! I was not bored in 45 days, but I felt that I was just on edge of boredom. Just.