Pompeii was another bucket list trip that proved to be as exciting and interesting as hoped for. Taking the train to reach this point makes this trip so much more interesting and has given plenty of time to research the tragedy of the Vesuvius eruption.
Sitting as it does at the base of Vesuvius, Pompeii serves as a reminder of the human inability to beat nature when she turns against us. In 79AD, around 12,000 people lived in the town and the eye witness account from Pliny (which I studied at school) provides an account from just across the bay. Thousands of people lost their lives in just one day and the lava which covered the city preserved it for us to see now.
The stories of crowds were thankfully untrue as we visited: there were a number of tour guides leading large parties, but surprisingly few. We had a whole day to explore the city - walking from side to side and top to bottom.
All while Vesuvius loomed in the distance.
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