Day Eighty-Seven -- Cinque Terre.

• Woke up ridiculously early (4:50 am) and left for the train station at 5:30.
• Realized I left the tickets at the apartment so I ran back to get them. What a way to wake up. Oh, and it was raining, too.
• Caught the train at 5:50.
• Got to the first town (Monterosso) at 11 am, bought tickets to get on the trail (5 euro) and headed off.
• Hiked up ridiculously steep stairs that nearly killed us.
• Hiked down the ridiculously steep stairs on the other side that almost killed us due to our muddy (and thus slippery) shoes.
• Lots more hiking punctuated by occasional rest/photo breaks.

CLiffs.

Terraced farms.

Flowery path.

I ended up leaving the group (Erin, Jordan, Kate and Prof Stabile) behind for most of the hike between the towns (I need to focus and go at my own pace which is usually very fast) and then waited for them in the towns.

Had a not-so-satisfying focaccia for lunch and some delicious gelato that made up for it.

In the second to last town Erin, Kate and Jordan jumped into the water from some rocks. They said it was freezing but refreshing. I wasn't interested in being either freezing or wet.

We were pressed for time because our train home was at 7:09 pm in the last town and we weren't sure how long it would take us (the time estimates provided were always longer than it actually took). We walked 6.8 miles up and down ridiculous cliffs in 6 hours and that included many stops (I probably waited for a total of an hour while people caught up to me at the towns). We made it with 15 minutes to spare.

Got on the train and tried to sleep but I was too cold (both train rides I was freezing because I wore shorts and didn't bring sweatpants so I was cold without the warmth of exercise) so it was a long ride home.

HOME!

Erin and Kate went to Duchessa to bring back pizza while Jordan and I showered.

Ate.

Stuff.

Bed!!!!!!

Will hurt like hell tomorrow...not leaving the apartment.

More photos: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=169680&id=504487681&l=8804ea5db3