Just Moby, not Dick

All Aboard: Our Overnight Ferry Adventure to  Sardinia

This afternoon we were packed and ready, waiting outside with our bags by the Smart. Melissa kindly offered to drive us to the Follonica train station, and there we hopped on an easy, hour-long train ride to Livorno.

When we arrived, we were told taxis would be waiting -- or if not, there would be a button to push to request one. Seemed simple enough. But when we walked the length of the station, we found neither a taxi nor a button -- just a loosely formed line of people standing around near the curb. Eventually, we figured out: this was the taxi line. So, we queued up and hoped for the best.

The Taxi Tango 

One thing we've noticed in Italy: queues are more...fluid than orderly. This one was no exception. The first taxi pulled up and five or six people piled in--we assumed they were together. Then, before the next taxi arrived, the man at the front of the line wandered across the street to wait on the driver's side of the taxi stand. Huh. When the next taxi pulled in, he walked over to talk to the driver while the next guy in line quickly tried to load his bags in the back. There was some animated discussion before the driver drove off with just the second man. Confusing, but vabbè. 

Now we're next in line--but the "driver-side lurker" is still hovering nearby. When the taxi finally arrives, he jumps in again, trying to intercept the driver. At the same time, a woman appeared out of nowhere and asked if we were going to "la nave"--the ship. I said yes, and she asked to share the taxi. Sure, why not? Be friendly, split the fare. 

The three of us got in the back. The lurking man tried to follow but the woman quickly blocked him with a firm "No." then turned to us and said "Might as well be comfortable." He reluctantly got into the front seat. I guess we were all heading to the port together!

Vehicles lined up to board the ferry

Port Protocol and the Return of Our Mysterious Companion

At the port they checked our tickets then we went through security. Then came the long, meandering walk to the waiting area, where we joined the line-up of walk-on passengers and--surprise!--our taxi companion was already there, buzzing around and trying to wave down the ship staff. 

He managed to convince someone that he needed to board immediately, skipping the queue entirely. Vabbè! 

As walk-ons we were eventually allowed to board before the vehicles. We found our cabin, dropped our bags, and went to explore the ship and grab dinner. We were pleasantly surprised by the number of food options onboard. 

Moby Dining Tour

First there was the formal sit-down meat restaurant, with its raw offerings displayed like a butcher shop window.

Moby meat

Then we passed the cafeteria, with pastas, hot items, and--surprisingly--a familiar face we hadn't seen since Japan:

Moby robot

And finally, we found the Sport Bar, which is where we decided to eat--

Moby Sport Bar

because look what we found!

Moby pizzas

You really can't go wrong with pizza and wine on a boat.

Moby dinner

Life on Deck

By the time we finished eating, the ferry was filling up fast. As we wandered around, we were very glad we booked a cabin--every flat surface was being claimed: couches, hallway floors, even stairwell landings. People were spreading out sleeping bags and air mattresses and preparing to camp out for the night. It was wild! 

Eventually, we found our way outside to the deck and discovered a few more surprises. 

Moby Blu Bar

Moby Helipad or maybe Helideck

Wouldn't that be cool to actually arrive by helicopter?  No such luck for us--but we did arrive in time to see the sunset.

Sunset from the ship

Rocked to Sleep

After soaking in the view, we headed back to our cabin for the night. The gentle movement of the ferry actually helped lull us to sleep--we both got a solid seven hours. 

That is, until the 5:30am surprise wake up call. I was already awake, but Ira was decidedly not amused. At least we got to check out the sunrise before disembarking.

Sunrise

Land Ho!

Next up, our first day in Sardegna.

A dopo!

P.S. Thank you to my number 6 follower...wink wink.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Few New Updates (#250)

Image
This morning we went over to the apartment. We made sure to go early since there's no electricity or lighting at the moment. Many of the rooms look the same, aside from the pile of old doors and materials that have now been cleared. The biggest change by far was the terrace. From the guest bedroom, you can see the progression: what it looked like last spring, what it looks like now...and the rendering of what it will someday become. Notice that the old bathroom is completely gone--you can now see straight through to the terrace. Guest bedroom Spring 2025 Guest Bedroom Winter 2025 (minus the terrace bathroom) Guest bedroom rendering Unfortunately, it doesn't look like they've been able to save many tiles. Our original plan was to repurpose whatever survived into a medallion or faux rug in the foyer. So...we may be moving on to plan B. Tile demolition Below is the view looking out through the former bathroom door--soon to be a window--looking out on the terrace. The thickness...
Read more

A New Lunch Spot, A Little Bonsai and a Lot of Contractors

Image
Just when we started feeling a little smug about knowing our way around town--having our favorite cafes and go-to spots--something happened to remind us how much we still have to discover. Today we had lunch plans with Tim and Izabella. We told them to choose the restaurant, and they picked one we had never even heard of: Villa La Boccia.  There are no signs pointing you there, no flashy advertising, nothing to catch your eye as you drive past--which we apparently do regularly without ever noticing it. So naturally we were curious about this "secret" local spot.  When we arrived, the parking lot was completely full. Completely. The restaurant itself was large, with indoor dining and a courtyard, and every seat seemed taken. We were stunned. How had we missed this place? Luckily Tim had made a reservation--he told us he had tried before without one and failed to get a table. Good thing he planned ahead.  Inside, the place was buzzing and the menu was extensive. It was hard...
Read more

A Busy Last Week in San Diego

Image
Our last week in San Diego arrived faster than expected, and David is feeling the pressure to get as much bonsai work done as possible. If he'd had his way, Ira probably would have been working every daylight hour and only released at night. Unfortunately for David's plan, we already had a few things scheduled. One of those plans was a long-anticipated trip to the zoo with RC. With everyone's busy schedules, this was the first day that worked for all of us. And really, we had to take advantage of our annual pass, right? Kai arrived proudly wearing the gorilla shirt we'd bought him the last time we visited the San Diego Zoo . He was eager to show us how fast he could move and had a great time climbing and weaving his way through the polar bear exhibit.  This time the polar bear was just as active. It definitely pays to visit early in the day. Sadly I stopped recording too soon because right after he jumped into the water, swam toward us, climbed out, and shook himself dr...
Read more