Today was going to be a good day!! I am super excited about it because it’s the reason I’m here. To see the Blue Grotto in Capri. Headed out to the kitchen for some breakfast. The omelettes here are yummy! The staff here have just been incredible. So friendly and happy. I’ve pretty much felt like family. Hostel Brikette is definitely THE hostel to stay if you’re in Positano.

I head down to the dock to get the ferry over to Capri. There are people everywhere. The system is that unless you pay a different charter company there’s one over at 9:15am and one return 5:15pm. So it’s an all day commitment. It’s an incredible day and perfect conditions for viewing the grotto. Traveling on my own has been a very interesting time of self reflection. There hasn’t been many lonely moments at all. I’ve managed to find company everywhere, which I call being ‘alone together’. I’ve also had some special moments where I’ve just been ‘in the moment’.
The line is long and I don’t really need to stand in it. I am one person and a benefit of flying solo. This has been good in many situations along my journey. I get on the boat and see so many different types of people represented. As the boat takes off a guy walks through selling drinks and snacks. “Anything you like” he tells us all. He is quite a character.
I take the opportunity to just relax and enjoy the ride. It’s not long before I arrive at the Capri dock and follow the signs to the Tour counter. I step up to the window and he says ‘how many?’ – just one. He looks confused but very sweet. “I am so sorry madam but it is busy today so there will be a long wait”. I don’t mind obviously cause I have all day.
We’re all kind of like sheep. Following each other but no instructions given. I see people getting on a small boat with the same colour ticket as me. They’re a tour group and I smile at the driver and say ‘uno’. Ahhh ciao bella – cmon and gestures to get on the boat.
Now I am always at my happiest when I am on, in or near the water so to sitting at the back of this boat on this sunny day was heavenly. It really feeds my soul.

We drive along the coastline. There’s a couple of very green people on the boat. Clearly a bit of motion sickness amongst the group. I look around the tour group who’ve traveled from Japan. It’s very noticeable that they’re all couples. Then there’s on other couple who I find out are from Argentina. And then there’s me!!! Grinning like a Cheshire Cat.
We arrive at our destination and the ticket seller wasn’t wrong, there are boats and people everywhere. The way it works is that when it’s your boats turn they collect you in smaller boats to take you into the grotto. But because we have such a wait we do a bit of circling around. I have no idea how they know who’s next but they’re all chatting away through CB Radios. Seems a guy name Mario is in charge. I love the banter the boat drivers are having with each other. I have no clue what they’re saying but you can tell by the tone and inflections that banter is exactly it!

Its getting very close to our turn, but the time has passed quickly because there’s much to look as there’s been a few near misses getting into the smaller boats, the scenery is amazing and the day is giving me a great opportunity to get some sun on my skin.
Yay, our turn has come. The tour group file out first and I wait till last and my boat driver said ‘she is only one person’. Perfect for me means I didn’t have to cram in with someone else and got to take the front seat in the boat which they call the Captains Seat. It also meant that I was right in front of the guy paddling the boat. Angelo chats to me as we head over to buy our pass into the grotto.

The ticket sales are made on just another boat so aisle up next to it and hand over our money. I am too excited for words and the smile is plastered on my face.

Watch the boats ahead me look like they are being sucked into a cave hole was so interesting. Then boats are just popping back out as they all take turns. I am fascinated how this all works and I’m told ‘lay down’. To get in during this type of tide we had to get really low.

The time has come. I thought I got low enough but obviously not, as I clipped my head on the top of the cave opening to the grotto. But I didn’t care because I sit up and see the most beautiful thing.

I completely swept up in this moment and Angelo is giving us some history about the place but I am too mesmerized to even listen. The he starts to sing, as do all the boat captains. The echo in the cave is just making this moment absolutely incredible!! I am now just sitting there laughing in pure joy at this moment. We circle the grotto and finally make our way back out of the cave. Wow, that is a moment I am never going to forget.
We head back now and I check the clock and thought it might be time for lunch. So as we file off the boat I thank my driver and head out to search for lunch.

The front of the dock at Capri is littered with cafes and places to eat and men spruiking their restaurants. I pass a couple and think I’ll go exploring to see where else there might be. But then I encountered Vincenzo. He is a short bald man with a lot of spunk and uses many cheeky tactics to entice you in. He sees me walking up and thinks I’m arriving with another person walking closely behind. He says “two” – just uno! He gives me a massive smile and links arms with me and says “I will be your date”. Haha I laugh, have a quick look at the menu and decide to come on in. It’s all alfresco dining and it’s the perfect day to overlook the water. But I didn’t realize I was getting lunch and a show, as I watched Vincenzo do his thing. He’s the master for sure. The other waiters are laughing when he does something particularly silly.
My waiter comes over – so Alexandro walks into my life like a suave Italian god. He asks if I’d like to start with a drink so I take his recommendation to have a limoncello spritz. Along with some water, I was very parched after having run out on the long wait on the boat.

I sip on my cocktail and decide to look at the photos and videos I took of my time at the grotto. I play the video. Now the gravity of this moment and what it means to me just overcomes me and tears roll out of my eyes uncontrollably. This trip wasn’t supposed to be about life defining moments but it seems to have been so. So many references and reminders today that I am doing this on my own. Which is not a bad thing and on reflection made me realize just how proud of myself for doing this. It’s been a very special time indeed. Positano has re energized me in such an unexpected way. I’m just floating. Lunch arrives and I just sit and enjoy. I’m so excited to be eating grilled chicken and salad. Vincenzo sends me a free taster of their limoncello and gives me a wink. I have a prosecco and Alexandro brings me another shot of something which tastes like frangelico but not quite the same. I eventually head out to sunbake a little and my kind waiters pose for a selfie.

The beaches here are pure rocks so it’s not as comfortable as lazing around on the beaches back home. But after my drinks at lunch I’m a little tipsy so get comfortable and politely went off to sleep.

I wake up and realize I only have 45 mins till the one and only ferry leaves so I get myself together and head back over to the dock where we’d been dropped off.
It’s nowhere to be seen. I ask for help and am instructed to go to another dock to get the one back to Positano. Not a close call thank goodness.
The views rolling in are simply gorgeous, and this is my last night in Positano so there’s a few of us from the hostel going out to dance again so we’re all meeting for happy hour on the balcony.
I arrive and there are more and more people arrive. The staff had said that they were at capacity so it’s literally a full house.

There aren’t any solo traveler but everyone is super friendly as we all start to exchange stories and travel tips. I’m introduced to a new face and they said “ohhhhh you’re Hannah, we hear you’re the Mumma bear of the hostel”. Awwww what a sweet thing to say. I meet couples and mates traveling together and decide to grab the speaker and create a bit of atmosphere while we all sit outside.
One by one we get dinner, shower and get ready for a night out. Some decide to retire early but we also meet up with another group down there.
Music on the Rocks doesn’t disappoint. We all party together and I make new friends with a couple from Chicago. I’m amazed when after just short time together they offered me a place to stay if I was ever in Chicago. We exchange Facebook accounts and then they offer to buy me a shop cause “we just love you” they say. Bless.
We all dance till the club thins out and say our farewells to our friends made on the dance floor and I head back with my new friends from the hostel. Wow what a day and night.

As I lie in bed I come to the conclusion that I am never alone but alone together.