Cliff Jumping in Ischia

Before having gone, I knew next to nothing about Ischia, which is Italian island an hour ferry away from the Amalfi Coast. My good friend Ashton and his family went last summer and have been raving about it ever since. I now know why.

I figured my two nights on the island would be laid back and quiet because I assumed I was going to be on a tiny island by myself. Wrong and wrong again.

First of all, Ischia is a huge island. Looking back, I wish I had scheduled more
than two nights there because there is plenty to keep you occupied for the upwards of a week.

I was even more off on my 'being alone' assumption. About an hour after I checked into my hostel, a group of 21 Boston College study-abroad students marched in. So much for peace and calm.



The hostel is owned by three brothers, and every night they take the entire hostel to their mother's restaurant in town for delicious food and homemade wine....at a great discount. Because the hostel was so packed due to the herd of Eagles, we had to shuttle back and forth in a van. Somehow I got the back (I mean THE BACK) of the van to myself, which I thought was a blessing until I began to feel really lightheaded from inhaling exhaust fumes. Regardless, I felt pretty good by the time I set foot on ground once the van arrived at the restaurant.

Because there were so many of us, the restaurant was completely unprepared to serve us in a timely manner. As a result, the meal ended up lasting roughly 3 hours. Don't feel toooooo bad for me though, because they kept an ever-flowing caraffe of red wine coming to the table (for a mere 2 euro/person!). Regardless, I felt pretty good by the time my food arrived in front of me.

After dinner, we went to a couple bars and clubs and partied in town.

The next day was Beach Day. We made the long trek down to the beach, and were treated to relatively warm Mediterranean waters and perfect weather. There was a really cool rock in the middle of sea, so my friend Shae and I swam out to it. Once we were there, it was like we were on our own little island in the middle of nowhere. I felt like Tom Hanks in Castaway. Except I didn't befriend any sporting equipment.

After a pleasant lunch and some more sun, we headed back towards the hostel. On the way, we came across a spot that is known for cliff-jumping. Standing between 30 and 40 feet above the waters, there was a small cliff that could be climbed by jumping from rock to rock. A number of the guys were interested, and so was I, but I was a little apprehensive at first. I debated with myself whether I wanted to go, and went through a thought process I have often found myself going through on my European Extravaganza.

I asked myself, "Will I regret it if I do not jump?"

"Yes, yes I will."

About 4 minutes later....




About 4 minutes, 6 seconds later....





The jump was awesome. I was in the air long enough to actually think about what it wsa going to feel like to land, which was an experience unlike any other. The water was cold, but it didn't even come close to mattering. All I felt was adreniline rushing through me, which soon morphed into excitement and euphoria.

After jumping a little more, we went back to the hostel and showered and changed for dinner. We found a delicious restaurant along the water, where my friend and I shared mussels and clams and a pizza which was sliced into quarters with different topppings on each section. Freaking delicious.






Our after dinner plans were a replica of the night before, and were somehow even better this time around.

By the time I woke up the next morning, it was time to head to Rome...