Sorry it has taken me so long to post to all of the responses. I worked on Sat and Sun nights and am working tonight Mon but sneaking to the computer to read all the info before I respond.

So a big thank you to everyone. Dayle we try to travel light but we carry our hiking boots in a small separate bag along with a small 21" plus back pack. It is the hiking stuff that becomes the issue. People say wear your boots and I say not for a 10 hour plane ride and several hours of travel. So we learn to deal with the 3 things. We at least keep them light.

After looking through every thing and once again thanks for all the info - Peter what a great job on all your PBASE info. I think I will just use you as our tour operator ;). I have to go through everything more thoroughly when I have a few more minutes to do so.

I am taking all suggestions into consideration and here is how it is shaping up so far.

Arrive Rome
Go right to Sorrento and stay there for our first 4 nights. Pompiee and hike Vesuvious. Day trip to Capri from here. Explore Sorrento and maybe find a hike.

I think we are going to stick with staying in Amalfi and do our hikes out from here.

We will end in Ischia for 3 days. (sorry it is not more time).

End up in Rome for just a 1 and a half days. I know we won't get to see much but hubby and I are only able to do bigger cities for only short periods at a time. We will just have to keep going back until we see it all.

I have to digest everything for a few days do some more reading and probably post some more questions.

We hiked in that area in trail runner-type athletic shoes. Yes, boots would have given more support, but the Nikes were much easier to pack. My hiking boots would have been too warm, too.

I'd heartily agree with the Amalfi choice - not only a better base for transport but, unlike several of the nearby resorts, not saturated with foreign visitors:

http://www.pbase.com/isolaverde/image/138495555

Plan sounds fine, although it's almost as easy to daytrip to Capri from Amalfi as Sorrento - should 4 nights there seem a bit much?

Thanks for those kind words re the collection of stuff on PBase - but even after all that info, once you arrive here it might be worth paying the €1.50 cover price for a printed copy of the island magazine... handier, and probably cheaper than running off even just a few pages with an inkjet?

Plus, if need be, watch out for the local paper, "Il Golfo", in which there's a daily list of sailing times!

One last bit of reading? If you're not already aware, Sunflower run "Updates" pages for changes between successive editions of their guides - with the Sorrento, Amalfi one here:

http://www.sunflowerbooks.co.uk/upso.htm

We've found them very useful for not getting lost!

Peter

>>>Exactly which part of this are you unable to understand?<<<

I didn't look at your website at all. I looked at the Alilauro schedules on their website. I only see Sorrento/Ischia listed through 9/15. When you enter a date past 9/15 it says choose another date as there are no departures.

Peter, I had a look at some of your photos on PBASE are you telling me you used the Panasonic Lumix to make those wonderful photos?

I always battle with bringing my large Nikon or my small Canon g12. I just feel like my smaller camera doesn't take the photos like my Nikon. (it is probably the photographer and not the camera) I am going through the battle phase in my brain right now and have had some major discussions on the topic with some of my coworkers who are pretty good photographers.

My Larger camera just takes up so much room in my back pack and is so heavy with my lens. But I have travelled to so many places with it. It is like I am leaving my friend at home. But it is so easy with my lighter canon.

This post was to really just tell you how wonderful your photos are. They emit feeling which is very hard to accomplish. Thanks for sharing them.

The smaller camera is always a benefit for traveling if the pictures will meet your quality standards, and the G-12 is no slouch. I suggest taking the Nikon and the Canon out locally and shoot duplicate shots with both. See if you can do with the Canon's shots after comparing to the Nikon's.