Alone on Vesuvius

The mist had fallen and the clouds had opened. Hard, powerful, intense rain slipped through our clothes and onto our skin. Vesuvius was releasing a gentle slipstream of smoke into the sky. We reached the top of the walk and looked firstly into the vast, depths of the crater and then out to Naples and the surrounding forests that resolutely clung to it's dangerous ally. Everyone else had left and the only thing that remained constant was the consistent hammering of the water.

I like these rare moments in life. A rare shattering of perspective through the everyday routine. Where you feel humbled and inspired. I wanted to record that moment and put it on the shelf to experience when I felt the urge to escape. 

We had been to Pompeii in the morning and it was easy to reflect on the juxtaposition between the lingering sentiment of death in the ruins and the vivacity and life that surrounded the volcano. Standing on the top was the most alive I had felt for a while and I just wanted to stay in that moment.

The next day the clothes had dried and Napoli was forcing itself through its winding streets once again. After briefly facing the knife in a Neapolitan barbers we were back on the train to the capital. Rome proved to be one of the most incredible places in the world.