Sitting and enjoying the comfort and view from one of the fast trains on our tour.
Note the cute shoes...well as cute as my converse high top sneakers can get!
An Italian fast train, this time as we board for the longest ride on our tour about 4 hours along the coastline from the French Mediterranian to the Liguarian coast of Italy. On this journey we stop and change trains in Genoa, Italy for a few minutes. Can't stress enough how this really is a great way to see and travel. For most of our train rides we had reserved train seats in the section where there were 2 groups of 4 seats all kind of facing each other with a small table in between. Luggage usually stowed by the train car exit in the provided area or overhead at your seat. They were spacious and comfortable. You could play cards, spread your gear, chat and watch the vast landscapes and seaside views as you zoomed through on rail. This particular fast train rolls at more than 250 km an hour. With the raised view, no worries on driving, getting gas, or getting lost on some highway, it's not only a greener choice but a much more relaxing and scenicy way to travel then by car. We arrived in Genoa, ontime and had 20 minutes at the station to check out the little kiosks and grab our first Italian panini if we wanted before we boarded our next train.
Giuseppe, our leader waited by our luggage as he was meeting his dad in his hometown for a few minutes to say hi and unload some of his no longer needed travelling supplies. He had been on non-stop touring in various areas with groups for the past 7 weeks and was looking forward to lightening his load I'm sure. Anyways, our group of 3 couples all headed off for a quick tour and met back at the train platform ready to board our next train.
Well at least 2 couples did!
Our cute Aussie couple, Yvonne and Frank were no where to be seen. Amongst all of us, they were the one couple you would think, would never be late, always ready and prepared ahead. But with 2 minutes to board and the train sittting idling and waiting they were nowhere to be seen. Giuseppe, went out to search, Clint and Bert gave lookout and Jen and I stood by the train car door, all luggage piled around us, ready to throw it all on, if we saw the Aussies emerge from the station stairway near us. We looked like a relay team all eyeing each other down the line of the long station platform, waiting for the signal to scramble onboard the train, toss in the luggage like fiendish chimps and begin the next leg of the race.
1 minute left, no Aussies,
30seconds left, no Aussies.
5 seconds-4-3-2-1.
No Aussies.
The train signalled it's horn, the usual loud, air purging, screaching sound that never failed to scare the crap out of you and chug, chug it was gone.
There we stood, piled luggage and all, unsure of what to do next. We were now starting to get nervous. The Aussies, though travel troopers, were older than us, and I worried (beause in my scenario filled mind....that's what I do) they may have got hurt and were lying somewhere calling for help. Our long days of walking and hiking and late nights of food and wine, I feared, may have done them in.
A few minutes later, Giuseppe was walking back towards us, leading the two Aussies who trailed sheepishly behind with a pizza and panini in hand. Red faced and truly embarraced, Yvonne had thought we had 1 hour AND 20 minutes to catch the next train. Apparently, Frank had tried to convince her she might have been mistaken. But like most husband and wife 'timeline/schedule' debates, her convictions prevailed. They were ripe for teasing now (which we all did at least once) but truth was, I was just glad it was them who made the first boo-boo and missed a time. God knows, Bert and I presumed it would have probably been us!
Now the real sport of train travel begins. Giueseppe had to run back to the train ticket depot, find out when the next train left for La Spezzia, see if there was room, and rebuy train tickets if he could. Our only hope, he found out was the commuter train that left in 5 minutes, no reserved seating and it acted as a regional school transit at this time of day. It was sure to be packed already but it was our best chance.
We scrambled, we got to the train platform with our new tickets in hand. This time our direction from our fearless leader Giuseppe was succinct.
'Each man for himself'
just get yourselves on the train and grab the first seat you can.
The train arrived, the car door opened, and the race began. We sat or stood where ever we could, tossed our luggage whereever as the train stopped for a mere 30seconds it seemed and headed off again. Not near the comfy seats or fast speeds on this kind of grimmy old rattling train, we stopped at all points down the line.
In the end, it added a few hours to our train ride,
and
added much colour to our train tales as well!
'Each man for himself'
just get yourselves on the train and grab the first seat you can.
The train arrived, the car door opened, and the race began. We sat or stood where ever we could, tossed our luggage whereever as the train stopped for a mere 30seconds it seemed and headed off again. Not near the comfy seats or fast speeds on this kind of grimmy old rattling train, we stopped at all points down the line.
In the end, it added a few hours to our train ride,
and
added much colour to our train tales as well!
