On the train on my way to Firenze. The countryside is very beautiful and the train is so clean and comfortable. There is plenty of leg room and it smells good in here too. Some college age kids are sitting in the seats near me and a classy looking older woman who comes up to about my bottom rib even in her high heels is across from me.
Just getting on the train was a challenge. On the Internet I reserved my ticket ahead of time and received confirmation via email. The email stated the reservation was in coach 10 place 27. To be smart I arrived at the station with plenty of time just in case, and was at platform 27 just as my ticket said.
For half an hour I waited and about 5 minutes before my train was to take off I asked a train station employee if the train was running late. No, it was on time but I was at the wrong platform. 27 was my seat number not my platform. He told me in Italian to go to the main terminal. Where the hell is the main terminal? This looked like a main terminal to me.
I headed in the direction he pointed me toward. In Italian a construction worker told me to go to platform 19 "Dove é?". Down stairs and to the left. Okay so I start heading in the right direction and when I see people getting off an elevator I get on. Immediately an irritated employee tells me in Italian "No something something something in Italian". I understand "No" and his finger pointing me off the elevator.
A customer service employee tells me in Italian to go to platform 9 not 19. Well I made it to the correct train and the correct coach number 10 and naturally it is the second furthest car, and the correct seat or place.
Why is it that when I plan everything out and schedule my time correctly and even arrive early I manage to screw it up? And when I fly by the seat of my pants, relax, and take my time I have nothing but good luck?
Don't get me wrong about the reference to English in the title. Americans traveling to a foreign country should not assume others should speak our language. It's true you can get by without learning Italian but I probably would have missed my train if I didn't know at least the numbers they were saying.
Oh well, uffa
Brett said he would go nuts with this situation; we don't handle this kind of stress well in travel. I think you did a great job!
ReplyDeleteThe trip from Ripabottoni to Sorrento was even worse. I bought a train ticket that required two bus transfers to get to the bus. Three different employees at the station told me where to wait for the second bus. They were wrong. I missed my bus and therefore the train and had to take buses all the way across a good chunk of Italy. I wrote a blog entry that day but decided I will not post it. Too much swearing and mean-mouthing. Things that are best kept in ones head. Transportation has been the only rough part about this trip.
ReplyDeleteYou obviously have good self-control. I would have posted that puppy and as Kramer once said on Seinfeld, "Let the expletives fly!"
ReplyDelete