11 November 2010

Italy, take one

Oct 30 - Day 1
Started off with going to the train station early. I got there over 40 minutes before my train but when I looked on the departures board it wasn’t there. I went and asked the lady at the counter and she told me that, due to a social action thing going on right now, the train was canceled. However she did switch me over to a bus for the first of my two legs in getting to Lyon. So I waited and caught the bus which wasn’t that bad. Then when I got to St. Etienne Chateureux. I walked from the bus to the train area and realized how different this was from any French city I have seen. It was really industrialized which I thought was interesting. Anyways, then I was able to go to the bathroom and catch my train.

The train was pretty quick and before I knew it I was in Lyon. Once there I needed to get to my hotel so I took a taxi (since it was late at night) and when I got to the hotel he helped me arrange a wakeup call with the hotel manager so that he could come pick me up to take me to the airport for my flight. After I got that all settled (it took awhile since there was the time change) I took me key and found my room. When I went up to my room I realized how true the saying “you get what you pay for” is. Whatever, it worked for what I needed it... a place to crash before I woke up early the next day for my flight. So I chilled and went to bed.

October 31 - Day 2
Woke up early and got all around to go to the airport. After eating a small breakfast, I went downstairs, got in the taxi, rode what felt like forever to the airport, paid, got out of the taxi, and went into the terminal. Well, at least I thought it was my terminal. On my boarding pass it said something about number 2 which I took to be the terminal number. When I walked into terminal two I was super confused and it didn’t look like I was where I should be. So I asked a guy at the help desk in English because it was 5 am and French at 5 am just doesn’t happen.  He showed me where to go and once I got there I got checked in really easily. I was really worried that my bag would be overweight or too big but luckily it wasn’t (although I still have to watch how much stuff I bring back with me). So the plane came and I got on and it took off.

I was super excited because this is the first time I have ever been to Italy! However, on the plane I was really tired so I slept most of the way. When it came closer to the end there was a lot of turbulence which made me sick but other than that it wasn’t bad at all. Once I got out of the plane I took a quick stop at the bathroom, passed customs, and got tickets to get to the main station where I was meeting Claire. I got on the bus and then a metro and finally was at the main station. I called Claire who said she would be a little late so I wandered around until she got there. Then we got on the bus and went to her apartment. Before we went up to her apartment we stopped at the pizza shop right next door and got pizza for everyone since it was lunch time. Once in the apartment, I greeted everybody and relaxed for a little bit.  After eating, seeing the apartment, and chilling, Ada (who was also visiting) and I went out and saw a bunch of cool stuff like the Pantheon. Then we ate dinner (which included Calamari or Squid! – a first for me but very good) and when we returned the others had changed into their Halloween outfits.

Ada had already planned on going as Medusa but I told Claire to pick me up something from the market and I would wear it. I had this bright pink snowsuit, so I went as a skier from the 80’s. That night was a lot of fun because there ended up being like 14 of us or something. Thankfully most of the girls had to take public transit back home so I was able to sleep by 12:15.
November 1 - Day 3
Started out by waking up, getting around and taking a shower. Then Ada and I went out and saw a bunch of things such as the inside of the Colosseum. The Colosseum was really cool and fun even though it was raining and icky.



Even though it was raining we made it to the Hard Rock Cafe but it was too busy to go inside so we just left. After that we went to the Spanish Steps and got a really cool view of the city and this neat fountain at the bottom.  Overall we had alot of fun and then went back, hung out with Claire, and then I went to catch the bus so that I could go to the train station. The bus was half an hour late (because Italians are never on time) and then when I finally got to the station my train had already left! In my mind I was freaking out but I just wanted to get everything sorted out so I went to the ticket booth and got my train changed free of charge for a later one. I stayed in the station and waited the two hours in between for my train. However, this second train was late... by 45 minutes (oh Italians). Finally I got on the train, in the right compartment (which took forever because the seats are assigned and some people have problems reading their tickets), and on my way to Naples.

After a while I noticed that everyone else in my car was getting ready to leave so I thought we were there. When they all left I got out too but then I realized that something was amiss. Nowhere did it say Naples. Uh oh. I asked one of the women who was in my car if this was the Naples stop and she said no, it's the next one. I was like "Oh fuck!" and raced back up the platform to the train but as soon as I got there the doors were closed. I pressed on the button to open them but no luck. I started banging on the door just as the train started pulling out from the station! There I was, all by myself, in a strange country, not able to speak the language, at the wrong stop. Frustrated but hopeful that there was a ticket agent who could help me I went to the ticket area but there were no agents. The helpful woman saw me and told me that there is a train in 12 minutes that goes to Naples and I can just get on that one. I said thank you and went back up to the platform. 12 minutes later a train came and I got on it. One stop later I was in Naples. Then I got a call from my hostel.

It was the hostel owner who was worried because I wasn't there yet and I said I would be getting in earlier. He said no problem and sent a cab for me because I didn't know my way around yet or anything. So I got to the hostel and was introduced to the owner, Giovanni, who is a super nice 50 year old Italian. He then proceeded to talk to me for an hour and a half about everything from the hostel to safety in Naples to how to get to Veseuvias and Pompeii and other areas. It was really nice and i was really glad to know all of the information about what to see and safety and everything. However, it was late at night and I was super tired so I went to bed.

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