Day and Night Aboard the Souless Trains

 Leaving Berlin was supposed to easy. One change-over followed by sleeping in a private couchette to awaken in Bolzano, Ialy. The souless German train service helped us leave Berlin and stranded us for awhile in Hannover. Overnight accomodations, gone. Scramble to figure out what had happened, calls to two German speaking friends, more calls to other train services, flights, a cascade of unfortunate opportunities and a booked train arrival in Hannover for 2:00AM arriving ??? All other passengers from the cancelled trains were told to all go on the same train and "just look for a empty seat". 

We talked about different strategies to get on and find seats but anxiety was pretty high and there was no  place to actually wait except for a Burger King as the train was delayed more and more.  Around 2:15AM passengers waiting on the platform finally boarded and dashed for seats.  We found two in the same open car but Eric walked the train and found three young Germans women willing to share their car. Slept for a few hours, sitting up in a non-reclining seat, we made it. Peter managed to sleep all the way to Bolzano.  

He asks why our personalities on this trip have been clashing so often.  I reminded him that travel can be fun but it's also filled with unknowable complications.  Trains, planes, boats, hotels, meals and with so many different places having to negogiate for every few days is hard.  We've had many good moments and experiences but unless you are lucky and/or rich, the travel we like and what he wanted is just hard. 

Being in Cortina now, hiking in the Dolomites, being immersed in beautiful natural surroundings, does leave the soul feeling lighter.  That and our quirky historic hotel.