I was reading this on my train to Budapest today. Small world! Our train ride today was very uneventful, but we have had some dozy situations ourselves. Somehow they are like childbirth - you forget the bad parts and give it a little time and you willing to do it again!
If this happened in our native country we’d be serving up the complaints on a silver platter yes? So amazing when we’re fish out of water… our over-polite selves come out… even when it’s clearly a proper mess around!
I recall losing it in India once. I’d paid for a hot shower. It was ice cold. I looked out the window 5mins later and saw a guy madly stoking a fire beneath a boiler, to heat my water. Yes… I felt like a right privileged schmuck.
okay... for the record... i wrote the opening scene to Kindling, which releases in its first chapter here on Substack on Tuesday, *before* I read this post. This exact thing happened to us. In Bucharest. Last summer.
My husband and I recently purchased rail tickets in Germany from a trip from Heidelberg to Munich. Because the agent office was closed, we used a kiosk, purchased the tix, and made seat reservations.
After arriving at the station on the travel day, we could not find our train on the station bulletin board. Well, we forgot to account for the 24 hour clock and so our train and reservations for the "afternoon" were actually at 2:20 am earlier that day.
Running to the office, I confirmed that we could exchange the tix, but seat reservations were sold out. Yes, we panicked, but we did manage to get one reservation for half the journey.
After boarding the train, I also realized that DB makes fewer seat reservations than their are actual seats. So there were many people were standing, shuffling about the train, and playing musical chairs.
Thus, lessons learned.
1) check the time.
2) don't travel on Sunday afternoons
3) book at least 2 weeks in advance, due to holidays...
Hey guys, maybe we will all meet up in the great NW one day when you are there again. Enjoy Italy, we have not been to Bologna but look forward to your Italy posts. Cheers, R&R
I am trying to get better at packing faster. This story has me mentally preparing for a quick escape. I will be thinking of you from now on and triple checking everything.
I got a chuckle from this because one of the biggest sources of conflict between my wife and me is my failure to trust her instincts. But know that she is an Empath and feels things before most everyone and in many cases, she’s the only one who feels them. And she’s probably 80% accurate which is hard for Macho Me who needs to SEE everything or have it be PROVEN before I buy it. Many times she has had a feeling that we should do this or don’t do that, and I poo-poo the notion, many times because I believe she is coming from a fear space, a place I rarely visit. So, balancing between “being too careful” and “being too reckless” has been a bone of contention too many times.
That said, there are many times that I have feelings, insights, and I’m wired into something I have no “proof” of, and even my instincts are better than good.
Anyway, great article guys (as always) you always cause us to think!
Oh my God--I got stressed just reading this!:-)
Hehe sorry!
I was reading this on my train to Budapest today. Small world! Our train ride today was very uneventful, but we have had some dozy situations ourselves. Somehow they are like childbirth - you forget the bad parts and give it a little time and you willing to do it again!
Oh how fun!
And that's very true, isn't it? You forget it OR it becomes the most memorable part of the trip, and you tell the story for years. LOL
I share you belief in trusting my gut ... I just hate when it's actually right.
Me too! And honestly, it OFTEN is!
I am amazed at the physical feat of running 2 km with roughly 60 pounds on you! Great and well told story.
Thank you! And yes, that one hurt. Oy!
If this happened in our native country we’d be serving up the complaints on a silver platter yes? So amazing when we’re fish out of water… our over-polite selves come out… even when it’s clearly a proper mess around!
(In fairness, sometimes I DO complain, even overseas. I fought the Italian train system... and WON my 70 euro refund in the end!)
Nice, and impressive! lol
I recall losing it in India once. I’d paid for a hot shower. It was ice cold. I looked out the window 5mins later and saw a guy madly stoking a fire beneath a boiler, to heat my water. Yes… I felt like a right privileged schmuck.
LOL that is a great story!
Haha, very very true!
okay... for the record... i wrote the opening scene to Kindling, which releases in its first chapter here on Substack on Tuesday, *before* I read this post. This exact thing happened to us. In Bucharest. Last summer.
Ha! Maybe it's a Romanian thing. Or maybe just a typical "travel" one! Thank God it hasn't happened since.
Probably…
I can relate:
My husband and I recently purchased rail tickets in Germany from a trip from Heidelberg to Munich. Because the agent office was closed, we used a kiosk, purchased the tix, and made seat reservations.
After arriving at the station on the travel day, we could not find our train on the station bulletin board. Well, we forgot to account for the 24 hour clock and so our train and reservations for the "afternoon" were actually at 2:20 am earlier that day.
Running to the office, I confirmed that we could exchange the tix, but seat reservations were sold out. Yes, we panicked, but we did manage to get one reservation for half the journey.
After boarding the train, I also realized that DB makes fewer seat reservations than their are actual seats. So there were many people were standing, shuffling about the train, and playing musical chairs.
Thus, lessons learned.
1) check the time.
2) don't travel on Sunday afternoons
3) book at least 2 weeks in advance, due to holidays...
4) go to a gate agent.
Oh man! I feel your pain. That 24 hour clock has screwed a couple of other times too. oy!
But hopefully, we all only make these mistakes ONCE, and we learn from them. lol
Oh my goodness! And the eyes see more than we are conscious of, which has to play a role in what the gut senses. Totally trust your gut!
Isn't it fascinating?
The gut sense is fascinating. I have a pretty strong one too, but it definitely doesn't catch everything. Glad you guys made the trains!
Thanks! I do worry that because bad things happen so infrequently, I start to think we have a sixth sense -- and that's when they get ya!
They lie in wait!
Hey guys, maybe we will all meet up in the great NW one day when you are there again. Enjoy Italy, we have not been to Bologna but look forward to your Italy posts. Cheers, R&R
Absolutely! We're up here in Port Townsend for the summer (next summer too, probably). Let us know if you're ever up this way or in Seattle!
When & where is your next adventure. We are selling Palm Springs & moving permanently to PDX so we can travel more. !!!!!
We're heading to Italy (bologna) in October! Oh, and a cruise to Alaska next week. That's great about the move!
Great story. Sounds like Romania. Classic!
Haha thank you. Yes, that apparently have a problem with that.
I am trying to get better at packing faster. This story has me mentally preparing for a quick escape. I will be thinking of you from now on and triple checking everything.
Thanks! I didn't think I could ever pack so fast. lol
I got a chuckle from this because one of the biggest sources of conflict between my wife and me is my failure to trust her instincts. But know that she is an Empath and feels things before most everyone and in many cases, she’s the only one who feels them. And she’s probably 80% accurate which is hard for Macho Me who needs to SEE everything or have it be PROVEN before I buy it. Many times she has had a feeling that we should do this or don’t do that, and I poo-poo the notion, many times because I believe she is coming from a fear space, a place I rarely visit. So, balancing between “being too careful” and “being too reckless” has been a bone of contention too many times.
That said, there are many times that I have feelings, insights, and I’m wired into something I have no “proof” of, and even my instincts are better than good.
Anyway, great article guys (as always) you always cause us to think!