Planes, Trains and Automobiles

We were so excited to make it to Nice although we hated to leave the little Italian village of Vernazza. It was beautiful, relaxing and a true once in a lifetime experience.

Our tour guide from Busabout had told the group to make sure that we headed to town early on the day of departure to ensure we made it on time. Apparently the Italians are notorious for cancelling trains, running late trains and just basically being lazy with their public transport system.

So, the day of departure arrives and we make sure to arrive at the train station with two hours to spare (even though the departure point is only a quick 15 minute train ride away.) And, wouldn't you know it, all trains to town are cancelled except for the one at 12:11 pm. Not good considering our bus departs at 12:30. However, the station guy tells us that it should only take 15 mins to get to town so we should make the bus no problem.

Well, we didn't.

Of course the train took its sweet time getting to town and we arrive, oh, about 10 minutes after the bus departure time. Good, great, grand.

We run our legs off with the stinkin' 40 lb packs only to find that our big blue bus is nowhere in sight. Nope, nada. Of course, I begin to cry and Mickey stomps his feet in anger. Dang those Italians and their daggone inefficiencies.

We decide, at this point, there is no other choice but to go and purchase a train ticket to Nice. Along the way we meet two other Busabouters who are in the same situation and they also decide to buy some train tickets and travel with us.

A couple of hours later we board the train in Cinque Terre and take the two hour ride to Genoa where we switch trains. The ride to Genoa was not a good one, to say the least. It was HOT and cramped and trying to lug our packs everywhere in the tiny cabins was a challenge. But, hey, at least we'd found transportation.

From Genoa to Nice the train decides to break down. Yep, and that's not the worst part, no one from the train staff even tells us why we've stopped. We overhear some other passengers saying that we must de-board the train and switch to another because our train is having difficulties. So, we de-board and somehow find our way to another platform and another train and settle in for the last hour of our five hour trek to Nice.

Finally, at around 9 pm at night we arrive at the train station in Nice and make our way to our hostel and a much earned good night's sleep. At one point during the day Mickey referred to the above referenced movie and said, "At least we didn't have to walk through a field to get to our next train."

True enough.