The misadventures of trained-train riders...

Finally, we’ve arrived at the Napoli Centrale railway station in Italy with 5 bags in tow - not to mention two fabulous handbags, but it wasn’t an easy feat!

The day began with a 7:57 a.m. train leaving from Roma Tiburtina that I mistook for Roma Termini.  After all, it IS the central railway station!  Who would have thought that after rising at 5a.m., begging passer-Byers to help haul all 5 bags down what seemed like 300 stairs, as that seems to be the magic number of steps to climb at every major tourist site, and connecting to 3 local trains, we were headed to the wrong railway station?  Fueled with the excitement of our next destination, I was alert - so when we passed the Conca d'Oro stop, I knew we were heading in the wrong direction and that it would be a loooong day! 

Alas, we’d arrived at Roma Tiburtina with 7 minutes to spare.  But which way do we go?  “Che traccia a Napoli?”  I asked with broken Italian…  No one seemed to know!  We only had a minute to decipher the Italian signage.  Here, we’re here!  We made it!  Wait!!!  We screamed as we ran up the never-ending ramp that seemed like it was once a part of the Great Wall of China!  We made it to the top - just in time to see the caboose.  Sugar, Honey, Ice, Tea!  Now what?  Two non-refundable, pre-paid railway tickets, 5 humongous American-size bags and 2 hearts pounding at a rate that is about to explode!  

Here goes nothing….  In THE most innocent, naïve, voice - with a smile of course, I proceeded to explain to the agent that the train left us.  That if they could just accommodate us on the next train, we would forever be in their debt!  Lucky for my Italian-glish and their pity, the agent was able to put us on the next train smoking!