So Catie and I have enjoyed planning the game we have entitled 'our lives suck' for the past 5 weeks. Things happen that really aren't so bad, but they may stress us out just a tiny bit. Like missing our train because our last train was 20 minutes late. So then we act like our lives suck and just start laughing because no matter what happens to us, we're still backpacking around Europe and doing everything we've ever dreamed of doing! We realized yesterday that we've crammed what most people may do in 10 years of vacationing into 5 weeks and every second of it has been amazing. But it seems that the past few days, our game has occurred a little more often... we've had a couple minor, and amusing, bumps in the road the past few days...
We took a train from Siena to Riomaggiore, which is the first village of five that is considered the Cinque Terre. Cinque Terre in Italian means 5 lands or 5 villages and, obviously, named so because there are 5 villages along the Meditteranean coast of Italy that have a footpath connecting them. This was our last journey in Italy, and really our last journey all together as Michael and Catie flew out this morning to Paris (they leave for Boston tomorrow, I leave Thursday from Madrid). So we got into Riomaggiore where we were going to stay Saturday night. We didn't have reservations anywhere so began asking any place that had rooms available if they had room for 3. The first 3 places were booked, and finally the 4th said they had a dorm room available... which they actually didn't, they only had room for 2. So this italian man and woman formed a huddle, mumbled a few things, and told us that they would give us their 'emergency room'. We had no idea what an emergency room was. She said it was nothing special and at the top of the ville (we thought ville was building, we were wrong). But they seemed emergent about it and we decided YIKES this must be an emergency!! We might not find a place to stay! So we followed a young man up at least 6 flights of insanely steep stairs that were barely wide enough to fit out backpacks, up a hill, to the top of the entire VILLAGE. The 'emergency room' is better described as a cave. It was a small room with 2 beds shoved in it, cement walls, the ceiling maybe 6.5 feet tall, water pipes going around 3 of the 4 walls, and decorated with lace, fish nets, plates, and a little ceramic man sitting on a toilet. There were mosquitos everywhere so Catie quickly decided we needed to shut the door only to find out it barely shut, and it left a 6 inch opening on the top and 3 inches on the side. Worst night of sleep ever. And I can't believe we had to pay 60euro for it after we refused to pay 7 euro numerous times on the camino because it was 'too expensive.'
The next morning we hiked the cinque terre which was BEAUTIFUL! We were along the meditteranean coast nearly the whole time and the little villages were very different than anything else we've seen. It was probably around 90 degrees and extremely humid, but we made it all the way through and it was worth it. After the hike, we caught the train back to the first village, grabbed our swimsuits, indulged in seafood for dinner at the second village, and then jumped in the water for an evening swim. Life definitely was not too tough that day!
Sunday morning we woke up in our much nicer room at 5AM to a thunder and lightening storm. Europe keeps telling us these are unusual but they seem to keep happening. We lost electricity a few times throughout the morning. We went out to breakfast and then wandered into an olive oil store to purchase some olive oil to bring home.. as my credit card was going through the machine, we lost electricity again. The crummy part was we also had laundry in a washing machine (2nd time mine has been washed in a machine since I've been here!!) and of course, that died. The electricity would come back on for a minute, just long enough for us to try to buy the olive oil again, and then die right as it was starting to process. This continued for over an hour. None of us had more than 10 euro on us either, since we're finishing the trip and trying to get rid of money, and we couldn't use ATMS so we were a little concerned we were going to be stuck in this town, unable to get on the train, with no money and wet clothes! Finally the electricity came back on, we sprinted to the olive oil store, bought the oil and were able to finish all of our laundry. It seemed a lot more stressful then :)
Took another train to Milan where the 3 of us had flights out today to our final destination. As we were boarding, we heard a rumor that ryanair, the airline company we're all flying with, was going on strike. Just today. The only day we needed them to NOT go on strike. We got to Milan and began looking for a place to stay for the night but decided we'd double check where our airport was. Turns it it was an hour outisde of Milan.. thankfully we found that out, as Catie and Michael left at 5AM this morning! So back on the train, and arrived at our hotel last night. Catie and Michael haven't come back from the airport yet so I'm assuming ryanair is not on strike, which is great because the trains don't go from Milan to Madrid!!
Despite the minor, pretty much enjoyable stressful moments, we've had a blast and I was really sad to see Catie and Michael leave this morning even though I'll see them in 3 days! Wish us all safe travels!! See you soon!!!!!
Buen camino
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