buses and trains

With little more than three weeks left to departure, I think I have everything in order and yet I’m getting a little freaked. What have I gotten myself into? Have I taken on too much?

The only things lacking right now are two train tickets: 1) from Roma Tiburtina to Roma Termini, and 2) from the airport and home.

No, wait. That was a lie. I don’t think I have the tickets that will take us from Pisa to Siena either, do I? I don’t think I do. I must check. What was the plan again, train to Florence and bus from there? I can’t remember.

Oh, and no tickets from Salerno to Amalfi, but I’m really not worried about that. Once I get down there everything will be okay. I’m a little concerned about how to phone the property manager – I’m supposed to do that about an hour before we get to Amalfi – should I speak English, should I speak Italian…? Which is better, my Italian or his English? It seems silly to speak with an Italian in a language that is foreign to both of us, when fact is that I do know some Italian. Do I know enough to speak Italian on the phone? Not really, but I’ve done it before.

I have the same problem in Denmark. I don’t understand spoken Danish very well because they simply don’t articulate at all, but Swedish and Danish are very similar and I can read Danish with no problem. They understand Swedish, so it feels ridiculous to speak English, but what can I do when I can’t hear what they say? Fortunately enough I don’t go to Denmark very often.

I do go to Italy though, so I must find a way to deal with these situations. I can’t not talk to someone just because I can’t decide which language to use. I guess I’ll go with English this time, unless my Italian improves dramatically over the first two days in Italy.

So. Bus-train-bus-plane-train-sleep-train-bus-car-sleep-car-bus-train-train-bus/boat. Sleep.

I must remember to install a few games onto the laptop to keep Alexander busy during those long rides. And DVDs. Must remember to bring DVDs.

Three weeks? Can that really be right? I’m really not in beach shape. Other people slim down for beach season, I fatten myself. I’ve bought two bikinis, but I don’t know if they fit anymore. Just as my foot was getting better after surgery, I stubbed my other foot on a doorstep so the big toe on my right foot got all blue and purple and swollen. I want to go out for a walk, but I can’t. Both feet are getting better now, but I ain’t going dancing anytime soon.

You’ve been with me through two previous trips to Italy. You’re familiar with my pre-trip breakdowns by now, right? In the end everything tends to work out great, although not always the way I planned, and I’m left to face the fact that I’ve overthought everything.

There’s no reason to freak out, but I do it over and over again. It’s become a part of travel for me. I’ll be fine, the minute I step on that train.

So I walked under a bus
I got hit by a train
Keep falling in love
Which is kinda the same
I’ve sunk out at sea
Crashed my car, gone insane
And it felt so good
I want to do it again