The crazy arrival into Slovenia

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We left from the Rome Termini on Sat the 26th, around 5pm ( after arriving there at 10am but having to wait in three different lines to get our tickets). We had to switch trains twice, once in Bologna, and once in Vallach. On one of the trains we started talking this Italian guy who is studying to be a stage actor in Venice. He was very sweet, and friendly and we talked for a long time about various random things. Our conversation was conducted half in English and half in Spanish, it was quite fun. He got off in Venice to see his girlfriend who was performing in a play there. It is so pleasant to meet all these nice people!! He was the only high point on the train ride. It was so hot, stuffy, and sticky that I thing we both slept a total of about 10 minutes. By the time we jumped off the train in Lesce, Slovenia at 5am we were all sweaty and smelled aweful. ( I don't know if you needed to know that, but its the cold, hard truth of traveling).

The station was closed when we arrived so we both decided to sleep on some nearby benches for a few hours, as we were not expected at our hostel until between 8 and 9. It didn't really work though, neither of us slept a wink.

Our hostel offered a free pick up, but we couldn't find a phone anywhere, so in our muddled tiredness we decided to walk to Bled as it was only a few kilometers. We had a map, and the hostel address so it seemed like a good idea at the time. We then walked (with our packs) for the next few hours!!!!

We started to worry when we started seeing cows, adn then really started to worry when we passed the cows. Besides the fact that we had no idea where we were going, the scenery was lovely. Majestic mountains, wildflowers, and the melodic Sunday morning church bells.

We finally, as our legs and backs were giving out, found a nice lady who was willing t ohelp us. She didn't speak much English but tried to call our hostel for us on her cellphone. The number was invalid. We couldn't believe it. She then brought us to another lady who spoke English pretty well, and she explained that not only was the number invalid, the address that we had was also not correct. That the address was incorrect and our hostel was located in a town 10 kilometers away. So, the hostel people had given us the wrong phone number and address. We were dumbfounded. She said that they often find wandering travelers who can't find this place, and that made us feel a little better, or at least not quite so stupid.

She was very wonderful to drive us back into Bled, so we didn't have to walk back. She dropped us off at the bus station where we ran into two Irish girls who very patiently listened to our saga and were very sypmathetic. They told us to go talk to this tourist ofice guy, and he was a doll!! I could have proposed to him for being so helpful. He found us a place to stay, called the owner and told him to come pick us up.

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