I'm on a Train...oh wait a boat...oh wait, a train again

---

---

Okay, it's sort of sad that an ENTIRE entry is being given to the train from Napoli to Sicily, but it needs to happen and be explained in all its glory.

While planning our trip we initially looked to take a plane from Napoli to Sicily but neither EasyJet nor Ryanair flew to where we needed them to go. As a joke, i checked trenitalia to see if you could get a train from Napoli to Taormina. Fun fact: you can. There must be, we reasoned, a bridge.

As I said on the last entry, the train was at 11:35 and we had a private cabin. I dont know what i thought this private cabin would entail but it was adorable. It was confusing at first because this woman who works on the train took our ticket without syaing anything, but then told us she would wake us up in the morning. We got to our cabin where there were two bunk beds on either side, provided with a sheet and a pillow as well as a cup of water, and slippers (aka: the comfort kit).

Tamar and I scammed the bottom beds so that meant Lia and Vanessa got the top bunks, in which seat belts needed to be strapped to the sides so that they wouldnt fall off. i wondered if that happened a lot.

After 20 minutes of trying to figure out how the lights turn off, Tamar presses something and they turn off (although truth be told she didnt do anything different than i did i just think that she happened to press it when they automatically went off, the train telling us it was time for bed).

At 5 am i am awoken to a big light from outside our window and the train not moving. Well, we were moving, but not because of the train. Vanessa sits up in bed, a little freaked out, and says: "guys...i think there's an earthquake happening" before i look out the window and realize that its not an earthquake but we were on a boat.

Yes. A boat. They put the train (the ENTIRE) train on a boat. which was apparently normal. that bridge i assumed we would travel on may not actually exist, and if it does it is not for trains. Think of how big that freaking boat is.

Tamar, of course, slept through this whole thing. I couldn't believe that we were on boat, although vanessa didnt really believe me until she tried to use the bathroom and the attendant told her she needed to get off the train and go up in the boat somewhere.

as promised, at 7 we were woken up by the attendant who told us what time to expect to get off the train--aka what time to be ready for and out of the cabin.

even though the train was late, we actually managed not to be that late in getting to Taormina--only about five minutes. the weather was warmer, but not very pleasant, which was unfortunate. the skies were gray and it was drizzling. the first day in Sicily was kind of a bust. because the drizzle turned to down pour. i slept a lot. and watched movies. and ate, but thats kind of it. so tomorrow's entry will start off with Sicily Day 2

---

Comments

[Mom]

What a ride
I think that it is so cool that the train ended up on a boat - who would have thought! It is a pretty cool story to tell. Well, the rain forced you guys to relax -- what a shame your first day was not sunfilled! Love, Mom