Weds, Sept 23rd, Train to Scicily

Interesting day. Last night we were once again talking with the front desk about our train the next day. I had brought my ticket with me to verify the connections in the morning. "But Madam" she says, "your connecting train to Sicily is at a different train station in Pompei." Their driver did not come in until 8 am, and she felt that was not enough time in Pompei to change stations. She calls a taxi company, the fee would be $60' and there were no cars available. She thinks again and makes a phone call. She will have the evening clerk who will be getting off work then, take us. I think she came.in early, and he drove us to the station. Worked well, as we already had our tickets, as we had been warned the ticket machine did not work. Which we verified when we arrived with two women trying to get their money back out. Train was on time to Pompei. Got off and asked the ticket guy how to get to the trainItalia station. The one we had arrived on was a private company, the train Italia is an national train line. He said turn right out of station, then left on main road to the station. Must have been another left at the church, but did not here that part. No problem, got so we go a ways, then verify the directions with someone new. Works well if you can find English speaking person or you can say "statione"! When they ask further questions in Italian you show them your ticket or say takin Italiana. Worked, did find two English speaking, and two non, and a policeman, who I don't think did, but pointed well! After about 30 minutes we arrived. I did take a picture of the Pompei ruins as we walked by. Too early for tourists at 9:30 in the morning. Then we waited for the train. It was 5 minutes late, then 10. By the time we got on and arrived at the connecting town we had 2 minutes to get from one train to another. I had given us 30 minutes, and the train had used it all being late! We ran, jumped on the second car, which by luck was ours. We did good considering we had to go down stairs to below the trains to get a cross the tracks to another platform! Close call. Next connection would have delayed us by hours.  Train ride after that went well until we reached the strait between mainland Italy and Sicily. The train engine unhooked. Now when this happens you still have some electric, but no air conditioning. Two windows in the entire car would open. I cannot imagine in mid summer how hot it would be. Sat there for like 1.5 hours. Stupid! They loaded us quickly, and were put cars and all on a ferry . Then we could go upstairs and watch the water crossing for about 30 minutes. Then back in the hold where usually there are cars, and back on our train car. We get pushed back onto shore, and again no air conditioning, and we wait until after four pm. The whole process started at before 2pm! Now the train is moving, the announcement says where we are going, after a short 20 minutes they announce the stop we want in Italian only. We ask an Italian couple, they say yes they announced the stop. We get up, because the stops are very short or quick. The trian goes a short distance and stops. But the station name is wrong, and no one gets off. We figure it is a single lane track and we are waiting for a train. Nope, nothing passes. Then the train starts again, almost reaches the train station, and stops again. Only one track, no reason we can see. Set there for twenty minutes with us standing at the door. We were supposed to arrive at 4:30' arrived at5:30.  We had been told there are strikes sometimes, and sometimes they do what is called a white out strike. They just stop for periods of time for protest. Very long day.

M