Hello again, the next part of the trip was to Innsbruck (Austria) via train. While the scenery was nice it was a disaster. First, the train was two hours late. I still don't know why. No announcements at Bari station, they just kept changing the time it was delayed on the departure board. Perhaps this is nothing unusual in Italy - it happens everyday. To compound things, two people got on the train and claimed we were in their seats. Only one problem, they were on the wrong train. I didn't hear an apology though - they just slinked away. This happened with a few people because the train was so late. What was very useful was getting an email from Italian Railways telling me our train was late - four hours into our journey. I also appreciated the irony of a few situations on the train journey: the person crossing the train tracks at a station, exactly where there was a sign saying not to cross the train tracks and a high volume talker on his mobile phone starting up shortly after an announcement over the PA asking people to keep noise to a minimum, including talking on mobile phones.
It only got better. With the train being late we missed our connection at Bologna for Innsbruck. So that meant catching a train to the Italian border (Brenner) and changing to another train for Innsbruck. At Brenner - had trouble finding the connecting train which we only had 10 minutes to catch but someone helpfully pointed us in the right direction. Then on an almost empty train, a loud talker sat across us and seemed to be ringing everyone who he knew - some appreciated the random calls more than others (it was only 10pm after all). All this meant we were going to be over three hours late, arriving just before the hotel was to close at midnight. At Innsbruck station we luckily found a taxi but the taxi driver took us to the wrong hotel and then we had to try to find our way to the right hotel through the labyrinth of streets in the pedestrian only old city. Luckily we found a couple that helped with directions and miraculously we got to the hotel spot on midnight. They were still open. It only got better. The hotel had no water as they were doing night works on the water supply system - coincidentally just below our window. That's when the digging and drilling started. I was too tired to care any more. Bari to Innsbruck: 14 1/2 hours.
We stayed in Innsbruck for a few days and the hotel staff were really friendly and helpful - even when out toilet got blocked (probably due to the works that were undertaken). The pillow cases embroided with the hotel name was probably a strategy to combat theft but I was concerned I would wake up in the morning with the hotel name tattooed into my face.
Innsbruck is a pretty place, surrounded by mountains, and one of my favourite places in Europe. What I thought was funny was when Austrians started speaking German and I said I didn't understand them, they apologised for not speaking English to me. I also appreciated the fact that they had road rules and they obeyed them. Apparently, in Austria you give way to pedestrians when they are on a pedestrian crossing. Who would have thought after Bari?
Some pictures of Innsbruck, including some from the trip on the Nordkette cable car...
It only got better. With the train being late we missed our connection at Bologna for Innsbruck. So that meant catching a train to the Italian border (Brenner) and changing to another train for Innsbruck. At Brenner - had trouble finding the connecting train which we only had 10 minutes to catch but someone helpfully pointed us in the right direction. Then on an almost empty train, a loud talker sat across us and seemed to be ringing everyone who he knew - some appreciated the random calls more than others (it was only 10pm after all). All this meant we were going to be over three hours late, arriving just before the hotel was to close at midnight. At Innsbruck station we luckily found a taxi but the taxi driver took us to the wrong hotel and then we had to try to find our way to the right hotel through the labyrinth of streets in the pedestrian only old city. Luckily we found a couple that helped with directions and miraculously we got to the hotel spot on midnight. They were still open. It only got better. The hotel had no water as they were doing night works on the water supply system - coincidentally just below our window. That's when the digging and drilling started. I was too tired to care any more. Bari to Innsbruck: 14 1/2 hours.
We stayed in Innsbruck for a few days and the hotel staff were really friendly and helpful - even when out toilet got blocked (probably due to the works that were undertaken). The pillow cases embroided with the hotel name was probably a strategy to combat theft but I was concerned I would wake up in the morning with the hotel name tattooed into my face.
Innsbruck is a pretty place, surrounded by mountains, and one of my favourite places in Europe. What I thought was funny was when Austrians started speaking German and I said I didn't understand them, they apologised for not speaking English to me. I also appreciated the fact that they had road rules and they obeyed them. Apparently, in Austria you give way to pedestrians when they are on a pedestrian crossing. Who would have thought after Bari?
Some pictures of Innsbruck, including some from the trip on the Nordkette cable car...
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