So, as to an update of the stuff that has happened since the last time I posted. So, I wrote all those damn papers and turned them in. That weekend when I was writing papers everyone else went out a partied and they were all like, "wow, that was the best weekend of my life!" Thanks guys. Anyways, but I was planning on going to the Almalfi coast that weekend. Well, things went a bit differently:
So on Friday morning (we have no classes on Friday) we wake up way too early (I had only 2 hours of sleep) and get on a train to Naples. At Naples we go to get some really bomb pizza and then we got on a train to Sorrento. When we get there it is already like 3 or 4 p.m. So if we were to go all the way down to Almalfi we wouldn't be getting in until late. So we just decided to stick around. All the while I'm nervous about my papers and what not. We were supposed to spend the night, then go to Pompeii with my friends' class the next day, and then head home that night. Instead one of my friends and I decided we wanted to head home to Rome, while the others stayed there--she didn't want to have to spend the money on a hotel in Sorrento, and I really just needed to get home and write my papers and decided I didn't want to go to Pompeii again. So, at like 8p.m. we get to the train station. We barely miss a train and then have to wait around for an extra 40 minutes or so for the next one, so we catch that and get into Naples. By now it's like 10p.m. I could have sworn that when I checked earlier that day there was a train going out at like 10:30...but that turned out to be not at all true. Instead it had left at like 9:45 (if only we had made that first train!) So we are stranded in Naples--like the mafia capital of the world and have no idea what to do. We split up--she talks to the police and I talk to a taxi driver. Between the two we find out that the next train to leave to Rome anywhere nearby is out of a city up north. The taxi driver tells me that the next train to leave to Rome from that place is at 11 someodd at night. All the while I'm counting my lucky stars cos my friend knows Italian a lot better than I do, and so it was all slightly less stressful. So we catch the first train there. We run out of the train when we get there, thinking that we are about to catch the next train--jokes on us. The taxi driver was just trying to convince us to take his taxi and so told us a completely fabricated time. So, now we are stranded in a place perhaps even worse than Naples. And the next train doesn't come until 2:40 in the morning. Naples was crowded--people all around. People make me feel safe. This place was a small little nowhere town (however, my guidebook informed my that the inside of some building there was used as the imperial palace of Queen Ama-whatever in Star Wars). We decide to check out the town, no a lot is there. But thankfully we find a small bar (as in coffe bar) which is open and we order a pizza. However, they are closing and kick us out only about 30 minutes later. So we head back to the train station, which just about is the only thing open at the time. We sit around and play dumb games, read, and talk. The people around us are few, and those that are there don't appear to be mentally stable. People are talking to themselves, others push around strange carts back and forth, another bobs his head around and mumbles under his breath, and around 1-someodd a full on fight brought out between two people. We were a wee-bit uncomfortable. So, eventually we get on the train--get to sleep for maybe like an hour. By now I have only had 3 hours of sleep of the time period of about 42 hours or so. Needless to say, I was grumpy and had the hardest time staying awake--even as I was standing. Forunatelly, I wake up and only nod in and out every few minutes, so we are able to find our stop. We get off--it is now 5 in the morning. My friend says the Metro opens at this time so we head there. Turns out it doesn't open until 5:30. But hell, on a night like this, what is another 30 minutes? So we eventually get on the metro, have to transfer at termini, and then get to our places. It is now 6 in the morning. At about 6:02 I pass out and don't wake up for a very very long time. Even though this experience was pretty shitty, it still didn't even bother me that much. It was a strange adventure to be sure, but ultimately it wasn't that bad.
Some pictures from Sorrento (click to enlarge):
Besides all that, not much has been happening around here. I did however go to another calcio game the other day, Roma v. Torino. And we won. Joy! I'm stressed out over finals and whatnot, but I'm trying to not let it bug me too much. But obviously it is. I feel like I haven't accomplished most of what I wanted to coming here. I wish I had traveled more and just gotten to know Rome and Italy more intimately, but I supposed I have the rest of my life to do such things.
