Today is my maddest day yet.. arrive bleary eyed 7.30ish...connection to Bratislava is 8ish...sound got time for some much needed breakfast, after helping about 20 Italian scouts and their leaders get there bikes of the train.
You should have seen it in Salzburg getting them on it was pure carnage...So with many thanks and arriverderci's and to my Syrian friend as well i get some breakfast.
In the shop i cause mayhem, me and another lady had ordered the same food, and by the time the staff got there head a round what was going on, the queue was 1000 person long and all in a rush to get to work (proper funny)..i should have seen the clue from then.
I take my tea outside when i girl comes up and ask's me where im headed, were both going to Bratislava, but i on the train..she's gutted and im dissapointed i cant escort her on the way, or can i ? I hmmm and Haaaaaaa ive got 3 mins to departure and have to get up some escalator's as well, so i say if i make it, then adios, if not i'll see you in 5. She say's she will wait...i get to the platform...i can make it...the train's there...but something stops me....i cant move....i watch the conductor do his final checks blow his whistle, and watch the train glide out of the station, ticket in hand..oh well bedzie wspaniala..
Back downstairs Helena's made up, im like what a gentleman am i ? (youv'e put a spell on me , sucked me in)...i go and change in the toilet then were off. Heading out and entering a city is when my Gps comes into it's own, pure magic. The early morning hustle and bustle was soon left behind and we really picked up the pace....I kept having to wait though as i jump red light's (sorry). Helena is Slovakian and has lived in London for the past 10 years...she had set of by herself from Dover, over to France, Belgium and caught the train from Strasbourg to Wien. Her parents lived on the Hungarian side and did not know she was arriving (nice surprise). We soon fired of the 50 miles to Bratislava, though the last part was quite tough, into the headwind and arrived in glorious sunshine. The pic of Helena waving, is her crossing the border into her home country.. A nice meal was on the card's which Helena paid for (nice touch) and after that we had to find a bike shop as my brakes were virtually non existent, and they need to work if im to get through the Tatra mountains.
So in my masterplan the Czech republic was on the card's...i wanted to get up to Brno for the night...cut across into Slovakia and then head up to Polskaland..Got my ticket even while Helena was there..said our goodbyes and i waited for my train..WRONG...half hour before i was going to depart i noticed i had the wrong ticket...different destination..it was only getting me halfway... i frantically got on the case and had a nice lad who helped me find out that, we had to go back to the same ticket office that had a massive queue, and because i was in the 2 hours since purchase get a refund....WRONG....Nice lad had to get his connection and we passed all knowledge and understanding onto another nice girl who was to be my interpreter..She was brilliant in fighting my case but the awful ticket woman would not budge...Helena had wrote her detail's on the back and she was having none of it, im like "then i'll rip it up" FOR CRYING OUT LOUD...i so wanted to hit the woman and didn't care if your not supposed to hit woman.....something had to give as the queue was now 2000 people long.....i could use my ticket that i had, buy another now, but get off at a different stop, connect to another train and get to Brno before the cow's come home...WRONG.... i waited and waited and waited for my original ticket train to arrive but found out it wasnt coming till the morning, the second ticket then became useless with my times and plan's and i just gave up on the whole idea of getting to the Czech republic (sorry)..So instead i then had to buy another ticket to take me to Zilina 203km, still in slovakia, a place i would have headed to anyway..hmmmm
At the station two ladies kept looking over at me, (found out later it was not me it was the Italian bike i had)...as the train pulled in, i had a little struggle with my bike, but one of them helped me and spoke good english...all aboard, put bike in it's resting place and i went to find her and thank her..They were mother and daughter, Mariana worked in Bratislava, her mum Ivana had been visiting for 5 day's, and Mariana was just starting her holidays even going to Katowice (polska) the next day to see U2...then meeting up with her Italian boyfriend to have nice time together....we didn't stop talking as the train trundled on its 2h 40 min journey..Mariana offered that i stay at her parent's house as it would be late and not worth getting a hotel as i was up early in the morning to finish my last day of cycling...i declined...but as we got to know each other more i took up the offer, to which i am very grateful. We arrived Zilina, they took a taxi and my satnav took me to their house 5km away..I had a lovely hot shower..hid my smelly still wet shoes on the balcony..chatted a bit more...cup of chai powered up and zzzzzzzzzzz
What a day....The awful ticket woman, but straight away the kindness. generosity and hospitality.org off Mariana and Ivana...Tesi ma, many many thanks, dovidenia xx
