April 27

Today, I am in a poor mood. It began with sleep deprivation and too many days straight of traveling, and with a lack of exercise and no shower and unreliable Italian transportation, the mood is worsening.

The ferry I took was Superfast I, which boasts that it can make the trip from Patras, Greece, to Bari, Italy, in 15 1/2 hours. They leave at 6 PM and arrive at 8:30 AM the next day. Or that's what they advertise. The reality was that we arrived at the port around 10:30 AM. I WAS excited about making a 9:30 AM train to be in Nice, France tonight. Instead, Italian trains are still on strike, reservations for night trains are booked, and so it looks like I'll be sleeping on a fold-out seat again unless I find some alternative. My first plan of action is to get out of Bari, Italy. The heel of Italy is unpleasant, and my natural dislike for Italians that began with my parents' divorcimoon is furthering my current disdain. Prove me wrong, Italy. Prove me wrong. However, I do love their food and wine. I suppose I just prefer take-out. 

I am now very much hoping to sleep tonight. But there IS more to life than sleep....

I'm on the train to Bologna, Italy. There's a chance that I'll be dishonest with my Eurail pass, but Italy owes it to me 'cause they took an extra day from me when I first came from Vienna. My understanding is that a large amount of transportation runs through Bologna, so maybe I'll find a way to France from there. 

Lack of interaction with people appears to be why I'm unhappy. I just laughed with a girl on this train over our mutual discomfort with our lack of reservations, and I felt good. The introvert and the need for people is a constant battle. 

Another Italian got on the train, and despite the language barrier, we were buddies for most of the seven-hour bus ride.

And now I am at the train station in Bologna. It is currently 10:36 PM and, assuming that the Italians don't screw up again, I'm off to Nice, France at 5 AM. I walked outside to judge if I should try to find a hostel but really, I'll get less sleep if I do that. I need to be up and about within six hours to get that train. If I sleep at all, I'll do it in the station. This saves money and will get me to Nice as soon as possible. In fact, it will be after noon, so I should be able to check into a hostel immediately. I've already looked one up that's close to the station and got good reviews. 

I decided today, once and for all, that I won't go hungry anymore. If I need to eat, I should eat. Travel is difficult enough without abusing my body further. I think I've learned whatever lessons are worth learning from it anyway, namely that your stomach growls while you talk to people.