FF.SS

Since we had to settle a few things for the wed, Jen and I decided to take a ride by the night train to Reggio Calabria (RC). I generally book a two bed compartment on the Wagon lit (T2), so Jen has generally had a relative good impression about trains in Italy....that was until last week-end. Since the T2 were sold out, worst than a U2 concert in the late 80's, I booked two beds on a "ordinary" 4 beds car, called cuccetta. There is honestly not that much difference on the beds, between the T2 and the Cuccetta, i can really do without the awful cappuccino in the morning or the Gazzetta del Sud (with local news from Vibo Valentia, which i really don't care about). What's the difference then ? Growing older, I am becoming a little more aware of schedules, so i got at the train station at 10:30 pm, whereas the train leaves at 11:10 pm. We did make the last metro train to the train station barely, running to the metro station. I just say this because Rome in the last week has been scorching hot and any step weighs as if you are carrying the marine's backpack, with the boots of the 1945 Red Army. So at 10:35 the train is on the sidewalk and we get on. It is an Espresso train, well it is what it sounds like.. a coffee machine. The cuccettista (that is the guy in charge of these sleeping-cars) is from RC (I am too). Now the 4 bed cars are nothing more than a 6 bed cars, from which two beds are not used. I really mean that. Indeed there are two beds just not turned to be used. As soon as we get on the train we start sweating like mad horses, there is no freaking air conditioning on and it feels like there is 40 C out! That is not surprising, the train is not running and so it is normal. In the wait, you can't notice that the sits are quite dirty and there is an awful smell coming from the toilettes and we haven't yet left the station. It's 11:20 pm the train finally leaves the station. The air conditioning will be on soon! ....12:00 pm the air conditioning is not yet on. The woman of the couple who is sharing with us the compartment is feeling sick. She is pregnant ! The cuccettista finally arrives and we start discussing. So why the AC is not on ? well, you know, he says, because everybody is hanging with their heads outside with the windows open !! Sure, we reply, we could melt if you like ! The AC cannot be on if the windows are open and I can't force anybody to shut the windows. We tell him that we are close to boiling temperature and that we even saw climbing out of the womb, the little kid of the pregnant woman asking for "MERCY" !!. Finally at around 1am and after finishing all the names you can call somebody with, the AC is on ! we can start sleeping. At 5 am, there is a problem on the engine car. The train stops and the AC is off again !! I am sweating like a pig, but i keep still. After half an hour the train is moving again, the AC is off for goods at 6:30 am. We get at the arrival station at 8 (30 minutes late, but that's ok). I am just at the beginning of a long day and I already look like a zombie. I have meetings at 10am to 1pm. At 3pm till 6:30 and at 7:30 till 8:30...I sleep within breaks and manage to stay alive without killing anybody. Left this morning at 10am to Rome. Finally relaxing. Tonight there is the European football final. I am soooo ready to enjoy it BY MYSELF !