We begin our vacation with a dubious Ali, he is a man used to taking taxis, but I’m too practical to spend 95 euro on a cab from the airport to the hotel!
At the airport we encounter a problem, the first atm machine we try to withdraw cash from says “windows out of virtual memory”, Ali does not respond well this and begins expressing (in his best international language) “what a stupid fucking machine!”
Somehow we manage to catch the attention of an Italian policeman who politely refers us in the direction of another atm machine.
The train arrives and a crowd quickly converges, but the train doors do not open. People outside the train are pushing the red “open” door button, while the people inside pound their hands on the doors, it takes a long 5 minutes for the spray painted doors to finally wheeze open, and the people tumble out.
Inside the train we share a cabin with an Italian couple who enthusiastically share their home of Rome with us, drawing maps, giving us names of places we must see and eat at. The entire trip is consumed with frantic information from them, they even write down both their work and home telephone numbers for us to call if we need anything!
Getting off the train is hazardous, problems again with the doors, they open but then quickly shut, managing to trap our Italian friends backpack in the door as he makes a bold leap to get off. We watch the system, amazed as cursing and yelling, the Italian passengers pound the buttons and alternatively throw their 15 pieces of luggage out the door.
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