Yesterday I chose to hang out in Pavia a bigger city to recover from my heat stroke (like the Italians I like to exxagerate), update me blog and then take a train out of the city stopping 8 - 12 km before my next stop St Christina.
Some say using a train is cheating (Sandra, I wont mention names if you dont!), but for me theis pilgrimmage is not just a spiritual journey, or a physical journey, it is also a cultural one. I wanted to meet Switzerland and mainly Italy. So taking public transport is a huge way of life here, and in some ways more of a challenge than walking with a guide.
I must be able to comnmunicate clearly and understand the responses. Where am i going? Which train? What platform? Is there on train direct or do I have to connect? Each a lòesson in anxiety.
So in the station, I get it pretty clearly that my train leaves Bannerio 1 at 13:30. No problem....one would think. But as I sat on this train for 30 minutes, I realized I should be there by now and next thing I know, I ended up in Milan and in the subway....OH SHIESHA!
I hopped off, and thought momentarily about staying, but knew I had a reservation, so I went to a automatic train machine...MORE ANXIETY and puchased a ticket back to Pavia and the train arrived within 10 m inutes, and so back to the beginning I went.
When I got there I asked the same questions, but for the next train to St Christina and I learned there are two platform 1...1 and 1Trezzo. Mine was the 1-trezzo - which also happened to be behind contruction fencing making it look out of order.
Anyway off to St Christina, this time no hitches and I just take the train all the way. I am actually quite proud of my mastering the accident! I also stopped by the Basilica of St Michael...yup that be me!
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