From Germany to Italy
Friday, March 02, 2007
Home in Bonn -> Colgone/Bonn airpot -> Venice Marco Polo Airport -> Venice train station -> Verona train station -> Trento train station -> Trento bus stop -> Home in Povo.
on the flight from cologne/bonn to venice, you get to look down at the alps. the view is just so amazing!
venice seems very interesting. we dragged and carried our heavy luggages across the streets to get from the bus staton to the train staton across the canal.
if i knew there are so many freaking stairs, i wouldn't have agreed to walking and insisted on taking the boat! we have to cross a few small bridges on the same side to get to the main bridge to cross to the other side. all the bridges are made up of flights of stairs. the small bridges has about 1o steps up and 10 steps down. when we got to the foot of the bigger bridge, we were already quite tired. so took a few minutes break and continued going up the bigger bridge. this bridge is twice the size of the smaller bridge. i only managed to get half way up and i just didn't have the strength anymore. then, a very nice man approached and helped me carry my luggage all the way across the bridge. :D since my friend said there are no more stairs to the train station, i was quite relieved. but when we got to the train station, more stairs! up the stairs to get into the station. when we changed train in verona, the next train was in the other platform so we had to go down the stairs and up agan. there are no escalators and no evelator on sight. actually, even to carry the heavy luggage onto and off the train is difficult because the platform is at the same height as the train's wheels. when we finally got to trento, the last flight of stairs awaits us. it's like one and a half stories high. after we got the keys to our apartment, we took a bus there. when we got off the bus, we still had to walk up the slope to get to the apartment. even pushing/dragging the luggage up the slope is very tiring.
lesson learnt: my luggage was 24kg and i can only lift it up with both hands and only carry it for max 10 steps. the next time i travel, i won't pack luggage until i can't carry it comfortably.
train system compared to germany:
1. in germany, escalators and elevators are availble and can be easily spotted.
2. in germany, the platform is usually at the same height as the floor of the train and the gap is quite small so you can just drag your luggage out.
3. in germany, you know which platform the train will leave and arrive when you buy the ticket. in italy, you have to check the board and wait for it to update. when we were in venice, people are standing in front of the board, waiting for it to update the platform number. when the platform number for our train was updated, the train in that platform was already there in front of us while we were waiting!
4. in germany, they announce the stops and train connections. in italy, you have to look at the time or look out the window. when we changed train in verona, one of us had to run down the platform to check the board which platform for our next train.
5. german trains are nicer and also more expensive
on the flight from cologne/bonn to venice, you get to look down at the alps. the view is just so amazing!
venice seems very interesting. we dragged and carried our heavy luggages across the streets to get from the bus staton to the train staton across the canal.
if i knew there are so many freaking stairs, i wouldn't have agreed to walking and insisted on taking the boat! we have to cross a few small bridges on the same side to get to the main bridge to cross to the other side. all the bridges are made up of flights of stairs. the small bridges has about 1o steps up and 10 steps down. when we got to the foot of the bigger bridge, we were already quite tired. so took a few minutes break and continued going up the bigger bridge. this bridge is twice the size of the smaller bridge. i only managed to get half way up and i just didn't have the strength anymore. then, a very nice man approached and helped me carry my luggage all the way across the bridge. :D since my friend said there are no more stairs to the train station, i was quite relieved. but when we got to the train station, more stairs! up the stairs to get into the station. when we changed train in verona, the next train was in the other platform so we had to go down the stairs and up agan. there are no escalators and no evelator on sight. actually, even to carry the heavy luggage onto and off the train is difficult because the platform is at the same height as the train's wheels. when we finally got to trento, the last flight of stairs awaits us. it's like one and a half stories high. after we got the keys to our apartment, we took a bus there. when we got off the bus, we still had to walk up the slope to get to the apartment. even pushing/dragging the luggage up the slope is very tiring.
lesson learnt: my luggage was 24kg and i can only lift it up with both hands and only carry it for max 10 steps. the next time i travel, i won't pack luggage until i can't carry it comfortably.
train system compared to germany:
1. in germany, escalators and elevators are availble and can be easily spotted.
2. in germany, the platform is usually at the same height as the floor of the train and the gap is quite small so you can just drag your luggage out.
3. in germany, you know which platform the train will leave and arrive when you buy the ticket. in italy, you have to check the board and wait for it to update. when we were in venice, people are standing in front of the board, waiting for it to update the platform number. when the platform number for our train was updated, the train in that platform was already there in front of us while we were waiting!
4. in germany, they announce the stops and train connections. in italy, you have to look at the time or look out the window. when we changed train in verona, one of us had to run down the platform to check the board which platform for our next train.
5. german trains are nicer and also more expensive
sounds like a good work out session. :D