You're Pack Can Kill The Children!

Still rewinding a bit... our train ride from Paris to Venice was 12 hours long. We were very fortunate to have 4 nice companions in the couchettes next to ours but it was still a situation where we had to share a very small space with 4 extra people. Our reservations indicated that had the bottom bunks but the older Italian couple took them before we got there. We both agreed that it was best that they have the bottom bunks anyhow... It would definitely have been a sight to see both of them trying to negotiate the small ladder leading to the middle and top bunks! The beds themselves were quite comfy but the train was hot and the 2 men on the trip were both snoring... thank God for my Ipod! That night I woke up to go to the stinky, stuffy bathroom. The train was on high speed and I was still half asleep. I made it there ok but on the way back the train jerked a little more than I was prepared for and my left foot went straight into the corner of a wall. I wanted to scream then I wanted to cry and then I started to pray that nothing was broken. I'm currently fine but the following morning I was walking with a limp and was definitley not on top of my game for carrying around a backpack. We were both sweaty. Venice made us sweatier. Our hair was getting matted down to our scalps and we were trying to figure the city out. We found the waterboat to take us to our hostel... the number 1. We both got on but since I was limping I thought Beth stayed on the boat platform. I got off after 2 stops... it turns out she was on and sitting, not standing. So we were separate. It was good that I had my own set of directions to the hostel but it was both expensive and trying to get on another boat with TONS of people, sweat dripping down my back, a 30 pound backpack on my back. Beth was in a similar predicament. From what she says she realized that I wasn't on when she got to our stop-Academia and she tried to get off at the next stop but the boatman wouldn't let her. Apparently he was very annoyed with her and kept telling her stuff in Italian. One of the things being "You're pack can kill the children!!!!"--- but picture it coming from a beefy Italian guy with a big Italian accent. I've heard this story so many times since it happened and it still has me cracking up. Of course, for Beth, it wasn't so funny. We both have big packs but at least we have them on our backs and aren't wheeling around steamer trunks like some of the sorority girls we've seen... and no, I'm not stereotyping, they are in fact sorority girls b-c they have the sorority girl flip flops on their feet... AXO, DG, XO, they're all here. We finally met back up after about 2 hours. I found the hostel and deposited my bag and was about to get on the boat again when Beth called out my name. We exchanged stories and got some quick lunch... our time in Venice had gotten off to a confusing and sweaty start... but everything is better with pizza, coca-cola and a granita.