trains – For Wanderers and Wonderers

Rijeka

There are few greater small pleasures in life than taking the train through a new country.

In this case, I was nearing the end of a month-long Interrail trip with a group of friends in one of my summers out from University. For our transport, we had taken the night train from Bratislava to Rijeka after a glorious few days exploring the Tatra mountains on the Slovakian-Polish border.

Sleeping on a night train feels like sleeping and waking in a world where neither time nor reality exists. At the same time, the discomfort of a small bunk for anyone over 150cm tall, the cramped shared bathrooms per train car or the loud snoring of a nearby bunk mate can be a rude awakening, both literally and metaphorically.

Copenhagen

So here I was. Copenhagen. A city I had dreamed of visiting ever since my mum had told me stories of the architecture and the danish way of life and Hygge. I was finally here as my third stop on my month long Interrail trip.

With my monstrously heavy rucksack in tow, and stepping off the train I had last boarded five hours ago in Hamburg, the towering wooden ceiling of the antique Central station with its chandeliers reminded me more of a cathedral than a station. The air outside was warm and filled with the smells of cars and hot dogs from the steaming stands near the bike racks filled to the brim. This was the city of cyclists after all. Cycle lanes were bigger than most road lanes.

Barcelona

Remember, remember, this is now, and now, and now. Live it, feel it, cling to it, I want to become acutely aware of all I’ve taken for granted. – Sylvia Plath There are few times in life where time seems to stop as you enter a place. As you enter this other dimension of livingContinue reading “Barcelona”