Days 1 & 2 - Cinque Terre Part 2

It would have been a perfect ending to our first day in Italy but I guess stuff just happens and you learn to take it in your stride. Since spontaneous travel is what we prefer (never been on a packaged tour in my life), embracing the spontaneity whether pleasant or unpleasant is part of the erm package.

We left Monterosso after our chill by the sea dinner and boarded a train for Vernazza where we stayed. We were about to alight from the train and tried opening the door. It was stuck. It was then that we saw a note stuck to it. I think it probably meant the door was faulty. By the time we ran to another door, the train departed Vernazza.

The trains in Cinque Terre were not running like our MRT trains. We could not simply alight at the next station, cross the platform and wait for the next train. We had to quickly check the train schedule and it was kind of like a race against time. The train was whizzing away and we had to comprehend the schedule before the next station lest it was the last station where we could alight so that we could catch a connecting train to our home base.

I panicked. Voices were raised. Tension. We somehow managed to make sense of the schedule and went on to catch another train. This involved crossing the platform via an underground passage which had plenty of steps. C was asleep by now, safe and snug in the Ergo and missing out on all the drama. 

So there we were running and climbing stairs with a pram and a sleeping toddler in tow, and E trying his very best to catch up. Breathless, but we did it! We boarded the next train thinking the worst was over.

And as we were resting our weary bodies, feeling relieved that we were homeward bound, I felt a prompting to check with someone about whether we were headed in the right direction. I asked some American tourists and lo and behold, we were told that we were headed in the opposite direction. What a night! By now, stress levels have hit the roof. But thanks to the helpful Americans, we managed to figure out the next best route to take.

One of them said,"We must applaud you for travelling with children." Oh okay, thanks for the affirmation but applause is the last thing I need now. I just want to get to Vernazza!

We repeated the whole pram and toddler in tow, running and climbing, huffing and puffing routine at an even faster pace the second time round. The next train, the very last one, our only hope of not being stranded in the cold, dark night was arriving in 5 minutes. And just like all good thrillers that keep you at the edge of your seats, there had to be that climax where the fate of the protagonist hangs in the balance.

In the final 5 minutes, we headed in the wrong direction after we alighted from the train. We reached a dead end, turned around and sprinted. I think we make good footage for reality TV (Amazing Race family edition anyone?).

We made it. Vernazza, home at last. 

Thank God for His protection and leading in this entire episode. If not for His prompting, we would have naively gone on in the wrong direction and ended up who knows where.

I'm not sure if it was because of the adrenaline-inducing drama the night before, but I was awake at 5am and couldn't get back to sleep. It was bright and sunny at 6am so I decided to walk the streets of Vernazza at dawn. 

Empty streets of Vernazza

Just me and my harbour

No trains in sight at dawn

Exploring the narrow alleys

After a refreshing walk, I headed back to wake the hubby and kids up. Yup, I'm the task master and schedule keeper on this trip!

The kids are ready for their next adventure.

We set off for Riomaggiore, the only village we have yet to set foot on in Cinque Terre. Unfortunately, we couldn't find a place to stow our luggage and the elevator to the top was down. After last night's stamina testing episode, we were not about to physcially exert ourselves by lugging our luggage up the steep streets, all the way to the top.

I was disappointed but there is a silver lining in every cloud. I found the absolute best calamari I've ever eaten in Riomaggiore. It was so good that when E accidentally dropped some calamari on the ground, I had the perfect excuse (not that I needed one) to buy myself another packet!

The street of Riomaggiore leading to my calamari find

Fresh, perfectly seasoned calamari!
I'm not the only fan.