Getting to Amsterdam

The first of December (yes I am behind in my blog) was the day I began my long journey to Amsterdam! I was up at 7am and took a taxi to the PKS (Poland bus system) where a nice young man helped me with my suitcase up some stairs. I took a five hour bus ride to Poznan, thank god Ciocia made me biscuits! Then I chilled at Poznan train station for eight or so hours. It was a long evening. I got there after 1400 and sat in KFC reading and waiting for my 2133 train.

My train was delayed and finally came at 2245 but for a good three or so hours I made friends with a nice old man in KFC. He had just come from the dentist, lived in Siberia during the war, has a daughter in Italy and is seventy years old.

My first European train experience!

The train pulls in. As well as there being snow and ice all over the platform, it’s still snowing and also windy. I walk the wrong way, then have to backtrack to find my wagon along this slippery death trap. A train conductor sticks his head out and asks what wagon I’m looking for, then tells me to go down one more. Then a whistle. The whistle means the train is about to leave. Not good news for people still looking for their wagon. I finally get to my wagon, climb up with my suitcase and as I’m looking for my seat, the train is already moving off. I made it!

      

I could tell when we were passing German train stations because people were working away clearing the snow and throwing salt on the platforms. Polish train stations – not so much.



Look how thick the snow is!



Our train was broken so we stopped a lot, once even for ninety minutes at a German train station! I, of course, had no idea what was going on as the train conductors swap at the borders so everyone was speaking German.

I was meant to get into Amsterdam at 1030 but got in at 1400. At the beginning of the journey, I was starting to regret my decision to train around Europe but by the end, I was loving it! All the main train stations are very organised and (especially in Germany) the trains run to the minute! And we're all aware I don't like tardiness.