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My little travel alarm begins to play it's irritating high pitched melody. Shit, I fell asleep. Of course I knew I was going to fall asleep, otherwise I wouldn't have set the alarm. But it's 4:00 and I have a night train to catch at the insane hour of 5:00. Too late to stay up for and too early to be waking up

Cath Fest

James Taylor
2006-08-23 11:58:05

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I think at least leads in the general direction of the train station, if not actually directly to it. It doesn't, and a few minutes later I am hopelessly lost.

By now I am slightly manic, eyeing everyone in the street with unreasonable suspicion. I walk past a gentleman looking slightly the worse for wear, most probably after an evenings drinking. He babbles something in Spanish, but in my current frame of mind I am in no mood for pleasantries. I irrationally conclude that he's out to mug me or something so I push on hastily.

I check a bus map, and my fears are proven. Somehow
I've stumbled into completley the wrong part of town. Everything looks the same at this hour. I have 7 minutes to get the train, but at least I know which way to go now.

I start running, or at least I try to. I'm already tiring under the weight of my bag so running isn't easy.

Everything looks the same at this hour, I am probably going the wrong way, in fact I could be in Valencia for all I know.

I check another Bus map. The scale is too large but from what i can make out the station should be round the next corner. The train is leaving in 5 minutes.

I round the corner. Nothing. The roads still look the same. Remain calm. Try the next road, No. Yes there it is, just down the road.

I spot the train waiting on the platform, but as I approach I notice the train station seems ominously dark. It can't be closed there is a train on the platform. There is no way it is closed. I try the door handle. It's closed.

So, there must be a side entrance. It's 5:00 now,
the train is due to leave. I move to the right and quickly realise that I have made the wrong desision. If I was sensible I'd turn around and go the other way, but I've convinced myself the train is leaving this instant, so I don't.

The side of the station is strewn with rubbish and recycling bins. A two metre high metal fence bars my route onto the platform. I'm imaging whistles any instant and the fence can be cleared. I hoist my bag and heave it over the fence. I attack the fence with speed. Bad move, it's sharp and the metal tips go into my skin. Somehow I manage to flip myself over the top without catching my leg and I fall comically onto the platform.

The train guard doesn't look amused but I'm beyond caring. He kindly points out the blood trickling from the freshly pierced stigmata like holes in my hands. I assess the damage. There is a lot of blood, but I only have three small cuts. I'm sure I'll live.

The guard checks my ticket and i step onto the predictably crowded train.