THE ITALIAN JOB
Here, I was looking at what it would cost to take a ferry to various ports in Italy.
To get a train from Venice down to Naples is under a third what it would cost to fly. Train cost seems to start at about 50 Euros. Takes 4-5 hours. Note, this deal completely dis-the fuck-appeared later (after buying the ferry ticket) and now it's about $140. Super.
In talking to a guy I am sharing the wildly overpriced room with in Athens, it seems he just spent 200 euros to buy a ticket to fly from here to Rome. Screw that!
WHEN SUDDENLY
When I purchased the ticket for the ferry, the man kindly wrote down the place I would need to get a bus to reach the ferry.
The bus leaves every half hour. It takes three hours to get there. Super, I thought. If I leave at seven, I will get there by ten, sit around for two hours and off I go. What could be simpler?
Although I had set my small bag watch forward I'd completely forgotten to change my computer. Fantastic.
I'd gone to the place that sold the boat ticket to see if they could hook me up with another ticket to actually get me to Tunisia and...they closed early because "fuck it".
OK. So now, I'm running an hour behind. I'd thought it was seven when I tried to get the cab, it was eight. Found that out when the lady called the cab.
Feeling a bit panicked now, but I've still an hour of cushion.
...And it turns out the guy who sold me the ticket didn't know what he was talking about. The bus leave irregularly. The next bus doesn't leave until 9:30PM. Hence, I get to be at the port after the boat has been gone for half an hour.
This is really bad. I'm now waving goodbye to over a hundred dollars just pissed into the wind.
Are taxis and option? For three hundred euro they are. Even after a lot of haggling down to two hundred I can't see blowing that to save a hundred dollars. And spend fifty a night to be in a huge dorm room. Spending five fucking dollars on a glass of water.
Screw it.
At this point, Logan is still suffering sleep deprivation. Not firing on what few cylinders he has. The previous night didn't really sleep so much as 'pass the fuck out' and wake up early.
So I begin negotiating to go to the airport. Fuck it, I'm out of here.
I'm pissed, running of fumes and have no idea what the hell I'm doing.
Started going to each of the people working at various travel agencies and airlines. "Hi, got any cheap last minute tickets? No, I really don't give a shit where I go. Somewhere cheap would be great." Needless to say, this confused the hell out of them. Who travels like this?
Nobody knew nothing. Creativity and independent thought not qualities the people were hired for.
Finally, in desperation, I went to the Russian airlines and asked the woman working the desk. Yeah. I'd have considered going to fucking Russia just to get out of here. But you need a visa to go there so that wasn't happening.
We didn't ever exchange names but she talked me down for awhile and started helping me to clarify my options. Not all is lost she said.
Turns out this gem of a human being had been a travel agent for eight years. She was confused and irritated by the amazing bullshit I had been fed and spent two or three hours talking to me to explain and clarify things.
After she'd looked up several things she eventually said "Look - you can easily get a plane to Istanbul for 230 euros (I have a reservation) but there is a train that leaves from the station here at the airport in the morning that will take you to another train that will take you to the port. At the port you can buy a ticket to go to Bari Italy. It's a heavy ferry route. From Bari, you can just ask them how to get to Tunis and they'll lay it out for you.
We'd tried to get it on the internet but competency in the internet hasn't really caught up yet and the sources are confused and often contrary. Best to be face to face and buy ferry tickets.
Like what I'd tried earlier.
But I have 'hope' now.
My plan is just to live in the train and ferry stations until I can get to where I am going. Italy is pretty crazy on their prices. Should something cheap present itself I may take it. If not, fuck it. I feel like I've been bleeding money bad in Greece and I'd rather be in a less known area and not bleeding money.
I'm not sure when I will be able to publish my next blog but I wanted to put this up to let people know what is going on so far and the 'word' now is 'hard travel'.
No washing, little sleep.
Going to be a rough one.
Here, I was looking at what it would cost to take a ferry to various ports in Italy.
To get a train from Venice down to Naples is under a third what it would cost to fly. Train cost seems to start at about 50 Euros. Takes 4-5 hours. Note, this deal completely dis-the fuck-appeared later (after buying the ferry ticket) and now it's about $140. Super.
In talking to a guy I am sharing the wildly overpriced room with in Athens, it seems he just spent 200 euros to buy a ticket to fly from here to Rome. Screw that!
WHEN SUDDENLY
When I purchased the ticket for the ferry, the man kindly wrote down the place I would need to get a bus to reach the ferry.
The bus leaves every half hour. It takes three hours to get there. Super, I thought. If I leave at seven, I will get there by ten, sit around for two hours and off I go. What could be simpler?
Although I had set my small bag watch forward I'd completely forgotten to change my computer. Fantastic.
I'd gone to the place that sold the boat ticket to see if they could hook me up with another ticket to actually get me to Tunisia and...they closed early because "fuck it".
OK. So now, I'm running an hour behind. I'd thought it was seven when I tried to get the cab, it was eight. Found that out when the lady called the cab.
Feeling a bit panicked now, but I've still an hour of cushion.
...And it turns out the guy who sold me the ticket didn't know what he was talking about. The bus leave irregularly. The next bus doesn't leave until 9:30PM. Hence, I get to be at the port after the boat has been gone for half an hour.
This is really bad. I'm now waving goodbye to over a hundred dollars just pissed into the wind.
Are taxis and option? For three hundred euro they are. Even after a lot of haggling down to two hundred I can't see blowing that to save a hundred dollars. And spend fifty a night to be in a huge dorm room. Spending five fucking dollars on a glass of water.
Screw it.
At this point, Logan is still suffering sleep deprivation. Not firing on what few cylinders he has. The previous night didn't really sleep so much as 'pass the fuck out' and wake up early.
So I begin negotiating to go to the airport. Fuck it, I'm out of here.
I'm pissed, running of fumes and have no idea what the hell I'm doing.
Started going to each of the people working at various travel agencies and airlines. "Hi, got any cheap last minute tickets? No, I really don't give a shit where I go. Somewhere cheap would be great." Needless to say, this confused the hell out of them. Who travels like this?
This guy.
Nobody knew nothing. Creativity and independent thought not qualities the people were hired for.
Finally, in desperation, I went to the Russian airlines and asked the woman working the desk. Yeah. I'd have considered going to fucking Russia just to get out of here. But you need a visa to go there so that wasn't happening.
We didn't ever exchange names but she talked me down for awhile and started helping me to clarify my options. Not all is lost she said.
Turns out this gem of a human being had been a travel agent for eight years. She was confused and irritated by the amazing bullshit I had been fed and spent two or three hours talking to me to explain and clarify things.
After she'd looked up several things she eventually said "Look - you can easily get a plane to Istanbul for 230 euros (I have a reservation) but there is a train that leaves from the station here at the airport in the morning that will take you to another train that will take you to the port. At the port you can buy a ticket to go to Bari Italy. It's a heavy ferry route. From Bari, you can just ask them how to get to Tunis and they'll lay it out for you.
We'd tried to get it on the internet but competency in the internet hasn't really caught up yet and the sources are confused and often contrary. Best to be face to face and buy ferry tickets.
Like what I'd tried earlier.
But I have 'hope' now.
My plan is just to live in the train and ferry stations until I can get to where I am going. Italy is pretty crazy on their prices. Should something cheap present itself I may take it. If not, fuck it. I feel like I've been bleeding money bad in Greece and I'd rather be in a less known area and not bleeding money.
I'm not sure when I will be able to publish my next blog but I wanted to put this up to let people know what is going on so far and the 'word' now is 'hard travel'.
No washing, little sleep.
Don't touch my stuff!
Going to be a rough one.
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