On my way back to Holland from Ratingen it had to be the
worst travel day I have ever experienced. I leave for the train station at
about 6 and when I go to purchase my ticket from the kiosk it says the first two
connections I won’t make because of delays. I figured that is ok, because they
were only 30 minute train rides anyway. So my first train was scheduled to
arrive at 6:30 it doesn’t show up until 7. At 7:15 I arrive at Dusseldorf HBF and I check the timetables to see if I can
get onto another train because my previous timetable wouldn’t work anymore. So I
see that there is a train leaving in 5 minutes so I run to the platform and the
conductor person, or ticket man is standing outside the door facing the train
talking to a man. So I stand behind him waiting for him to move so I can get
onto the train. He finishes talking, walks up the steps onto the train, presses a
button, turns around and looks down on me and I look up at him, like can I get
on? Then all of a sudden the doors close and he is still looking down at me and
I up at him as the door slams shut and off the train goes. I’m standing there
like what the heck just happened and then become enraged because I wanted to
get onto that train to get back to Apeldoorn. So as I’m mouthing obscenities I walk
back downstairs to the kiosk to find yet another timetable. Find out there is
another train leaving the same platform I was just on, so head back up the
stairs with my luggage, tennis bag, backpack, and flowers I received from the
tournament. So I’m waiting on the platform and the board changes and there is
no train. I ask information what happened and he tells me the train was
cancelled. Now I am fuming because all the trains are delayed and cancelled,
and it’s wicked hot in the station. So I’m sweating lugging my things around. I
end up squishing all my flowers so I throw them into the trash. I go back and
check the timetable for a third time and find a train that is going to Munster which
was delayed so I had time to get it. It arrives about an hour later at
Dusseldorf. So at 8 I’m on it, but there is no AC on the train and the car I
get into is closed. (It was the one with the small rooms and a long hallway
down the side.) So I sit on the floor next to the bathroom sweating like a pig.
About 30 minutes later the ticket lady comes and tells me there is AC in the next
car. So she helps me with my bags and finds me a room with a husband and wife
and their small boy who must be about 3 or 4 years old. The kid starts climbing all over
me, trying to take my water, and wants my Kindle. His father slaps the kid on the
head, yanks him off the chair by his ankle so he falls to the floor, he starts
crying until his mom picks him up. Like I didn’t realize how harsh you can
treat you kid in Germany, either that or Americans are just soft. Who knows,
but it made me feel very awkward. So finally we get to Munster at 9:30 and the
place is just overrun with people. There were people hanging out the windows
and doors of a train across the track, on the other side there were about 300
people lined up waiting for a train to arrive, and a huge line at the
information booth looking for answers about which train to get on. There was
also construction going on, so there are barriers and yellow tape everywhere,
the pavement was unfinished, and the escalators didn’t work. So I walked down
the steps to read the big board of arrivals and departures and it says where I need
to go. So head back up to the platform and there is a different train there.
Not the one I need. The information says this train was leaving two minutes
after the one I was supposed to be on. So just to double check I take me stuff,
walk down to the big board again and it still says the same platform. So I head
back up and wait. Apparently we need to wait until the first train left. So
finally get onto the train, the ticket man comes around and says I need to get
off the train at a certain stop and get to the front because half of the train
is continuing on and the other is heading the opposite way. So at the stop I get
my things and walk to the front of the train so I don’t get left behind. I
finally reach Eschnede at about 11:30 and my next train doesn’t arrive until
5am. So I’m thinking whether or not to find a hotel room, staying at the train
station, or take a taxi home. So I’m just sitting on a bench thinking about
what to do when three security guards come walking over with some man in a red
shirt, who looks like he is on drugs or drunk and sit him down next to me. Of
all the benches! So they’re talking to him then two police officers come and
ask him questions. Then one of the security officers asks me if someone is
picking me up. I tell him the situation and he says I can’t stay here because the
station is closing. So I take my things and walk outside and sit on the bench
contemplating and about 5 minutes later the same guard comes out and tells me a
taxi would be expensive to get back, try for a hotel because the area isn’t
very nice to just be sitting around. So I look up hotels then just decide I want
to head back, so I ended up taking about a 45 minute taxi ride back to
Apeldoorn. The first 20 minutes the driver was texting probably his girlfriend
because it was nonstop. I thought we were going to end up off the side of the
road, or in the back of another car. Scary. Then he pulls into a gas station
and asks if I want something, I say no but he insisted so I say a Coke. He
comes back with a Coke and a Red Bull and candy for him. Apparently so he
wouldn’t get tired. But I finally get to the house at about 1am after spending
about half of my prize money. And in bed by 2am. Crazy day. Life is an
adventure that’s for sure!
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