It was an unmistakably wintery day when I looked out the window for the first time this morning. I quickly turned on the computer to see if there was the possibility that all this snow may cause a flight cancellation, I’m sitting here on the plane now, so I can attest that no the snow didn’t stop this larger than life ‘free flying’ green bullet. Back to the a.m, I quickly went downstairs to the kitchen to see if I could muster up some red hot coals from the fire, (so I wouldn’t have to re start it, only add to it) alas, it was black cold. So I rumpled up some old newspapers, (of which I am starting to make out a few words here and there, Swiss German, or German, rather, is starting to look less and less, well, German!) I added some small sticks, some wood, flicked my bic and blamo! Fire started. Of course, I would have to wait at least two hours before I felt its heat radiating through the radiators…Next step, coffee! I wouldn’t have to wait that long for its heat...the magic from freshly ground beans would soon be coursing through my bloodstream in aid of the long day ahead.
As per usual I leave everything to the last minute and it’s more than time to pack. I have been in search of a ‘light-weight, modern-style’ piece of luggage and I finally found it, in all its “Cassette tape” covered glory, but silly me, I left it where I found it, thinking I would be back to get it, but never did. So I decide to, err, have to use old faithful, you know, the one that weighs 5kg with nothing in it. That bag has been flying with me since I moved to St. John’s Newfoundland back in ’98…. Boy, if THAT bag could talk… well, it would probably sing us a song, to be sure J
So we fast forward to 4:20pm (once upon a time a very special time to me!) and I hop on the extremely punctual bus out of Rueschegg on its way to Schwarzenburg, where the immaculately tidy and ‘pin-drop-quiet’ train will take me to Switzerland’s capital, Bern. The whole trip takes me about an hour. While on the train to Bern, I remark to a friend, via text, that this train stinks! Once upon a time, this train held hundreds if not thousands of smokers, and there ain’t no way any cleaner of any kind is going to mask that empty, stale scent.
Fast forward to Bern and if I remember correctly, I have 7 minutes to get from train A to train B. But no, this time, I only have two minutes. I knew all that snow was gonna come into play at some point. So there I am with my heavy 1990’s luggage, my ‘filled to the brim, almost couldn’t get the zipper done up red leather bag” and my dear sweet guitar, slung over my shoulders, running, yes, me, running through a tunnel with a hundred other 5:30pm runners and it turns out the only way I can make my train is to hop on through first class (it’s the first car). Well, it’s my first time in train-style first class and I can now understand why, perhaps, if one did have money, then why they may choose first class. It’s spacious and I can actually pull my luggage through the aisle, on its wheels, and the seats are wider and plush, and LOTS of seats to choose from…if only I could have stayed a little while longer….alas, second class it is. Squished between a man and his dog, (yes his black lab, they can bring their pups on board here!) and a man on his lap top. I was facing the side of the train, not facing forward, not facing backwards but sideways. My inner ear vertigo friend would just have to deal. So I tried not to stare at the girls across from me, or to look too long at the punk on the stairs, sipping his Carlsberg, (you can drink ANYwhere here, on the bus, in the streets, ANYwhere.) Instead, I stared at life speeding past me, until it got dark, then I dreamed of Ireland. I used to live there, a long time ago, after my two year stint in St. John’s, I lived there for just over 2 years….So this trip, the one I have embarked upon, will be a journey indeed! I am now 36000 feet up in the air, and this green bullet will touch down soon…. My Irish adventure will soon begin, and to be sure, I will keep you posted. I can’t wait.