ITALY 2nd November- gear up, highs and lows of my new family for the next 13 days

ITALY

2nd November- gear up, highs and lows of my new family for the next 13 days

I had organised a taxi to the trains station to make my life easier...something I hadn't done or known how to do initially. My feeling is while traveling alone, if you can make it easier and less stressful on yourself why not.

Got on the regional train without incident. Arrived at La Spezia, much more user friendly in the morning not as many weirdos as last time I was there. I had an hr to wait it out so I had a very exciting regime of walk sit, look at time time, toilet repeat lol. Got on the next train, at least knowing the whole carriage seat business...or so I thought. I walked down the platform until my coach, which was the last on the tran. Got on to be faced wi the little train compartments you can travel in. Whereas before it was an open carriage with seats facing front and back this was our own little box of 6 people trying not to look at each other, even though there is no where else to look, breathing each others air for the next 4 hrs ewwwww....uncomfortable much??? There was one girl who got on a couple of stops after me who had more luggage than even me with all of my luggage!!! Obviously leaving or moving as she was crying. It's so strange that you get to witness all of these people's lives and stories, albeit from the outside.... But everyone has a story. 

Sat in the train for four hrs and arrived bk in Rome. Caught a cab and arrived bk at my original hotel. As I checked in I met my tour director Letizia, a very effervescent, cheery Italian. She gave me my room key and I asked with baited breath who my roommate would be...... 'Roommate?' She replied..... Pregnant pause ' you have no roommate...you can have your own shoe box to yourself' Woooooooooooooooooooo Hooooooooooooooo, YAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!! I can't tell you how  happy I was. I had mentally prepared to share a bathroom and sleeping quarters with a stranger... Was almost about to go buy ear plugs, to do the Houdini change of clothes, no more naked dashes from bedroom to bathroom ....but now I didn't have to deal with any of that...just me and my mess. !! SCORE!!!! I practically skipped to my room

We had to be downstairs to go for dinner in a few hours so I took the opportunity to go to a supermarket I had passed a few before- even found it wilt fuss. It is a,Ali g how you can actually exist without talking. Cab driver, just show him the business card of the place I wanted to go, supermarket just present credit card...quite easy to do, just smile and shrug and most people will start miming to help you. 

I walked down dressed and ready for dinner to walk head on into my tour group.....

FUCK.... SHIT..... What have I just signed up for????????