Up at 6 am to wake up call feature that we discovered last evening.  We had not needed it on any of our days till now.  Our electronic devices fully charged for the day.  Toothbrushes and last minute personal items left out in easy to access spaces, suitcases lined up at the foot of the beds, we are ready.  Our last minute bill arrives under the door.  We get ready and head up for the last omelet on the ship and are greeted by the young and positive Chidra.

 

  It was lovely and eaten quickly and mostly in silence.  Penny enjoys a cup of coffee, I have my Xtra and Meta greens, a travel pack of AloeGold and a glass of water.  This will last me until it get on the next ship this afternoon in Civitavecchia aboard the Royal Caribbean ship, Navigator of the Seas.  I hope all the travel plans have gone smoothly for Steve and others.  I am sad for the end and departing from dear Penny and excited to see my sweetie and the family and dear friends for the next adventure.

 

Today is my youngest daughter’s birthday.  I wake up with the memory of that special day and I will carry the special moment with me all my travel day.  I hope she has a wonderful day as she is now in Ontario for the first time in her life and so far from me.  I look forward to finding Internet to send her a message.

 

Penny and I share a land taxi to the bus station and the bridge to the train station. 20 euros is shared and we hug, and part.  She is taking a bus to the airport and I will walk over the bridge pulling and carrying my bags.  I am 90 minutes early for my train when I arrive.  714, 718′ am. The time ticks slowly.  I take some pictures of the station in Venice.  I notice the sun rise glow over the city on this Sunday morning and am delighted to be here.  Some Mosquitos to contend with as I settle in on a bench chair just inside the front doors at the top of the stairs of the train station, Santa Lucia.  It is now 755 am and the church bells ring not too far away.  The station comes alive with people pulling bags coming and going.  Trains announced, foreign languages spoken around me. 

 

I take a picture of my tired self with the reverse feature of my camera.  As it nears 8 am I think I will go again to check the times and gates for my scheduled departure to Rome termini and then to Civitavecchia.

 

Train 9413 seems to be on time.  801 and still no gate number announced.  I would love to walk around and search souvenir shops but also wanting to sit and enjoy people watching here in the main doorway.  Once I get up I am sure I will lose my seat so I will hold out for a bit.  I can see the clock from here and the departure gates.  804.

 

Many of the tourists arriving might be heading to the cruise terminal?  All but ours departed the pier in Venice last evening so if they are embarking, it will be with Cunard.  The lucky guests.  Many of the tourists may also be staying in hotels or some other form of accommodation.  Is it their first time to Venice?  You can take more luggage on the train than you can on the smaller EasyJet or Ryanair options.  Perhaps Penny will come back to Venice by train with her luggage for her flight home in a week.  She has two Turkish carpets and a few other souvenirs in her large red suitcase.  

 

809.  810.  Grey and gloomy outside in Venice, it seems from here.  A maintenance man is mopping all around me.  The station is alive now with people talking, walking, checking, purchasing, reading, watching.  Some with bags, some traveling light and I wonder if they are going to spend a day with family or friends.  Maybe some are returning home after a short weekend in Venice?  Water taxis go by and the highways of the city are filled with floating vessels of adventure.   Tour boats, water buses, gondolas and pedestrians going to and from.  Over bridges and loading on to water buses.

 

Tom women arrive and head over to check departure times, speaking English and I wonder if they are heading to my cruise ship or taking off for home from the Cunard cruise or neither.  Off they go on a mission, perhaps a different adventure awaits them.  815.  Still no gate announced for me.  

 

I feel fortunate indeed that I had found a way to travel lighter for this trip and I look forward to this becoming a new habit for me.  One small suitcase and one small carryon is all I need.  It is really all I can manage on my own on the stairs and bridges of Venice and loading on and off trains.  Lesson learned.  818.

 

Here comes many more people in a group, with late luggage as if heading for a cruise ship.  Colored tags.  

 

Two women  I recognized from the ship came and sat beside me.  We talked travel and they are traveling to all the main rivers in the world.  It was a great chat and they are heading to Rome for a few days.  I gave them my card and hope we get in touch.  I had been in a watercolor paint class with one of them.  They talked about a friend Dick who sat with us at Katakolon excursion to the winery and how it was a highlight.

 

Got to run to get on train …..