Day 45 – Monday 22 June

Our train departed Venice at 12:20 and our check out was 10:00.  In the already 30 degree heat before lunch and rising we did not want to do much in-between check out and walking to the station, so we asked for a later check out.  This was granted with a smile, which was amazing as the cool aircon is a life soother if not saver.

On route to the station which is about a 10 minute walk, we stopped at a Superette to get some drinks for the trip.  Inside I was reminded of the lovely produce of super sized capsicum, and large Italian varieties of tomatoes.  The fruit is also exceptional, so much so you can smell the aroma as you walk past.  I commented to Vern that perhaps when we come back one day we might do a self cater type of accommodation as it would be economical and easy to produce some lovely local meals to compliment some treat nights out.

At the station there was some air conditioning but it was only slightly beneficial due to the open aspect of the complex. We found a cafe to have a cuppa that also had a toilet and some cooling. We also picked up a couple of sandwiches for lunch and afternoon tea as we were not confident of what might be available on the train. Whilst we had researched it we also were a bit worried after our Austrian experience that what you think you are getting, and was advertised, may not be what you get!

Our journey would take us first to Milan – 2 hours away, then a 20 minute change for our train to Lyon arriving at 7:30pm. It is considered a scenic route and cost us 860 nzd for the one way journey total.  We had seen on the news that Lyon was still in the hot spot of the extreme weather and that France had cancelled quite a few routes due to the heat and that some trains (many actually in France) either don’t have aircon, or the aircon is old and not coping, and train lines were buckling.

Our modern bullet train from Venice was slowed down several times for similar reasons of track conditions. Thankfully the air conditioning worked, but was not what we would consider super efficient.  This slowing down and stopping at times resulted in it being 50 minutes late into Milan, and we missed our connection.  We were directed to the customer service kiosk joining a line of frustrated, hot, fan waving passengers in similar predicaments. 

Twenty minutes later the Lyon and Paris group as we were, were taken to a room (mildly air-conditioned) where we were not told too much further than they would bus us.  I asked if the bus had aircon and was assured it would have.  I also asked if we could go tomorrow rather than that evening as it would be too late getting in,  however was told all trains were booked out until the 27th.  I do find that hard to believe but I was really too hot and disappointed to bother checking.  I could appreciate that everyone is trying their best in very difficult circumstances.  This is really extreme and the death toll is rising steadily.

About 3 hours later we were escorted to a very nice modern bus, albeit hardly any leg room which ended up painful by the end of the journey. I am so freaken over cramped European conditions and crowding (and heat).  Photo above taken in bus, showing outside temperature.

We arrived at 2am in Lyon at the train station. There were a few unsavoury characters around and I was not happy. I spoke aloud – great here we are dumped here at 2am.  I am not sure if the driver who got our bags out understood or not, however he came back over to us and asked a local where the taxi rank was, and duly pointed us in the right direction.  I felt the look on his face was one of concern and sympathy, but really he was only a contractor to the Train company and was not responsible for us further than carriage.

We hurried as fast as our tired sore bodies allowed to the taxi stand and got dropped at our hotel about 10 minutes later.   The driver was very pleasant and pointed out the door to the hotel, which apparently a lot of people miss.  He even tried to open the door for us, but of course did not have the code for after hours entry, which fortunately we did.

Up to our room that was not as pictured – a lot more cramped where I literally could not walk around my side of the bed for the narrow space lack thereof between it and the wall – I had to shuffle sidewards. A welcome shower in the room-for-only-one-person-at a-time bathroom and into bed.

This was the one positive, a comfy bed with memory foam pillow.