The pigeons coos echo throughout the empty, cold station in Rome, Italy.
Several sit perched above a large timetable, showcasing the day’s train schedule, which begins at 5 a.m. and ends around 11 p.m.
This board looms high on the wall to my left, and I stare at it bitterly as I sit waiting for that first train to arrive — five hours to go.
Beside the birds, my friend and I are the only people inside of the building. We both wish that wasn’t the case, however.
The two of us landed in this situation after our flight from Dublin, Ireland, was delayed several hours for mechanical issues — a common problem with discount airlines.
Olivia Heersink | Argonaut
After arriving at the airport on the outskirts of Rome, we had about 45 minutes to get to the city’s center in order to make the last train back to Viterbo, Italy.
Unfortunately, it would seem we did not bring the luck of the Irish back with us, and our bus was also delayed, causing us to seek out shelter for the night.
We knew from others’ experiences that we would not be able to sleep at the airport, but we figured we might be able to at the train station.
When we arrived at the nearly deserted train station, it was around midnight. We set up camp on the freezing marble floor, away from the pigeons.
Normally, a delay like this wouldn’t have mattered much and we could’ve stayed at an actual hostel for the night, except I had a midterm the next morning at 8 a.m. The early morning train was my only hope for making it on time.
In the middle of laughing at our misfortune, a large German Shepherd barreled around the corner, straight into the face of my companion. The dog was followed by two police officers, who informed us the station was closing and we had to go.
Seeing the desperation in our tired faces, they left to go see if it was actually possible for us to remain inside of the building while it was locked.
In their absence, a utility worker found us and gave the same spiel as the two men before him, but he insisted that we needed to leave.
The language barrier between us was too strong. So, we packed up our things and sat outside on the edge of the sidewalk.
My friend and I began putting on as many layers as we comfortably could to combat the cool night air, wrapping ourselves in towels and scarves for additional warmth.
Not long after we had accepted our fate, the two officers finally came to our rescue, letting us know we’d be able to sleep inside — our luck was finally changing.
We again found ourselves on the same piece of marble floor, but it seemed warmer this time because our recent adventure outside. Even, the pigeons, who I affectionately refer to as “trash birds,” no longer annoyed me, and their cooing lulled me to sleep.
After a brief snooze, it was finally time to get on the train, and thankfully, there were no further delays in our journey. I made it to my test with just minutes to spare.
Europe is often glamourized not just for its beautiful countries, but the affordability of adventuring from one to the next by planes and trains, as well as automobiles. While, that is certainly true, it isn’t without its costs.
Many of the students in my study abroad program have found themselves in similar situations because cheaper methods of travel are often unreliable and unsympathetic, even when the fault lies with their own company.
Despite this, these retailers are continuously used because they allow people to visit a variety of different places without breaking the bank.
Since, spending the night in that train station in Rome, I’ve found myself staying in several other places I never expected to because of other delays, and although, it is a nuisance, the memories aren’t.
The quality may be akin to the amount you pay, but these minor or major annoyances can become some of the most notable parts of a trip — at least, they have for me.
Olivia Heersink can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @heersinkolivia