The Trains in Spain are Mainly a Pain.

The first sign that things were not going to go so well was that my train was due to depart in fifteen minutes and the departure platform still hadn't been posted on the departure board. I was waiting for a train from Valencia to Barcelona, departing at 12 noon and they were still showing trains that had left at 9:47 and 10:38. Spain takes a relaxed approach to its train system.

After clearing the x-ray machine (At a train station? Really? Are you even looking at what's in my bag, mister? You missed the corkscrew, the nail clippers and the pocket knife, just so you know) I took the escalator down to the platform. And just to be clear, there is one escalator to the platform. No stairs. And about two hundred people wanting to get to the train. No bottleneck whatsoever.

So I got to the platform. And waited. And waited. I think the train was about 15 minutes late, but it could've been closer to twenty. I don't know, I think I passed out from the boredom.

Then everyone began pushing like mad to get on, only for some reason my compartment contained people who couldn't seem to get past the door. Never mind that the rest of the carriage is empty, these people want to hover. Look people, my seat is down at the other end, and there is one door for this carriage so I have to get past you to sit down. Then I get down there, look up and realize there is no way my bag will fit on the luggage rack, plus I would have to stand on the seat to get it up there. I have to haul my bag back down to the other end of the carriage and force it into a rack there. (Where's a nice French luggage rack when you need it?)

Finally I get to sit down. That's when I discover something that usually isn't a problem for me: there is absolutely no leg room. I'm 157cm or 5 ft, 2in and I couldn't move anywhere. And it's going to be another 3 hours of this. Sigh. I listen for the announcement telling me that I'll be in Valencia, but it doesn't come. In fact, I couldn't hear them announce Valencia as our final destination at any point during the trip until we actually pulled into the city. I thought I was going to end up in some town in the middle of nowhere. At least I'd be able to get off of the train.

Luckily I was able to sleep most of the rest of the time, and thus bring my journey to an end more quickly. Off the train, into the hostel, done.

But don't even get me started on the reservation system.