Train Spotting

Before we left to Italy we had about a year of lessons, and one of these lessons was how to catch a train and what to look for and ask for. Obviously as you will see l paid no attention in that class.
A few days ago mum and dad left to Milan by train from Bologna heading back to Australia. I went down to the station to help them with their bags, as they had 3 large ones, that were heavy. I straight away identified their train number , its arrival time and platform. We chatted and waited for it to arrive on platform 1, normally they put the carriage numbers up on the platform so you can get in place, but the train before was still there and so we waited. Finally it arrived and we figured we were right at the front, l pulled two enormous bags along the platform, boarded the train, and put them away safely in the baggage area, l looked up and the platform was moving, l was going to Milan!!!!
One hour later l helped mum and dad off with their bags and to the taxi rank, dad helped buy me a return ticket, as l had not bothered to bring my wallet, just a few coins for the bus. I got an express ticket to Bologna, as it was a miserable day, and l thought l'll look around Milan properly later on our adventure. Mum said to me the train was departing from platform 21, so l said goodbye and rushed off as it was leaving in 5 minutes. I boarded the train, and as l sat down l thought this is not a express train, but l checked the sign said Bologna, l asked someone near me, he said Bologna, so l stayed seated and we left the station. Three hours later ( should have been 50 minutes) l arrived in Bologna on a regional train. I saw Parma, Moderna, and a host of other quaint little railway stations, l looked out at a landscape through stain marked windows from the spray paint, and had the pleasure of odd smells and a humid environment, along with a incredibly large collection of toe nail clippings at my feet.
Lesson, always listen in class, and never listen to your mother.

Another thought regarding Bologna, a friend last week was sitting in a bar having a coffee when she saw a women hit to the road by a bus that continued on its way (you have to admire their German attention to timetables)
She rushed out of the bar to help the women,  quickly asking if she needed an ambulance, a doctor, some water!!
The women stared up at her as she climbed to her feet and said, caffe?

Starting to get excited we move into our new apartment on wed, and we are all getting bikes to help get around, l must remember if l am hit by a bus while riding to ask for a caffe before collapsing.