Leaving Siracusa: Another Train Experience

Town of Noto near Siracusa

Rob and Beth boarded the regional train pulling their suitcases behind them just as the doors closed. They made it... with only moments to spare. Normally they allowed copious amounts of time when making train connections, but Adrianna was very persuasive with her invitation to enjoy a glass of wine with some friends before they left. As they were visiting with her and her ex-patriot Canadian friends on her patio a few metres from the sea with the sun shining down on them, it was understandable that it was difficult to leave.

Siracusa Grotto-Ancient
Cave Dwellings

Beth and Rob were at the start of a train trip that would take them from Syracuse on the southeast coast of Sicily to Cefalu on the north central coast. They opted for the most economical option, which happily was scheduled as the shortest, but involved two transfers and three regional trains with no reserved seats.

Chocolate Display in Siracusa

The train they boarded was almost empty which made maneuvering the luggage around easier. On the less fortunate side there was an unmistakable odour that smelled suspiciously like the trains tiny pod like toilette. Despite needing to use the bathroom, Beth declined the facilities reasoning that if the smell outside the compartment was bad it would surely be horrible inside.

Train View

As the train arrived 18 minutes late to its penultimate stop, Rob informed the conductor that the connecting train that he and Beth were expecting to take would soon be leaving the station. The conductor took immediate action and assisted the Canadian tourists by phoning the connecting train to relay that there were passengers arriving late to the connection. Afterward he reassured Rob and Beth that their connection would be waiting and conveniently sitting on the adjacent track for them. With gratitude they made their connection.

As they settled on the second train, Beth realized that the bathroom situation was now becoming dire. She grabbed some tissue, as was the required precaution of train facilities, and made her way to the toilette. She opened the door and was relieved that although not pristine, it lacked the excessive smell of the previous train and it was equipped with paper. Things were looking up. The slightly disturbing feature of the bathroom was the liquid that she could see sloshing under a grate in the floor. She had never seen that on a train before but rationalized that it served the purpose of keeping the floor dry.

Train Potty

As was typical for Italian trains, the plumbing opened directly to the outside. Although it was a little unnerving to see the railway ties whizzing past through the hole at the bottom of the toilet she settled in to address the purpose at hand. As is bathroom protocol for most women, Beth hovered above the bowl.  In synchrony with the relaxation of her bladder control muscles that began the stream flowing, the train entered a tunnel turning the bathroom black as pitch. To test the darkness and adjust her vision, Beth closed her eyes and then opened them to find that she could see no difference.

Darkness may not usually be a problem when using the toilet, however, when one is hovering in the dark on a vehicle that is shaking and jostling about, the alignment of oneself with a stationary target becomes questionable. This may not have been of great concern if the train tunnel was short, but unfortunately for Beth, this particular tunnel went on for quite a while. In fact, she had completed her task long before the train’s emergence from the tunnel. When light was restored, Beth took time to assess the damage done. She was dismayed to see that the toilet seat was completely covered, and in all likelihood, the floor was also compromised. In fact, she couldn't be sure that her jeans went unscathed by the incident.

Cefalu Beach

As best as she could, she cleaned up using the thin recycled sheets of paper provided in the toilette and turned with relief to the sink to wash her hands. Although she repeatedly stepped on the floor petal that controlled the water’s flow, none came forth. Returning to her seat, she met Rob with an expression that made him asked what was wrong. She explained, in detail, as she cleansed her hands with a moist towelette that thankfully they traveled with.

As the train gained speed and banked around corners, both Rob and Beth were disturbed to see water streaming from underneath the door of the toilette likely originating from under the grates in the floor. As it quickly spread throughout the hallway outside of the compartment, Beth grudgingly acknowledged that she may have provided, no matter how insignificant, a contribution.