April 2 – From Naples to Turin
It would have been a nice cycle, but at 600 miles, I decided to go by train, stopping off at Pisa on the way.
I thought I could stay at a cheap hotel in Pisa, as I had done before, but there were non available, so I had to go for an airbnb out in the country. Due to awkward connections I got to Pisa at around 8pm. Nice to watch the sun setting from the train though. As I rode through Pisa, I must have taken a wrong turning and, to my surprise, I passed the leaning tower. It was a bit surreal in the dark with just a few people wandering around. Then off into the countryside to my airbnb which was in what looked like a converted castle.
I left very early in the morning and detoured to the tower to see it before sunrise. I was on my own there.
My journey to Turin involved a transfer in Genoa with an eighty minute wait. But I didn’t realise that there are three stations in Genoa and I arrived at one and had to get to another for the train to Turin. Surely eighty minutes would be enough? Getting through Genoa centre was a nightmare; google maps sent me on impassable routes and locals couldn’t give me proper directions. In the end, I followed my nose and found the station. After hauling my bike up and down stairs I got to the platform two minutes late. Lukily, the train was two minutes late and I got on by the skin of my teeth. Very stressful. This was the only time out of the over twenty trains I’ve caught that one has been just a little bit late.
I had plenty of time in Turin before checking in to my airbnb with host Gianfranco. Basically I’m lodging there with my own room and bathroom, sharing the rest of the flat with him and his rediculously fat cat. He’s an advertising photographer and extremely helpful, so I’ll have a good time here.
One photo and a short video of the tower.