Night Train to Memphis (Or Rome)

We took a lot of train rides during the trip but a very memorable one was a night train from Munich to Rome. I had never been on a night train and really didn't know what to expect. We paid extra money to get a Couchette, which is basically like a small bunk. I cannot sleep in airplanes or sitting up so the money seemed like it was worth it to get a place to lie down.

We got to the train station and got to our cabin. There were six bed crammed into a space that was 6 feet long, 6 feet wide and maybe 8 feet tall. It was going to be a tight squeeze. I only fit in the beds if I layed diagonally and even then if I moved suddenly, I would bang my head on a metal bulkhead. Adding to this uncomfort, the train did not have air conditioning and no windows in the cabin you could open. This went from a minor annoyance to maing me want to jump out of the train. I was pouring sweat and could not sleep to save my life.

It was some of the most uncomfortable 12 hours I have spent in recent memory.

That smile would soon fade when I saw where we were sleeping.

Yeah, the room was small. I couldn't turn around with my backpack on.

Ryan in his bed


Just like airplanes, the people that design trains did not have me in mind when they did. I had to lay diagonally to fit.