It’s the last week of break before school starts, and I was ready for another adventure. Croatia? Brussels? The world is our oyster, but unfortunately, Mother Nature has other plans. Rain, rain, go away, come again some other day – or maybe just never come at all, because I prefer to stay dry while sightseeing.

Undeterred, my brave soul decided to take the train to Verona for the day. I set the alarm for the crack of dawn, ready to seize the day. But fate had other plans, and it’s not long before things start going off the rails – quite literally. The water in the building shuts down, setting me back a few precious minutes, and by the time my friend and I made it to the central station, it’s already mid-morning.

But the real fun starts when we tried to buy the train tickets. Lost and confused, we wander around the station like a lost puppy, searching for the right place to buy the tickets. It’s like a scene out of a comedy movie as we wander back and forth across the room, completely befuddled.

When we finally find the right place, we were faced with yet another challenge – a machine that seems to be a cross between a post office kiosk and a robot from the future. It’s black, it’s buttonless, and it’s completely mystifying. We tempted to ask for help, but the woman next to the machine looks like she’s about to take over the world, so we opt to go it alone.

And just when we thought we’ve got it all figured out, disaster strikes. We reach for a ticket, and suddenly, someone is yelling at us NO! It’s like something out of a slapstick comedy routine, and we can’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it all.

So there I was, standing in line with my friend, waiting for what felt like an eternity. We had already been through the waiting process once before, and now we were back for round two. I swear, waiting in line is like a rite of passage or something.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, we were given a waiting number. I looked at my ticket and compared it to the number being called on the black board. B017 vs my wait number B578. It was like comparing apples to oranges, or more accurately, comparing a sloth to Usain Bolt.

It was already pushing 11:30am, and I knew that by the time we got on the train, it would be close to noon. I mean, I wasn’t about to ride the rails until the wee hours of the night. I may be an adventurer, but I also love my beauty sleep.

So we made the executive decision to ditch the line and head out. Who needs a train ride anyway when you can have a nice, relaxing nap? Plus, we all know the real adventure is in the journey, not the destination. Or in this case, the destination we never actually made it to.

Later that day, my friend informed me that I could have bought a ticket from one of the random machines I saw. However, at the end of the day, I wanted to be sure that I was heading to the correct stop. Therefore, buying it at the counter would have been the best option. Anyway, I decided that leaving was the best decision, as there would be another time or another day to see Verona. Verona will just have to wait.

Where to buy the train tickets:

1. Romolo to Central FS.

2. Metro (underground) to Trenitalia area (look for the signs on the floor leading to El Treno and follow it). It should take you to an escaltor that will lead you to the first floor.

3. 1st level is the entrance of the Central Station. You’ll know this because the station is beautiful and trust me, you’ll be in awe. If you still don’t know, look for people trying to sell you items. You won’t miss them because they’re everywhere.

4. 2nd level. Upon walking in to the entrance, you will have to go up another escalator or look for “Trenitalia”. You can’t miss these signs either.

5. Buying the ticket: Go in the middle doorway and stand in line to grab a waiting ticket OR use one of those machines on the sides. The machines will only tell you the exact exit for your destination. If you don’t know, you’ll have to stand in line and buy it at the counter.

Milan to Verona:

• Stazione Centrale to Verona Porta Nuova Train Station
• Address: Piazzale 25 Aprile, 6 37138 Verona

Types of Trains:

• Regional and Interregionale are slow trains. Costs is around 11.55 euros.
• Freccia Rossa or Freccia Bianca are fast. Costs is around 21.50 euros.

Types of Tickets:

• Base – full flexible, refundable and what you pay at the station on the day.
• Economy and Supereconomy – Trenitalia’s cheap advanced purchase fares, valid only on the train booked, limited refunds and changes, limited availability.
• Ordinaria Regular. Fixed, annunetix are non-refundable.