Thursday, train, Torino, and Holiday Inn!

After looking at our schedule and the forcast for more rain in Rome for today, Ashley and I decided to leav a day earlier than we had planned on and break up the 10 hour train ride to Paris into 2 days instead of one. That turned out to be a great idea since it took an hour at the station to even get our ticket and another 2 hours before we could get on our train. That put us at our half way point of Torino, Italy around 6:20 p.m. If we had gone straight to Paris, we would have ended up there around 11:30 tonight. Since we will have to walk the streets again pulling our luggage behind us to find our hotel, we decided that we felt better about our plan B. Besides, 5 hours on a train is enough for one day. :)

We have arrived in Torino. I will finish tonight's post with a little Ode to Holiday in...in letter form...

Dear Holiday Inn Torino,

After 15 days of living in various places and sleeping in various conditions, and 5 hours on a train, I stepped out of the train station tonight and there you were! Like a beacon in the night calling out "Give me your tired, your hungry, your bored..." Speaking to the clerk at the desk I felt your warm welcome and free wifi like a cozy blanket by a warm fire. Your elevator, which was actually big enough for both of us AND our luggage at the same time-with room to spare, carried us quickly and quietly to our floor. As we opened the door to our room the clean carpet floor, the stark white linnens and multiple lighting options almost brought a tear to our eyes! And then we entered the bathroom. Ohhh, the bathroom! With clean and functional fixtures and a shower free from remnants of the last guest that showered there, we felt like a child on Christmas morning! And if that wasn't enough, you even provided disposable slippers for us to walk on your sparkling white floor. (oh how I wished I had those previously in our trip!) And so now here I am, in the most comfortable bed I have been in for weeks. There is a note that was on my pillows (as in 2 of them for each of us!) that states that if my pillows aren't up to my standards I can request new ones from the front desk. I haven't been this excited to turn off the lights and drift off to sleep for weeks now! Thank you Holiday Inn for being there..no, for being HERE. Oh how I look forward to partaking of your free breakfast in the morning, and how sad I will be to be leaving you so quickly. My fondest farewell.

Signed,

Toopoortosleephereagain James

Paris, here we come!

Long train rides=playing with camera

 Happy clean feet in our special slippers!