Aikido & Travel: Enjoying an Aikido Seminar and Dojo Visits in Prague, Czech Republic - 15

We had checked the train status in the app and carefully confirmed the information boards at the station, so it was hard to accept being told that "the mistake was ours." We simply stood there in shock, unable to fully process what had just happened.

"Stay calm. Stay calm."

We deliberately said it out loud to ourselves and headed to the waiting room.

After looking into alternative ways to get to Vienna, I discovered that although it required a transfer, there was another train departing in two and a half hours.

"It looks like we can change these tickets for free."

While I was already mentally preparing myself to buy new tickets, Mike was looking for a way to avoid having to purchase them again.

With a small amount of hope, we explained the situation at the ticket counter. To our surprise, the staff changed our tickets to the train we had found, completely free of charge and with almost no fuss at all.

Our original plan had been to arrive in Vienna by 3:00 p.m. and enjoy a bit of sightseeing, but now it looked like we would not get there until after 5:00 p.m.

For the time being, we bought sandwiches from a restaurant inside the station and had lunch. In the waiting room, which had somehow become our own private space since nobody else seemed to use it, Mike started working.

As for me, I couldn't concentrate on anything. Whether I tried reading a book or opening my laptop, my mind simply wouldn't settle. Hoping to calm myself down, I went outside the station and spent 

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Fifteen minutes before the next train arrived, we moved to the platform.

This time, we absolutely didn't want to miss it. I kept checking the departure board over and over. Then, just a few minutes before arrival, the "5 minutes late" notice that had been displayed suddenly disappeared. Looking back, the train we had missed earlier was probably affected by the same situation.

And this time, we successfully boarded the train.

The carriage consisted of compartment-style seating. When we reached the seats assigned to us during the ticket change, someone else was sitting there. After we politely spoke to her, it turned out that she didn't have a seat reservation, so she kindly moved.

A family traveling with a young child was also sharing our compartment. The child was full of energy and happily moved around, using not only their own seats but other available spaces as well.

But we were completely exhausted. We simply sat there in silence.

And the day still wasn't done testing us.

This time, the train started running late. We only had ten minutes to make our connection, and that margin was quickly disappearing.

Under normal circumstances, we would have been worried. Surprisingly, though, I felt quite calm.

We had already experienced a similar situation in Germany before, and even if we missed the connection, another train to Vienna would leave just twenty minutes later.

Before arriving at the transfer station of Břeclav, we left the cramped compartment and waited in the corridor near the door.

As soon as the train pulled in, we saw people hurrying toward a train on the opposite platform and followed them.

When I looked at the destination display, I saw the words:

"Graz Hbf."

Because I had spent so much time looking at the route map while waiting earlier, I immediately recognized that this was the train to Vienna. Just to be safe, I checked our tickets and saw the same destination listed there.

We boarded immediately, and it seemed that the train had actually waited for the delayed service we had arrived on.

At last, we were finally on our way to Vienna.

It was the first moment that day when I felt genuinely relieved.

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As I watched the scenery pass by outside the window, a message arrived from K.

"Everything okay? Is it all working out?"

I sent him a quick summary of everything that had happened. His reply was unexpected.

"I see. But hardships are part of every journey, aren't they?"

That single sentence instantly swept away all the stress I had been carrying. And he was absolutely right.

One of the reasons I love traveling is that it broadens my perspective. Another is that it gives me new experiences.

K's words reminded me of the very reason I fell in love with travel in the first place.

Throughout this trip, he helped me in more ways than I can count.

Shortly after 5:00 p.m., we finally arrived safely in Vienna.

We took a tram to our hotel and checked in.

Since it was already close to 6:00 p.m., we headed straight out for dinner.

The moment we stepped outside the hotel, we heard the rhythmic sound of hoofbeats.

Clip-clop, clip-clop...

Looking toward the sound, we saw a traditional sightseeing carriage, known as a Fiaker, making its way down the street.

As lovers of medieval history and atmosphere, this was the moment when we finally started to feel like tourists again.

Compared with the Czech Republic, Vienna felt noticeably more expensive. Every time we looked at a restaurant menu, our enthusiasm dipped just a little.

In the end, we found a kebab shop inside the station complex and decided to give it a try.

"That looks pretty big. Let's share one."

At least, that was what we thought.

The meal that arrived turned out to be about the size of a single serving.

Naturally, we ended up stopping by a supermarket afterward.

Back at the hotel, we enjoyed some snacks and drinks in the room before finally calling it a night.

At long last, our very long day had come to an end.

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