23 years, 4 trains and a lockout

October 21st dawns like any other day. Its a dash to Barcelona Franca as I just about manage to catch the 0845 to Montpelier.

It's 12 hours and 35 minutes before I reach Milano Centrale. En route, I change trains thrice, at Montpelier, Lyon Part Dieu and Chambery-Challes-E with change over times of 15, 17 and 10 minutes, not without a degree of apprehension.

The Nokia and Phuku save me a night at a youth hostel as a detailed SMS guides me through two metro trains and tram no.9 and past the reception desk to Sudipta's room.

An attempt to bypass the reception desk as I forage for my b'day dinner misfires when we are locked out of the Bocconi hostel building but within the campus walls. Frantic waving at a passing resident gets us back in through the back door and it's past midnight when I go to sleep on biscuits and chocolate.