Excerpts from travel journal:

11/6/2012

Well, I’ve lost Bailey. I went to get a pastry and she went to check the platform number. We said we’d meet back by one of those posts in front of the train station. When I returned, she wasn’t there, though her checking the platform shouldn’t have taken as long as my getting the pastry. I waited a bit, but the train was to leave from Venice to Milano in six minutes time. I didn’t see her.

I went inside and found the listing of the trains and departures. Milano — 11:50 — Platform 4. Alright, so maybe she’s at platform 4. She misinterpreted me and is standing in front of a post in front of the train. Nope. Four minutes.

I look quickly, I walk more quickly back out, thinking about shouting “Bailey,” but the steps of the station were crowded with people and I didn’t want to draw unnecessary attention to myself. Two minutes.

I rush back in and the train is gone. My heart stops a second and I say “Oh my God” out loud. What if Bailey was on it? I look up — Oh, okay, that’s platform 6, my train is potentially still here.

I run over to platform 4 and it is. I hop into the first car and look out the window for Bailey. No sign. So I guessed she got on, too, realizing it was about to leave. We must’ve missed each other somewhere. I started walking down the aisles through the coaches, still looking. The train starts moving. Its leaving the station.

I arrive at the final door and it won’t open. Must be the front of the train. Bailey isn’t on it.

…

Bailey doesn’t have a cell phone, or even my cell phone number I don’t think. She doesn’t have a computer or way to access the internet either. All we’ve got is our plan to reach Milano, hang out a few hours, and then catch the 18:25 train to Bern, Switzerland.

Best case scenario, she’ll realize I’m not at the station and got on the train. She’ll catch the next train to Milano and I’ll be waiting for her at the station, where we’ll meet up again, go get something to eat, and make it back in plenty of time to catch the next train, together, to Switzerland.

…

And that’s what happened!