Like many people, I get anxious the first time I do something. Especially when that something is waaaayyyy outside my realm of experiences.
For my first two trips, I deeply explored one city. But for my trip to Prague, I wanted to take a day trip to Kutna Hora and see the the Bone Church. And that would involve taking a train.
Mass transit is not really a thing in Texas and city to city mass transit is practically non-existent. In order to see the Sedlec Ossuary, I would need to learn how to take a train, in an unfamiliar country, while not knowing the Czech language.
My entire walk to the train station, my anxiety was telling me to skip it. “You’re in Prague, one of the most gorgeous cities in the world. Go find something easier, less stress-inducing to do.” It said. Even after buying my ticket, experiencing confusion about my ticket and then having that confusion mostly mitigated by the helpful customer service desk, my inner monologue saying, “Just bail. The ticket was only like twelve bucks. Ditch and find some cute neighborhood to get lost in.”
But I ignored it and when the time finally came, I went down to the platform. And the platform looked nothing like I expected. And that threw me off. I was worried that I would get on the wrong train. The little voice inside my heard took the opportunity to say “Go back up stairs, leave the station, go find a beer.
I almost did. But luckily, I heard someone speaking English. IT was an Australian family, a couple and an adult son. I asked them if them if this was the platform for Kutna Hora. They said yes and they were heading that way too. I told them this was my first train trip and I was nervous. They invited me to tag along.
If you consume enough travel content, you learn that if you meet some Australians while on a trip, you are going to have a good time. And this family was no exception. While we did not have a bonkers adventure like finding Jan Zizka’s lost treasure, it was a really, really pleasant day. I had a great time at lunch with them, a great time exploring the churches with them, and a great drink back in Prague. All in all, probably one of the Top 5 days in my life. Admittedly, getting on a train and site seeing is a small step but I created a treasured memory because I ignored the nagging voice of anxiety.
