The Trip - condensed

[Andy @ Allerton]

Went there from Liverpool to London on the train (3 hours) to Heathrow (a few hours via Will from YNWAs Floor) from there flew to Sofia (About 4 hours) had some ale there and chilled. Got the train to Thessalonika (9 hours) - We'd got on the train with 36 cans of ale - but didn't drink most of them - so took them onto the second stage (Thessalonika to Athens) - the first part was in first class and we had a decent spec - just three of us - but there was an Asian lad on his own - so we invited him in to join us and scoff loads of crisps and drink our ale. This part of the journey went well and we decided to get our heads down on the second leg.

 

In Thessalonika had a leasurly pint and a kebab in a local shop, then jumped onto the train for the second 8 hour leg of our journey. Disaster struck as there were a load of narky greeks with our seat numbers on them (Fair play - they were their seats) after us trying to pretend we didn't know what they were on about - the train bod shouted loudly at us and promised us that we could get into the 'next compartment' - fair enough we thought - we stood up - only to be shouted at (At 125 decibels) that were would be expected to spend the rest of the trip on the floor. This didn't go down well. We gave up and headed for the drinks area - full. We then went to the 2nd class and it was choka - but managed to get three end seats that suited us. We sat down to spend the rest of the night and the following morning sleepless on a train. Was funny - everytime the greeks and everyone got their head down - this Liverpool fan knobend kept walking to the middle of the carriage and shout out the Ring of Fire "Da da da da daaa da daaa!!!" at the top of his voice, waking everyone up and getting one or two punches and digs from the resident Greek ladies that were doing his nut. It was funny the first 12 times he did it - in the end I think many fans were thinking of lashing him off the train themselves. Halfway through our persecuter (The knob that suggested at high volume we sleep on the floor for the f***ing rest of the trip) came back with his mate - claiming that 'our tickets weren't valid and we'd have to each pay 20 Euros' - this was utter s**** as I'd got the top tickets that were first class, any train - valid for a month. It was obviously a local scam - the c***. Anyway we were arguing about what the f*** he was on about - when a lad (German? Italian?) Started shouting "MAFIA!! MAFIA!!" - Don't Pay!! Don't Pay!! We have valid tickets - STAND UP TO THEM!! He then shouted some swear words at the mafia robbing c*** - who then said "Fine!! Fine!! You all (Pointing to the lad, us and some random other lad) "Don't pay! Is fine" - We all said "ER.. Ok.." He then said "You get off train - next stop - wait for 07:30 train.. f*** me. What a c***. We hurridly distanced ourselves from said German lad - and with the help from a Greek girl next to me - we paid our blood money to this b******s prostitute fund. The next stop appeared and a shower of local greek police (Obviously in on the corruption) lashed the German lad off - who didn't go willingly and the way he shouted when the train left led us to believe he may have been arrested. The rest of the trip was a f***ing nightmare. Woken up periodically by el nutter and his mate - we didn't get any sleep - this had been a long, long day.

 

Eventually the sun peeked its way above the shadow of night and we against all odds pulled into Athens station. I personally couldn't believe we'd actually made it - and tiredness was giving everything a bit of a surreal shine. We jumped into a cab and with few words headed to the hotel. Getting there we crashed. Four hours kip for me and I was at Styg thingy square - got talking to a girl and her mum in the hotel who said thats where everyone was! Phoned Will while there and thats where they were. Result! We had a great singsong with all the YNWA and RAWK lot and much ale was consumed - few bad things like the banners getting pissed on - but apart from the rain - was excellent. Maddest thing of the day when some lad worse for wear finally fell asleep and dropped backward into a pool of piss with his head! Ewww..

 

We made our way after that via the Metro and although packed there was a party atmosphere and many Reds were singing loudly - with many Reds and Greeks outside waving and shouting at us as we passed each station and crossing. As we'd got there early we didn't see the later problems - but the ticket 'checking' was farcial - we made our way into the ground and spent the next 2 1/2 hours on my injured knee wobbling around on a plastic chair - it wasn't to be - but for some reason I didn't feel too bad. As we left the stadium - we were shaking all the Italian fans hands and saying "Well done" - they were shaking our hands and commenting on our amazing support.

 

I travelled back on the Metro with Wayne and his mate Chris and we soon found our way back to Styg thingy square - where some of the YNWA and RAWK lot were present. I had a few ales then queued for 40 minutes to get a dodgy barely cooked kebab and brought a few of them back for the hungry masses. Another can or two and I got back to the hotel - having a great (broken) chat with an Olympicakos fan - who said after that day Liverpool was his second favourite team. Big Wayne made it in a bit later (about 4 am) after a Chinese and we got our heads down.

 

About 13:00 the next day - Thursday (First real sleep since Sunday) we headed to the airport and managed to book our first class seats back - f***ing brilliant - we had several cans of ale in a little place outside the station while the thunderous rain cascaded down. A couple of games of chess later - Andy 2-0 up! Hurrah! We got on on the train to Thessalonika (About 7 or 8 hours?!) and found out we could not only not book first class - but it was a second class train. When we finally boarded - 2nd class didn't do it justice - the toilet on there made the one from trainspotting look like the ritz - we, however, did have our own carriage and took turns sleeping - the journey was uneventful and we in due course found ourself back at Sofia station. It was raining. Hard. We found some guy in a dodgy transit to get us back to the airport and he did so - it was leaking like f*** and just about ploughing through the 2 foot of water all around and at one stage the guy was clicking his fingers to a local tune beaming at me - with his eyes off the road and his hands off the wheel - but we didn't die - which is a bonus. From there we had a 7 hour wait for the plane in a suprisingly clean and lovely Terminal 2 at Sofia airport - this we duly got and I got my head down all the way - briefly waking up for some food! I had another 8 hours to wait - so Wayne got the early train and I had a few bevvies - eventually hooking up with Will for a couple. Got the train back to Liverpool OK and a Taxi back to Allerton - bit tired but still buzzed about the trip - The way we showed as fans the support for Milan - like no other team in the world made it for me - we had problems - but I still think overall given the lack of problems all over - we did the club proud.

 

Was a good trip with Wayne and his mate is a sound fella also.

Edited May 28, 2007 by Andy @ Allerton

[Behind Enemy Lines]

10 words or less?

[Paul B]

Andy bad knee won at chess some trains Liverpool lost.

[Behind Enemy Lines]

Andy bad knee won at chess some trains Liverpool lost.

thanks

[Boca]

but it was a second class train. When we finally boarded - 2nd class didn't do it justice - the toilet on there made the one from trainspotting look like the ritz - we, however, did have our own carriage and took turns sleeping - the journey was uneventful and we in due course found ourself back at Sofia station.

 

Why did you have to take turns sleeping? Were one of you driving the train?

[Will]

Why did you have to take turns sleeping? Were one of you driving the train?

Presumably due to their over-worked sex drives and general levels of gorgeousness

[jon_hall]

Will, does the boss know you drink at work?