Patiently sitting in a large room with benches, chairs and screaming children running around making blowing up souds, boinks, zoinks, slams, bams, and other noises found in what I would soon call Hell´s Waitingroom. And It was. Amid the overabundance of gameboys, girls sitting patiently, boys playfighting and screaming, an older woman and an older man who I soon realized were the unfortunate souls coordinating this trip full of 3rd and 4th grade brats held their head in their hands and I only a mere passer by could feel their onus. The room was soon quiet as the group of about 20 or so people left and waited out by their trainsto, leaving john and myself alone in the glory of peace and quiet. It was only soon after that we were summoned to our train platform. John, leading the way, walked straight onto the train without paying too much attention to the cars, except to make sure that we were on the right train because the two of us knew that the trains would be splitting up later on in the evening. We ventured through too much of the train, with myself periodically stopping to rest my arm which was carrying my pack in a duffel bag.

After stopping by the quaint, small room with six neatly arranged bunks, two men made their way into our room past the mexican couple which was also staying with us in the sleeper car.

¨Ahhh Shit...¨the two words sounded almost like heaven as John and myself would have a chance to speak english to people other than ourselves. We never caught his name unfortunately. Although we knew that he was a recent graduate from san diego state university with a major in finance and was preparing to become an insurance broker. His friend, also a major in finance (we presume the two met at san diego state) was preparing to become a bonds trader. The four of us sat outside in the train car with other young travellers such as ourselves (with john and i being the youngest ofcourse) and shared in discourse with one another. For this moement, each travellers story crossed paths with one another. I suppose we didnt really need to find out names and phone numbers and the such... we just wanted to know a little bit of what it was like to be each other, and where we would all be after our parting in Barcelona. Thus far, My life and John´s life have intersected with the lives of many young travellers. Between the british guys we met on our way to barcelona from madrid, the girls from phoenix, guys we have met on the train from madrid, and girls we have met over by the ATM machine who were taking a day trip to Port Bou (which isnt all that great by the way), we have met great people who we will know for a second, and then vanish into thin air.

The two finance majors hung on our every word. From the winding streets, exotic firedancers, and fabulous bars and clubs, to the stunning landscape which may remind some of a 1st world paradise, both men ate it up and were ready to jump off of the train and spend some of their time in one of the greatest cities we have visited thus far on our trip. After talking about previous travels, talk about school, politics, sports, and future travels arose as if the four of us knew each other a long time and were going to know each other tomorrow and the day after. Slowly but surely, the train started to fall asleep at around 10:45, and soon both men suggested that the four of us go to sleep now.

We climbed into our bunks, deftly engaging in slumber amid the sempeternal night which would later be torn apart by a young child´s outcry for his papa.