Train to Ljubljana

The scene on the Venezia line: blankets, socks, water bottles, jackets, a guidebook sitting on an empty seat, sandwiches wrapped in paper, bottle of beer, limp duffel bag, crammed suitcases, woman gets up and walks into the next car, returns to grab a small bag and leaves again, train eases into a nameless station with one dim lamp glowing, then accelerates on into the night. Train stops for a while, engine shuts down, border guards work their way down the aisle, pistol strapped to belt, checking passports, asking questions, stamping passports and moving on while another is checking behind each of the ceiling panels, moving his stepladder a few feet at a time until he's done with our car and on to the next. Eventually, the train moves on into Croatia. In Zagreb: many people grabbing handfuls of duffels and dispersing out into the orange glow of the station dock. Those of us left on board spread out into the empty seats... lights go out, scarves and jackets pulled over faces, train moves on into the night. Another stop, a new set of border guards in a new shade of blue uniform, new set of questions, another stamp. The train eases forward another three hours to Ljubljana...