What Could Happen to You but Happened to Me

A gas station, highway, roadside supermarket, café, modern train station and farm market composed the picture of Rapsani train station. Something doesn’t work – and I flipped drawn and scanned map upside down.
My goal - conference in Leptokaria, Greece.

According to my estimations I should have reached the destination point half of an hour ago, just like it was indicated on the ticket. The arrival deadline alarmed that nobody was waiting for me anymore; my timer was minus 15 min.
Plan # 1. Ask how far the desired Leptokaria is, inform the organizers about my delay; hitchhike and get to the place whatever happens. Result: epic failure. Due to my Greek appearance (discovered at the place) the drivers stopped, but hearing my gibberish English - just shrug their shoulders.
Plan # 2. Call a cab and even if it cost me all money I have it will take to me the damn Leptokaria. Result: epic failure. Not a single taxi driver wants to go to the back of beyond.
Plan # 3. Take one of the buses going to Thessaloniki and get off next to Leptokaria. Result: epic failure. Just that day there were 2 buses scheduled and guess - not to the place I needed.
Plan # 4. Run across the highway to the café, snack, relax, think of good. Result: it was cool to look like a local.
Plan # 5. Grab my luggage; get back to the rail tracks; as soon as I see the train to make a sign with the hand (as if catching a cab); get on the train; done. I think only Greece has taxi-trains. They consist of 2-3 carriages that collect those, who were late, missed the stop, misunderstood the schedule etc. Additional travel costs were €2,5 and 27 minutes of retelling my story to idlers.

My story is a routine for many travelers here. Remember, when you ask the conductor to notify you about the Leptokaria station at 12.05 p.m. stick to 1 criterion. Otherwise, you have a chance to get off at 12.05 p.m. in Rapsani or whenever in Leptokaria. As the local train schedule is very much dependent on the motorman’s mood.