The ups and downs of travelling

With travelling often comes mixed emotions. The one moment you get it right, the next you get it sooooo wrong. Especially in Italy. The one moment you come across the friendliest person ever who helps you get onto the right bus, the next moment someone complains loudly because your backpack (in this case I only had my small one with me) is taking up too much space. The one moment you figure out the route to the Colosseum, the next you get lost on your way to the Pantheon.

When I left Milan to go to Cinque Terre on the Italian Riviera I was so impressed with myself for getting onto the right train (even though the train ticket and all the signs were in Italian only). Moments later, however, our whole compartment were up in arms, talking to each other, and although I couldn't understand a word, I knew from the tone of their voices and the looks on their faces that something was wrong. And guess who was the culprit? Me, of course. Apparently I sat on a seat that was already booked by someone else.

So, the wardrobe on my back and I moved to a small fold-out chair in the narrow corridor next to the cabins. The only thing I wanted to do at that stage was shout, "It's summer and winter clothes for four months, so no, I couldn't bring a smaller backpack!"

But I just kept quiet and pretended as if nothing in the world could bother me.

When I arrived at the hostel a few hours later, the owner was sleeping on a couch at reception, not wearing a shirt, legs wide open, snoring away. Needless to say, I didn't have much hope for the time I was going to spend in Cinque Terre.

It could only get better after that, and it did. A hiking trail and railway line connect the five villages in Cinque Terre. I did the walk between Riomoggiore and Manarola, then took the train to Corniglia, did the hiking trail to Vernazza and then took a train to the last village, Monterosso.

I would, however, recommend not going to Italy in the middle of August - it's boiling hot and the streets are packed with tourists. I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more if I went in spring or autumn.

• See for yourself what Cinque Terre looks like by watching this video. I pronounced Cinque Terre completely wrong twice. Maybe it's a case of third time lucky.

Boats lined up in Riomaggiore in the late afternoon.

Tiles in all shapes, sizes and colours in a tunnel on the way to Riomaggiore's beach.

Colourful houses in Riomaggiore.

"What are all these tourists doing in my village?"

Relaxing after a long train ride.

Yes, pasta in Italy is as good as they say it is. I had gnocchi with Gorgonzola cream sauce for lunch in Riomaggiore.