A Train Robbery with a Happy Ending

We arranged to meet at the Jindřichův Hradec railway station. What makes it interesting is that in addition to regular trains, narrow-gauge trains are also dispatched from it along a track that starts here. This track was preserved in operation thanks to enthusiastic railway fans and today serves not only as a tourist attraction but still fulfils its function as a means of transport for people living in the area. A special train consisting of historic carriages and a beautiful steam locomotive designated U 37.0 was prepared for us at the station, which worked just as well as when it was manufactured 116 years ago.

After being welcomed by the Vice-Chairman of the Czech Hemophilia Society Martin Bohůn and representatives of the sponsor, Novo Nordisk, we could finally board the train and set off full steam ahead in line with this year's slogan. Refreshments were already prepared for us in the dining car during the journey. We were also accompanied throughout the trip by a lovely female conductor who told us about the history of the Jindřichův Hradec narrow-gauge railways and the places we were passing through.

The first stop was Kunžak-Lomy, where however a band of armed bandits was lying in wait for the train. They chased all passengers out of the train and pulled Vojta Horník from our midst, first tying him to a post. Then they untied him and dragged him out of our sight tied to a horse. After a while, however, Vojta returned - and to our surprise, he was already riding the horse himself. After his heroic feat, the children got the opportunity to ride the tamed bandits' horses as well. All of them enthusiastically took advantage of this.

After this stop, we boarded the train again and headed towards our final destination, Hůrky station. On the way, we saw the famous Kaproun station, where in 1900 a regrettable incident occurred - insensitive train staff carried out a so-called detrainization (forcible removal from a train) of the national polymath Jára Cimrman, when he was travelling from Vienna to Prague without a valid ticket. A monument has been erected on the spot to commemorate this event, depicting the master right after being thrown from the train.

Around one o'clock we arrived at our final station. Food and a tapped barrel of beer were already waiting for us there, which despite our persistent efforts we failed to empty before departure. For children and playful adults, a fairy-tale trail through the forest was prepared on site, during which participants completed various tasks and collected stamps. The inflatable bouncy castle was also a great hit with the younger participants. Those who were not playing or eating at the moment could engage in creative activities. Each participant received a T-shirt with a printed train and felt-tip pens in the package they received at registration, with which everyone could colour it according to their imagination.

At four o'clock we all boarded the train that had been waiting for us at the station the whole time and set off on the return journey. This one went faster, but there was a small surprise waiting for us here too. For completing a questionnaire, each passenger was awarded a gold medal. So when we arrived back in Jindřichův Hradec, we all rightly felt like winners.

We would like to thank all the organizers and the company Novo Nordisk, without whose support this event could not have taken place. We are very glad that these events are held, where everyone not only has a good time but also gets the opportunity to share their experiences of living with a blood clotting disorder. We hope that other members of our organizations feel the same way and we look forward to meeting them, for example at the rehabilitation retreat for adults in Lednice or at the children's camp, which this year will be held for the first time in the Vysočina region.

Text: Anastassiya and Martin Zidkovi**Photo: **Monika and Zdenek Vojkůvkovi, Kačka Kuráková, Renata Lacinová