France Articles

June 29, 2006

Nice is Nice BUT...

...I'm tired. I think it is about time for me to admit that things are not always so rosey when traveling. I have developed a habit of only sharing the good stuff...which is easy to do, since the majority of my travels have been super fantastic.

But here is some honesty -- four+ months on the road is starting to take its toll...the hostels, museums and streets are so much more crowded now. And the heat! It is unseasonably warm for Europe right now...I love warm weather, but it really wears you out when constantly on the go...I am ready to get rid of the backpack now...it is soooooo much easier to travel in off season, especially if you have already been on the road as long as I have. But of course, if I was in Nice in March, I would not have been able to lie on the beach today and walk around Old Town with a gelato for lunch. So I'm not complaining...just sharing how I'm feeling today.

I guess I got a little spoiled staying with family and friends a lot during the past month...this is my first youth hostel stay in a few weeks and it is a totally different vibe in summer, especially a beach town! I'm staying in a very popular youth hostel in Nice, with perks like free internet access, free towels, great food every night and a very social atmosphere. But with that comes drinking...and excessive drinking...which leads to puking sometimes. And a girl in my dorm room gave us all a gift about 2 am this morning. Fun stuff.

Considering how long Ive been traveling, it is a wonder it hasn't happened sooner. It's all part of the stories that make up this adventure, and I am still enjoying it all so much...but now with a much increased longing for home too...

About two weeks or so left, and all in Italy, which I know will be fantastic. And hopefully pukeless!

Hostels in Rome

by Kelly Amabile | # | Comments (0)

June 27, 2006

Finally going to see Nice

Ten years ago when I left Barcelona with my two friends, we stayed on the train for a ridiculously long time, skipped our scheduled stop in Nice and pushed on to Italia...so I never set foot on the Mediteranean coast of France. So I have decided to make a definite stop in the Cote d´Azur this time, to see it for myself...not just from the train window.

I just returned from the Estacion de Franca here in Barcelona where I booked reservations for the two trains that will take me to Nice. First a morning trip to Montpellier, then a second train to Nice. I´ll arrive by 7 pm tomorrow, and spend two nights.

I am way behind on my journal writing and hope the train ride tomorrow is smooth enough to let me catch up. I wounld´t mind if it rains, because if it is nice out, I will wish that I was lying on a beach instead. But when I tried to book a night train for tomorrow evening (Barcelona to Torino) it was more than my accommodation for two nights in Nice to book a first class reservation, which I thought was very odd...

But all is set now...and I´ll probably wind up sleeping on the train tomorrow since I am off to enjoy my last night in Spain...with some more football!!!

by Kelly Amabile | # | Comments (0)