Digging upwards

I think I have finally begun to dig my way out a little. (Note post below.)

Where did I get the shovel to begin? With a trip to Italy and France. I think there's nothing like a little change of scenery to freshen up the eyes and give you motivation.

I hit the train station after a quick visit to my dad near Milan. One train into the city. A few hours wait, and then three more trains saw me into Nice.

From Milan I managed to lug my monster of an 18kg suitcase onto the train. There were no exceptionally good seats to accommodate me and the monster. I stand for awhile. An older man, presumably Italian, lets out an angry groan towards me. I'm assuming the train just whizzed by the stop he wanted. I said nothing for I didn't know what he said nor how to respond. After the next stop I decide to brave the blue doors and three steps up. I find myself a seat and don't care that the monster will be in the aisle. This train journey is two and a half hours after all. My swollen ankles from medication wouldn't last it standing.

The seat is so squashed that the young guy opposite me has his legs on the outside and mine are in between his, not touching of course. The guy's girlie, flowery backpack keeps resting on my knees while he hunches to read his book. He puts sunglasses on the odd time and has big white headphones. My guess is he's a poser...and a douche bag. TAKE YOUR GODDAMN BAG OFF MY KNEES! Yes that does mean that it has to rest against you stomach mister! I push my knees against the bag, he looks at me, I smile, he moves the bag slightly. It wasn't enough. I have to tell him to take his bag off me, he does, kind of. I will not be able to stick this for two hours. Oh help! He gets up. There IS a God.

My fourth train of the day has me get a lucky one-seater down a few steps. My heart stops as we go through a tunnel and the lights go off for a few seconds. I suddenly accustom my ears to the change in language. It's no longer 'pronto', 'ciao' and 'bello' but 'bonjour', 'excuse-moi' and 'beau.' I see people paddling on the Cote d'Azur. It's refreshing, especially for an early October day. I walk myself to my hotel and there it begins.

As I leave the hotel I have the feeling of freedom and independence. I don't think I've ever been alone in an unfamiliar city before, after all one usually goes holidaying with someone or a group. I don't know if it was just me or if Nice is easy to find your way around because my feet led me to the main areas and streets. I found the Vielle Ville and it's quaint narrow cobbled streets. I stumbled upon the most fantastic sight - a very elderly hunch-backed lady in high-wedged shoes, playing her violin on a street corner with her shabby music papers in front of her. The sight of her was definitely better than the playing though.

I wandered for ages in the mild evening air. The magic ran out a little as I tried to recite my knowledge of French in my head. "Je voudrais une table pour une s'il cous plait (pour favour was running through my head too). Eventually I settled on a restaurant for dinner, I think I was a bit scared at first because it would be my first dining solo experience in a restaurant. I went for beef ravioli nicoise style and was told by the waiter that the c is pronounced like an s.

Speaking French was hard enough. I spoke in hushed apologetic tones as my schooling in French finished eight years ago. I did try, I think it's a must to know general vocabulary in every country you go to. You need to show the locals that you are making the effort and not expecting them to speak in English all of them time for you.

Back at the hotel a man followed me to the door. He spoke French but exclaimed how he didn't know if my eyes were green or blue. I assured him they were blue. I don't know how he could have seen my eye colour from across the road in the dark in the beginning anyway. I eventually ran off with a "Bonsoir!" In my bedroom it took me ten minutes to realise that I was playing a Spanish tv channel while in France. Toutes langue dans ma tete!

I was pleased with the success of my day. I had managed to navigate my way from one country to another with many switch overs, use the French language, find my way around a new city, and dine out by myself. Things were starting to look up.