The Journey

 

Click image to enlarge.

(Colour coded each journey by date. Note atrocious trips, those where lessons were learnt, marked in dark grey as well as brown.)

Day 66 - Passportless in Paris

It's almost as though the universe read my last post and decided to pull out all the stops.

I say "almost", because this is not the universe's fault but my own, but the universe is an easier entity to blame - it doesn't tend to defend itself very vocally.

So yeah, it so happens that on my TGV from Frankfurt to Paris (during which I enjoyed stimulating conversation with Mark, the Canadian fellow seated next to me) I left my little document holder containing my passport, plane tickets, eurail pass and travel insurance information. It even had some mini matches that I had bought for my sisters from Salzburg, I had placed them there thinking, "they'll be safe here, I definitely won't lose this."

I've become very familiar with the staff in Paris Est's lost and found department, as well as the Australian Embassy (lovely place). After establishing that the passport could not be found (the cleaning staff didn't find it in the TGV apparently and the station where it went afterwards didn't find it either), I went about applying for an emergency passport. By this stage I had already missed my 10:30am plane to the USA, but I had cancelled it prior to take-off in the hope that I could re-schedule it for another day. Once I had my emergency passport I made my way to the US embassy to plea my case, thinking (naïvely) that I could stroll into it the same way I had strolled into the Aussie one, and have a chat to one of the staff members.

Apparently, this is not the case. In order to enter the embassy you need an appointment. In order to make an appointment you need to make a phone call. The phone call will cost you (before even making your appointment or asking any questions) €15. Following this appointment you may be eligible for a visa application. I didn't find out how much this cost, but I imagine it would be exorbitant. Once you've lodged your application it can take weeks to be approved.. so in the end, it didn't look feasible. I was very disappointed.

I hadn't slept in a few days either, one thing having led to another, so resilience was at an all-time low.

But, it doesn't matter. Quoth Mirjam, it can't be changed now, so I'd be better off looking forward and making the best of things, which I intend to do.

At least I can get back to Australia, at least my parents were able to lend me money, at least I am still alive and well. Some might say you know you're scraping the barrel of optimism when you revert to being thankful for your health, but I genuinely am.

Things don't always go to plan ("nothing happens the way you think"), in fact it's more interesting when they don't. Some of my favourite experiences have been impromptu, and everything from tomorrow onwards is going to be pretty impromptu !

:)

Lesson 2: How To Survive A French Strike

Gare de Dijon-Ville.

In case of "La Grève Française", the best course of action is a swift departure from France. Preferably this should be done prior to the commencement of the strike, but if no notice is given or if you fall ill will salmonellosis, then you will have to follow the following instructions:

1. Arrange a destination for your exile. Call them and let them know you're on your way, that you'll be leaving first thing tomorrow morning. If your chosen destination is only a few hundred kilometres away, inform your hosts that you should arrive the following evening. If, however, you're attempting to travel to the far north of Germany, to the Danish border.. then you should still make it the following evening..? Surely it won't take longer than 15 hours to get there ?

2. Go to the train station first thing Friday morning and try to leave Dijon. There won't be any trains operating that day, but at least they can inform you of the first train out the following morning, at 7:30. Don't try to make a reservation as they'll be blocked due to strike action. Instead just have the ticket window attendant promise you that the trains listed will in fact be running, and that you'll be in Kiel by 9:30pm on Saturday.

3. The next morning, it would be very unhelpful if you were to forget your luggage straps at the house and only realise when you get out at the train station. Avoid doing this. Otherwise, your first train will depart without any problems, and you'll be glad. 

4. 8am: When you arrive at Besançon, remain calm as you discover that all departing trains have been cancelled for the morning. Speak courteously to the gentleman at the information window, who informs you that you're not the only one wanting to get to Strasbourg, and that he'll see what he can do.

5. Make friends with Megan, a girl from California, as she is also needing to get to Germany. It's with her that you'll spend the next 4 hours, as you wait for the replacement train, and she will be lovely company.

6. In the time you have, go to the ticket window to enquire about connecting trains in Germany. Amazingly, the french lady will issue you with a new itinerary, one that sees you arriving in Kiel only one hour later than originally planned, despite the extra 4 hours waiting, no high speed trains and twice as many changes. This will surprise you, as it should. You may even feel a sense of foreboding. You should.

7. 12:30pm: Hop on the overcrowded train for Belfort, where you change for Mulhousse, where you eventually change for Strasbourg. You should arrive there at 3:40pm as planned.

Note: It's at about this time that you should have a look at a map and cross-reference it with your itinerary, just to be sure that there have been no mistakes made.

If you didn't look at a map, the following list of instructions apply to you:

 Gare de Strasbourg.

8. Hop on the same train as Megan for Stuttgart, as indicated by your itinerary.

9. 7:20pm: Board the train at Stuttgart bound for Esslingen, as indicated by your itinerary.

10. 7:30pm: At Esslingen your itinerary indicates that you must wait for 2 hours before boarding a train for Eutin, which, according to your itinerary, is only 7 minutes away. Wait for half an hour before deciding to check at which platform your train for Eutin arrives.

11. When you realise your train for Eutin doesn't exist, seek help from a passer-by named Mirjam. She's never heard of Eutin, but if it's only 7 minutes away then surely a taxi would be fairly inexpensive.

12. When the taxi driver says he's never heard of Eutin, as well as the other members of the public who are waiting for taxis, explain to him that you need to get to Kiel.

13. The taxi driver and the other folks nearby will begin to laugh at you, and Mirjam will look concerned, and you are right to be worried. The taxi driver says to you "Do you know where is Kiel ?" You will discover that it is 700km away from your present location.

14. It's now 8:15pm and you are on the verge of a mental breakdown. Mirjam saves you, though, with her amazing optimism. She tells you that you can't change anything now, so you may as well make the most of it. The wisdom in her words is irrefutable, so you pull yourself together. Mirjam will suggest that you accompany her back to Stuttgart station where you will surely be able to make another plan, which you should do.

15. When Mirjam leaves you at the information desk it is 8:45pm. Give her a CD as thanks, even though she will say she feels like a thief.

16. Acquire an itinerary for Kiel, being sure to double check that there are no errors in this one. Proceed to the ticket window to reserve a bed, as the only remaining trains are night trains.

17. The train at 10:20 will seem perfect, giving you 8 hours of sleep before your first change, and arriving in Kiel at 8:30am. Unfortunately, reservations close 2 hours before the departure of the train, so you won't be able to take this one. You will, therefore, be forced to reserve a bed on the 1:30am train, with a change every 3 hours. It means you will probably not sleep much tonight, but at least you still arrive at 10:30am.

7.50 for all this ! 

18. Phone your hosts in Kiel from a payphone and tell them the story thus far, and that they should expect you the following morning at 10:30. From here, proceed directly to McDonald's for some emotional eating.

19. It's at about 10:30pm that you should wearily walk into the only warm place in the station: a café.

20. Befriend the girl seated in front of you, and be very glad you did. Her name is Lisa Maria, she's from southern Germany and is en route to Paris to see her friend. She will be splendid company for the next few hours until the departure of your train. She will also teach you a few long German compound words including Donaudampfschifffahrtskapitänsmütze, which is the hat that the captain of a steam boat on the Danube river would wear.

21. It is largely due to her smiling face that you don't notice the passing hours, and that you remain cool when you hear that your train is delayed 30 minutes due to, believe it or not, German strike action. Yes, it seems that Stuttgart is the only train station in all of Germany where one could have had this problem, as there is a great controversy surrounding its redevelopment. Out the front of the station you can hear shouting and music and police sirens.

22. 1:30am: The staff at the train station will assure you that the delay will not affect your connection in Koblenz at 5am. Don't believe her, because at 5:10am you will be in Koblenz and your train for Kiel will be gone.

23. It is here in Koblenz, after 24 hours of travel and no sleep yet, that you will discover a stone of resilience within you that says, "so what ?"

24. Wait an hour for a train to Hamburg, where you know you can change for Kiel. Sleep solidly in your seat.

25. At 11:20am, board the train from Hamburg for Kiel.

26. At 12:36pm, disembark from the train and be overjoyed to see Kiel.

Even though you're here only 2 nights before you have to return to Paris.

So what ?

I still managed to busk in Kiel. It was very, very cold, though.

Day 54 - Doctor Dijon

Delicious but deadly

I seem to have contracted salmonellosis. The only likely culprit is the homemade sushi I ate a day before becoming decidedly unwell. Attached is the last known footage of said sushi. Maude, by a strange coincidence, suffered no such ailment.

In any case, I've otherwise enjoyed my return to Dijon. I managed all the same to play in the markets again, and sold another big stack of CD's, et alors je dois vous remercier de votre générosité :)

The coins earned that morning were used to pay for the visit to the doctor that afternoon.

My favourite spot in the markets

On Tuesday the French people will resume doing what they do best: going on strike. This means I either have to leave tomorrow or risk being stuck for up to several weeks. It's a concern. Needless to say, I am not well enough to be being too adventurous, so in all likelihood I'll be staying put. I suppose I'll just have to spend a bit more time at the markets.

:)

Journey Thus Far

Click image to enlarge.

Day 20 - Some Rest in Paris

It's been a quiet weekend here in Paris, I will surely return to do some busking. For the moment I've been enjoying the beautiful weather and the comfort of a good book outdoors. 
 
Off to Amsterdam tomorrow, to acquire new stories. 

On a side note, I've resolved to never text while driving ever again. Saw an horrific accident yesterday after a man who wasn't concentrating entirely on the task at hand veered slightly off the road and into a lamp post, stopping the car dead and flipping it onto its roof. No matter how much you hear about it, it's still shocking to see.   

Thus, moral: don't do it. 

Tim

Day 16 - Lingering in Lyon

Corner Rue St. Jean, Place de la Baleine

Ever since arriving in this beautiful town, I've been stunned by how decidedly pretty everything is. From the streets, to the parks, to the girls. I've done a fair amount of exploring these past few days, discovering all the various corners of the centre of town.

For the Wikipedia enthused: Lyon is a town about 470km South-East of Paris, and is the capital of the region of Rhône-Alpes, with a population of a bit under 500,000. It's the second largest metropolitan area in France (after Paris) and is considered to be the culinary capital of France. Its butcheries are numerous and of notable quality, and the best ice-cream parlour is Chez Nardone, where you can enjoy all your favourite flavours, such as Violet and Nutchocoblanc, for an unsurprising price.

My favourite part of the town has definitely been the Vieux Lyon, the old quarter. Its narrow cobblestone streets are studded with the occasional ancient cathedral, as well as large squares with traditional french cafés and crêperies. I did a bit of busking in these streets, most notably under a lamp post beside the cathedral of St. Jean.

A close second would be Le Parc de la Tête d'Or (Park of the Golden Head), an enormous and beautiful park, with a large lake and plenty of green. Most underwhelming is their "zoological garden". 'Nuff said.

Parc de la Tête d'Or

It was in this park that I established myself today, beneath the shade of a large tree, beside a path leading to the park's tall golden gates. I played to an enthusiastic crowd of young children and parents, who stopped by to listen. Some stayed for a song others stayed for an hour. 

Un grand merci à ceux qui ont pris un CD :) Merci, et merci encore.

After having played my last song in the park, I stopped and sat briefly in silence, with a cool wind blowing on my face. It's difficult to describe the sensation that filled me at this point, to have had my music recognised and appreciated to such a degree by complete strangers, but also, just to fully comprehend the place in which I found myself sitting.

It was a great wave of serenity. It was as though life had led me up the mountain, up the long and tortorous path, only to show me the view. And I was surprised by how far I had come. I was surprised by the height of the mountain, by how far I could see into the distance.

I would be lying to say that I had achieved what I came here to do, but my path is but newly forged. I feel that today was an important milestone in this journey.

And so, as the motto of Lyon says, "Avant, avant": "Onward, onward".

Tim

Day Eleven - Delightful Dijon

La Chouette

I arrived in Dijon on the 23rd, after a perilous day's journey (as outlined previously). It's been fantastic to re-discover this little town after four years, and it really is a wonderful place.

Dijon is the capital of the region of Burgundy, has just over 150,000 inhabitants and is famous for its mustard; as well as for the small stone owl (La Chouette) carved into the wall in one of the town's streets, which, when touched with the left hand, will bring you good luck. More fun facts can be found on Wikipedia.

The past few days here have been great, and have mainly consisted of relaxation and songwriting. Today, however, the weather permitted me to head down to the markets and play for a few hours.

Street where I played to a very generous market crowd

The atmosphere was fantastic, and the people very friendly. For those who purchased a CD today: un grand merci :) but otherwise the money dropped in my guitar case over the two hours will be more than enough to last me for the next week of my travels, where I head to Lyon, a town further South.

It's bizarre to be writing in English, as I've found myself slipping back entirely into French thoughts - which has been wonderful :)

Tomorrow is La Fête de la Vigne, a festival in the heart of Dijon, during which I will be able to enjoy musical groups invited from all proverbial corners of the globe. Should be a stack of fun.

Tomorrow afternoon I take the TGV to Lyon, where more adventure surely awaits :)

Lesson 1: How to catch the Eurostar from London to Paris

This is my luggage

1) Arrive at St. Pancras International with your embarrassing amount of luggage, and make your way, smiling, to the Eurostar ticket machine.

2) Do as you're instructed and insert the card you used to buy the tickets. It's a good thing you brought this, because you had no other use for it on your trip.

3) Wait patiently, as per the machine's instructions, until you're informed that your card cannot be read.

4) Grumble inaudibly and glance at the clock. Fortunately, you still have 40 minutes until the departure of your train, so make your way, cheerfully, to the Eurostar ticket office on the other side of the station.

5) Line up in the snaking queue and eventually speak to a nice Frenchman named Victor. Explain yourself to him and smile graciously as he promises you to sort everything out for you.

6) Wait patiently as he scours his computer, making frequent glances at your booking reference number. About 10 minutes later, allow your smile to fade as he explains that he cannot help you, and that the "Order Reference Number" that you have printed out is not the correct one, and that you should have found the other one on another part of the website.

7) Try not to be too argumentative as he tells you that you need to go to an internet café somewhere outside, on the streets of London, in order to access the website and retrieve your real order reference number. Victor will tell you that you can also telephone Rail Europe, but refrain from asking for their phone number, as his reply of "I cannot help you with that" will likely frustrate you, and you will have to resist the urge to swiftly dispatch him.

8) Leave the Eurostar ticketing office and begin walking aimlessly around the station. After a while, glance at the clock and make note of the fact that you only have half an hour before your train is due to leave. Approach a nearby salesman and ask for directions to the nearest payphone.

9) Refuse his attempts to sell you a new mobile phone, and explain that you simply need to make one call and could he please direct you to the nearest payphone. When he tells you that there are no payphones in the complex, and resumes his sales pitch, politely tell him to bugger off and begin walking away. At this point he will suddenly call after you "around the corner to the left."

Stairs are common in train stations

10) Follow these directions to the cluster of payphones and attempt to use the only broken one. When you discover that it is broken, curse quietly and move on to the next one.

11) Telephone the number listed as "free operator assistance" and discover that the only use for "free operator assistance" is to give you the number for "paid operator assistance". Dial this number.

12) Telephone the number given to you by the grumpy operator for Rail Europe, and prepare to be frustrated further, as this is the UK office, and the UK office doesn't keep records of Australian reference numbers, nor can they access their website or give you their phone number. When you impress upon the man named Pat the urgency of your plight, he will put you on hold for 5 minutes and return with the Australian office's phone number.

13) Telephone the Australian office of Rail Europe.

14) When you discover that the Australian office is closed, swear loudly, ignoring the looks of passers-by.

15) Forget your change in the payphone and go back to the Eurostar ticket office, taking note that there remains only 15 minutes before the train departs.

Narrrrrg.

16) Approach the nearest employee and collapse in a heap, begging him to help you.

17) From here, your journey becomes much easier. The employee you approached is the manager of the office, and he pulls out all the stops to ensure you make it to your train. He ignores the fact that your order reference number doesn't correspond to Eurostar's reference number, and rather is concerned with the fact that if you miss this train you will also miss your connection in Paris.

18) Follow this man as he ushers you through customs, puts you ahead of queues and helps you put your bags on to the scanner.

19) As the wonderful man wishes you well for your journey, draw from your pocket your last remaining 10 pound note and wearily extend it to him. Watch as he smiles and says simply, "Give it to charity", turning around and disappearing around the corner surrounded by an angelic glow.

20) Having resolved yourself to the fact that you just had a brief encounter with Jesus of the train station, board the train as the final whistle is blown.

21) Upon being presented with your brunch menu, immediately congratulate yourself on having chosen to travel first class.

22) Travel in comfort to Paris, where a whole new world of trouble awaits you as you try and make your connecting train.

NOTE: While travelling under the English channel, avoid making obscure references to the Disney song "Under the Sea" to the gorgeous French stewardess on the train. She will not find your genius allusions amusing and will ignore you for the remainder of your journey.