Note: These posts are from my post-graduate Europe/Eurail trip in the Spring of 1987. What happens in Europe ….
Monday, April 6, 1987
“Fortunately, I was able to leave Barcelona today and make my way to Italia. As it turned out, my French visa was good for two entries into France, one of which I used on my way to Madrid, and the other today. So right now (ca. 8:10pm: or 20:10), I am on a northwest-bound train to Nice, France. ‘Preciate it! I arrive in Marseilles at 23:10 and from there I will jump on a train to Nice for sun, sand, and topless women. Yeah! I definitely need some more sun. I think I will use Nice as my base and venture to Monte Carlo and St. Tropez during the day. My plan is to run into Princess Stephanie, lay out on the beach with her and maybe kick back on her yacht, wine and dine her, and then marry her and live on. If this doesn’t work, I’m sure there will be plenty other tasty treats struttin’ around. Should be in Rome by Thursday morning. Thank ya!
Tuesday, April 7, 1987
Well, the Riviera didn’t work out like I thought. Went to Nice, and the weather was very overcast and fairly cold. I made up my mind that I would go to Rome on Wednesday unless Wednesday proved warm and sunny. Since the youth hostel didn’t open until 6:00pm (18:00), I wandered around Nice until I took the bus up the mountain to the hostel. Nice view but out of the way. Ca. 6:30 I was told by the girl at the hostel that I could not stay there because I didn’t have a youth hostel card. I couldn’t believe it! I explained to her that no hostel I had been to had required a card, but there was no reasoning with this idiot. She couldn’t give me any good reason. I walked out and walked down the mt. to the train station, which took over an hour. Needless to say, I was pretty fed up and angry, so I decided I would go to Paris or anywhere rather than sleep another night in a train station. I missed trains to Paris and Rome, and so ca. 8:30-8:45 I jumped a train to Geneva, Switzerland just to have a place to sleep.
