Switzerland '06

Switzerland

Day 1 Thr 23 Mar 2006

I worked in the morning and then I got a lift to the railway station, and caught the train to London. Then it was a taxi to Waterloo. Check-in and security was the usual speedy Eurostar affair. People travel with too much stuff, I'm away for 10 days in total but by bringing the right type of clothes (quick drying), and not being afraid of washing some clothes in the hotel bathroom, I can get away with a small back pack. Dragging all this stuff with them must effect their "Quality of travel". The journey is part of the travel experience, and you can't enjoy it if you are sweating like a horse!

I'm going to be doing a lot of train travel over the next few days, for some people that would be a nightmare, but I'm looking forward to it! I'm in Seat 51 Coach 2, not a great seat as there is no window, but I have the back of the seat in front of me, so lots of leg room. I sat next to a russian lady, who sells half price Botox - Boy could she talk! She had a view on everything.

Flower vending machine

Got to Paris on time, and walked the few hundred metres from Gare du Nord to Gare de l'Est, which is a typical faded french railway station. There's a vending machine that sells fresh flowers, never seen that before. At 22:15 they let us on the train, the carriage is quite small, and I have a room mate Martin, who has been in Paris buying clothes for his family shop in Switzerland.