There has been some commentary made to me to the effect that the purely expository narrative of mine grows dry and tiresome. In fact, I view it similarly. At times, I find it almost a chore to relate the pure events of my travels, devoid of their more emotional content. The question of course is then, why would I choose such a path of masochism? Here the answer is not immediately explicable. I would say, briefly, that I don't have a choice. It's something I find necessary and unavoidable. In other words, the feeling I have when I don't record (publicly [View Full Entry]

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So... where was I? Oh, yes, 2000m above sea level: Chamonix, in the French Alps. The Scene? Cold, wet, midnight upon me. With no place to sleep, I am forced to begin walking. If I don't move, I begin to shiver, horripilant; I can see my breath, yet I am dressed for August in Texas (or, I confess, at least North France). I make my way through the city, hoping to find a place to curl up. A construction site looks promising, but is too lighted. All the parks, where I would customarily choose to sleep, are precluded -- the ground [View Full Entry]

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I haven't been able to get online in ages. My camera is getting full, though, so I had to break down and get an hour. Since so much has happened since Reims, I will try to keep my narrative concise and unembellished. Everyone who knows me probably just laughed at that sentence. After fleeing from the crazy denizens of Reims (the roused ogre not having been the first Frenchman to scream curses at me in Reims), I returned myself to Paris to jump off to the South of France. Unfortunately, I had to sit around at my hostel waiting for my [View Full Entry]

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This is a true story: My hostel in Reims was, I'm sad to say, of lesser quality than the Champagne. In fact, it was more of a hospital than a hostel: there was no rousing party scene like in Paris, just hall after hall of nondescript, cheap, uncomfortable maladorous rooms. However, I was pleased to see when I approached the desk a price of €11.60 which probably can't be bested in all of France. I also noticed that you could rent out the beds for an entire month for just over €350. My room, it seems, was occupied by one of [View Full Entry]

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I have made my way to Reims, France. This is the capital of the Champagne region. Life is Beautiful when the Champagne is cheap, my friends. But hold -- first I must address my time in Paris: I recall the first moment I arrived in Antigua, Guatemala; I was so awed by the city that just walking through the streets filled me with an intoxicating joy: I felt like a giddy schoolgirl. I wanted to laugh at the sheer arbitrariness of my happiness. Paris gave me much the same feeling. The day after I arrived I sat down in a small [View Full Entry]

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I'm in London. 11:09AM here, 5:09AM at home. Jet Lag's a bitch. I only have five more minutes of computer time. Already I have managed to lose my bus ticket to France. If I don't have time to write more detailed or entertaining issues in this thing, it will be deleted. Oh I have some great pictures (I think). I'll have to upload them when I get to central London (I'm on the outskirts right now -- Heathrow airport -- an hour from where I need to go to salvage my trip to Paris). When I get there, I'll have some [View Full Entry]

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FLIGHT UPDATE: I am dropping AirHitch. I found a flight to London via Stockholm for $278 after taxes! I LEAVE AUGUST 8TH, 5:20 PM, from Newark, NJ. I went to the races in Saratoga yesterday, and succeeded in losing every bet I made while my mother proceeded to double her money over the course of the day by betting on the horse with the prettiest name. Hit "Full Text" for all pictures; these horses are absolutely beautiful. [View Full Entry]

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Boredom is setting in. I am ready to leave. The Airhitch program is so involved, so complicated; but hopefully I will get a flight for around $200 to London. I have pictures from the drive up here. Hit "Full Text" to see them. [View Full Entry]

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