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Published: September 25th 2008
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Reflection
Train journey London - Paris LONDON-PARIS 04.09.08
EUROSTAR
Km travelled - 0
This is something we've already done. We feel quite confident. But when the train starts moving, that's when you realize. We're going away. That's no holiday, we'll come back to our lovely flat in Tufnell Park in a few days. That's all gone. This time is for good. We're jobless, homeless, you almost feel like naked. But we must admit it, for now at least, it feels great.
The train slips away slowly under the ... vault of St Pancras. Above it the gray quilt without which I could even think about London now. There's not much to see about the city outside, but for those who've never done this before, I recommend you try the wonderful experience of the Eurostar (no I don't work for them). I simply find marvelous passing from UK to France without even thinking about it, like going from Austria to Germany, from Spain to Portugal. The wonders of the EU!
Anyway, outside the window, running at light-speed (don't even try to look straight at something or the headache is going to be your best travel-mate), France looks gorgeous. Green and blue.
PARIS 04.09.08
km
Clouds
Train journey London - Paris travelled - 495
Here I got some advice for all of you. If you ever think about doing what we've done, take your time and travel light! But we like the excitement of not knowing if you'll be in time to catch your train, so we thought why not having some fun. Jokes apart the timing was good but running from Paris Gare du Nord to Paris Bercy, changing three underground trains, going up and down the underground stairs (this is a good point to tell you that Paris underground stations don't have escalators as far as I’ve seen) with a collection of backpacks and bags, we should admit was quite tiring.
But then here we are. I don't think I've ever seen a station that looked as sad as Paris Bercy. But good things you can't miss it when you get out from the tube station and once you get in you can't get lost. It's just a row of platforms in front of you ten meters from the entrance door, you pick the platform number and you go. For us it's been even easier because the train to Rome was the platform in front of the door
Shee
Start of her new travels we entered and even thou there's was a man shouting and calling the people for that train just there. Too easy.
PARIS-ROME 04.09.08-05.09.08
PALATINO
Now, I haven't been on a night train for a very long time, not to mention in a private cabin in 1st class, but my memory of it was one of the most exciting experiences of my childhood. For Michael is the first night on a train of his life. I’m sure it’s going to be the only time we have a cabin only for us so we’d better enjoy it! So, as Mike is addicted, why not watching something in bed?! So Louis Theroux documentaries have been the choice of the night! Outside is dark soon.
Around 7.00am we’re in Bologna. It’s dawn. There’s a pale pink light on the lonely row of platforms. Michael is sleeping in the upper bed and I can’t resist staring at the empty tracks. There’s no other train, only a voice filling the air with its announcements. I slept almost all night and everyone who knows me won’t be surprised! But here is when the best part comes. Sun is out and I can’t go back to
Paris Bercy
Train journey Paris - Rome sleep. As John Rayburn said “train window is like a TV without remote”, you just watch it. Between Bologna and Firenze there’s actually not much to see, it’s basically a long dark tunnel across the Appennini. But at least I got time to wake myself up properly and try to wake up Mike without him noticing it!
The last hours on the train are the best. Trenitalia amazed us with the unexpected breakfast comprising cappuccino, croissant and fruit juice. That was a real pleasure to taste looking outside at the hills of Tuscany. Finally I see my country outside the window, all the things I see in my mind every time I think about it. A slow shiny river, yellow fields, silver olive trees. The sky is blue and warm, the houses are orange. My nostrils can smell the perfume of the earth. Every time I can back I know what I miss about it.
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