1st-2nd July 2017

I’m going further West. The trains are getting better. I like this.

Thanks to a gregarious gentleman inspecting the tickets, who seemingly had a bit of a thing for me, I got upgraded to a single person cabin with free drink and food. He was a really sweet man, who seemed delighted every time I said please and thank you as if no other passenger had uttered those few word in months.

Although in relative luxury, with the motion of the train it was still hard to fall asleep. So, instead, I caught up on the editing of my book, 77 Kind Acts and read some more of Homo Deus. The cabin even had an electrical point! In honesty, I think part of me wanted to stay awake just to appreciate the aforementioned luxury

Nevertheless, eventually I fell asleep and eventually I arrived.

This is what I found.

Yes. It is that picturesque. Yes. There are that many filters on the photos. No. It did not look that sunny on the day.

I explored the city will a lovely man called Elie. He’s French! I tell him I’m on my way to French school before butchering a few phrases of French. It’s good that I’m going to school, he tells me.

So it is. So. It. Is.

Unfortunately, one of the great guys I met in Antarctica already has plans tonight. It’s a shame because I’m only here for one night. It’s OK. Can’t win ‘em all every time.

By the time I get on the train to France I really am starting to feel nervous. Nervous about embarrassing myself. Nervous about embarrassing myself. Nervous about not knowing what to say and repeating myself. It seems my nerves are well placed.

Still, this is outweighed by the desire to be able to dream in French. I can only describe it as being a superhero power that I feel I actually be able to achieve.

Here’s to dreaming.