Edited 20.07.2021.
I slept 4 hours. I needed more time than expected to clean up my space in my parents’ house and to pack, which I finished around midnight. Then I spent 2h30 answering messages, saying goodbye to friends and share the link to my blog. I realised how, even if I was using my phone a lot in general, my discipline in answering messages promptly really varied from one friendship to another. After about two hours on my screen, at 2 o’clock in the morning, I had nausea and my eyes were burning. You are all worth it, my friends 🙂
Train ride
So this is it! I am ready to go! Time to kiss my parents goodbye. As I do it, the thought of not knowing when I’ll see them again floats through me. Or even if I’ll ever see them again. You never know what could happen while I’m away. A small reminder that life is precious and could end any second.
My beautiful mum drives me to the train station while my dad takes some last pictures of us. She hugs me goodbye. I can feel some emotions in her, just under the surface. I have never spent so much time with her during adulthood as in the past 4 months. And now I’m leaving for an undefined period.
Man is my backpack heavy! I can feel my right hip aching under the load. I weighed the bag at 22 kg this morning. I lay it on the ground near the track to unload my joints, waiting for my train to come on that cool, greyish morning. Once on the train, I observe the clouds hanging low on the sides of the Jura hills, covered with dark green trees. There is a mystical atmosphere in the air. I am feeling a mix of excitement and serenity.
At Meroux, France, I have to change trains. I notice an interesting thing while entering the train station. A few men are standing beside a mini-van near the entrance. One of them is wearing a bulletproof jacket but doesn’t seem to have any uniform. Some minutes later on the TGV platform, I realise that it is a discrete prisoner transport. A man dressed in a leather jacket has his hands handcuffed in his back and is being escorted by three men. I doubt any other passenger noticed them, as they are dressed casually and behave very calmly. What did the prisoner do? What is his story? I have no clue where they got out of the train.
Cruising at over 300 km/h, I start napping while listening to the CD of Thierry Bleton I won at a raffle at the Hangaout festival just 3 days before. His song Light Tunnel gives me goosebumps for its beauty. The way he plays with dynamics and the space between the notes surrounded by a beautiful melody is mesmerising. I am feeling tired, yet relaxed and very happy.
Arriving at a new place
A lady asks me: “Are you looking for a youth hostel?” My backpack might have given her a hint. She nicely escorts me to the nearest place while we share a friendly conversation. Unfortunately, the hostel is closed. It has been taken over by the city and turned into a Covid isolation centre. I see big bio-hazard signs on the doors which aren’t quite inviting.
Eventually, I find my way to the next tram station, ride a few minutes to the tourist office and get an address of where I might find myself a bed. I am staying two nights at the Central Hostel in the city centre of Bordeaux.
Tonight, France is playing against Portugal and I’m happy to watch the game surrounded by French fans and in an electric atmosphere!
