This entry really isn’t about Nice at all. It’s a reflection on traveling.
Being alone, I’m always looking for familiarity and some sense of certainty. Nothing does this like language and accents. On the train out of Barcelona, I heard a couple of people talking about going to Nice, my next destination. They were young, had backpacks, and spoke English, which was enough to make us friends. Given that we had to change trains several times to reach Nice, we stuck together so we would have a better chance of all ending up on the correct train. Even if ultimately you don’t really too much about the people you meet, it’s always nice to have company – to learn a bit about someone else and to share a bit of yourself. We had a nice lunch/dinner before our next train, and ended up running into a couple backpackers that they had met earlier in the day. As we walked thru the station, occasionally someone, hearing our English, would ask us if we were on our way to Nice if we knew where to go. It was in this way that eight of us travelers got onto the train. But as so often happens, we were all so excited to have company and we were all so confident in ourselves as a group, that we forgot to double-check which train we were getting on. It was only when the train started moving 15 minutes early that I asked the question, “Is anyone sure that we’re on the right train?” Nope, we weren’t.
Luckily, we were still headed in the right direction and were able to change trains with no loss, time or money wise. As it had turned out, several other travelers had followed us onto the train as well, making a grand total of a dozen bumbling tourists on the wrong train. It happens.
But eventually we got to Nice and went our separate ways. It’s a beautiful place and I wish I could stay here longer, but I’ve got to reach Rome tomorrow to stay on schedule. This is the problem of seeing so much so quickly. There are some amazing places that I barely get time for. Spending only one night in the French Riviera seems ridiculous, but is necessary. Ah well, I suppose it’s one of those reminders to just enjoy the journey as well as the destination.
