The Commute to Nice

I work up on time and headed out with plenty of time. I got to the train station early enough to actually catch an earlier train into Marseille. I enjoyed my chocolate croissant on my way to Marseille and enjoyed some beautiful views from the window. There was a horse farm, some castle-like outlooks from a really high wall looking thing, and what do you know…a field of lavender!! I guess I got to see my lavender in Aix after all. Don’t ask for pictures, it came and went too quickly. Anyway, it was an enjoyable ride and I got into Marseille with about an hour before my train to Nice.

Since I was so early, I thought it a good time to get some more of my trains situated. Now, I was going to wait, but why wait? I will be in Nice for less than 24 hours and I am not sure how long the lines will be, plus I had the time now. I grabbed a brie sandwich that was really a turkey sandwich and headed to the ticket office. I was able to get a print out from Nice to Florence with a woman who spoke no English (props to me). It wound up costing me about 13,00 in seat reservations (I really do not get these, I thought all those trains were regional, but with my lack of French and her nonexistence of English it was not worth trying to figure out (especially since I did not really care)).

I caught the train that I had anticipated taking (the earliest non TGV train) and was on my way to Nice. It was pretty uneventful, although there was a guy playing music. It was annoying at first but then faded into the background. Two girls were watching episodes of House on their laptop and the ride was good. Our first stop wsa at Toulon; some people got off a bunch got on. Three backpackers picked my car to ride in…and the seats in front of mine to sit in. This may have been good and a possibility to meet people but they REAKED! I mean I don’t know if they use vinegar to clean the sheets and towels at the hotel or what but this guy smelled like he bathed in the vinegar detergent. It was bad enough he was sitting in front of me but then he decided he needed something from his bag, which he had put over me. I spent the next five minutes breathing into my hat praying the smell would dissipate or that I would get used to it. For the most part, this happened when he sat down, although every now and again….I would get a whiff. Oh what a whiff it was!!

So I thought that this was bad until the old man sat next to me and the woman who smelled like smoke and sprayed a bunch of perfume over it behind me. Let’s just say by the end of the trip, I was happy to get off and BREATHE some FRESH air!!