Well I'm now in a town west of Montpellier, France, called Nebian. What a big journey from Ortisei in the Dolomites. Caught a bus down to Bolzano (this time €13.00 for 3 of us - are these bus drivers on some kind of money-scrambling drugs). Then a train from Bolzano to Verona - easy just get on the next one that arrives (no reservation required for this one) - next one is an ES (Eurostar). OK: to the ticket office 'oh yes, you will need to pay a supplement of €4.20 each' (memories of Jono's stories about train travel came to mind). Went off to tell parents who had done a runner to the platform thinking you can buy the supplement there (which ticket office guy said you couldn't). Train guy says 'Yes, you need to buy a supplement... €6.70 each' - what the hell is going on here. Too much hassle, not enough time so we decided to wait for the next one when we didn't have to pay supplement. All Good. Get to Verona train station, where evidently there is the most expensive public toilets we've found at 0.70€ a pop). Actually Mum and I are getting quite good at scamming these - she pays & goes in and holds the exit button so the screen doors open & I dash through.

We had to wait on the platform for a couple of hours till our 1am train from Verona. Thinking 'cool, we'll suss out a cafe, maybe see a real-time Romeo & Juliet-type romance going on': Train station in the middle of nowhere. Nothing. And even Maccas shut at 11pm. OK - train platform it is again!!

On the train, found our carriage and bedded down. Weird sleep as being jostled around and I only had one of the seatbelts for the upper platform on, down near my feet. So I had visions of tumbling to a certain world of pain when the train driver put his foot down - and those trains can motor!!! Survived though to a morning where the train line goes along the coast and into the 'French Riviera' - right near the ocean (don't know where the River is???? :-)) Was a lovely view too - oh except for the little alcoves stuffed with nude (& often overweight) sunbathers.... AHHHH Summer in France he he.

The train carriage (took 4 sleeping)BUT - none of this till we passed the Italian-French border... and what would you imagine happens, yes a train delay! 'Bloody Trenitalia' I thought. And then we thought maybe it was the French saying 'you can only come in when we say so' - perhaps doing the ol' banging on the helmet routine a la Monty Python.....

So YES ALL - we missed our connecting train out of Nice for Montpellier!!! Add another 3.5 hours onto our already long-ish journey. But we got to see a little of Nice - had a croissant and coffee (of course) and Mum and I did another toilet scam (both getting away with only one lot of 0.20€ at the cafe - had to put money in a locking mechanism in the door to open the door). After refuelling, walked to the beach and promenade, more people beaching. And some particularly yobbish Aussies on the beach with their Australia flag towels (oh and a southern cross tat adorned one of the young men's chest). 5 mins later, 2 girls rock up with 2 cartons of champers & tallies proclaiming 'only cost us 50€ and we got lots of cups but'.

If this is you or someone you know - 'Hi, was great to see you there... on the beach... ahem'

Eventually got into Montpellier at around 6pm, all in all about 24hours of travelling :) was all good though, particularly the old Irish bloke who fell asleep and did a big snort - I immediately thought of your story, Marie & Feleki! Poor bloke had no one to defend him though :)

So now in small town of Nebian - 1 cafe, 1 tabac and a lovely church next door (surely destined to wake us with donging bells). Juliet cooked a lovely pasta and I'm now ready for bed :)
Au reviour (spelling??)