old tiger's Blog

So..february 1975....i got a letter from India..
Ruby invited me to visit her in Jaipur(Rajasthan)
she was teaching there as a lecturer on the Univ..
I wrote back..I would come over by august..
but I left in june..returned I guess in february 1976..
I did another itinerary towards Switserland-Italy+Greece..
the traject Istanbul(Turkey)New Delhi..was the same..
in India..I did very extensive travelling through Rajasthan..
also made a trip to South India=Tamil Nadu+Kerala=lovely..
so..between february-june..I was trying to earn some money..
and I had some money on saving(bank)which I could touch..
I will tell you all about this last trip..as a bachelor..
7 months away..after that..got married..but..
we still travelled..to Tsjechia...Poland..Malta...Hungary..
the U.S.A..Iceland..Norway..India..Senegal..Gambia..
I always liked to talk to travellers..they know..
inside themselves..travelling..is a lesson for life..
it's different then sitting behind your computer..
words are words..they are either good..or bad..
it's easy to judge..but on the road..
people don't judge a book by its cover alone..
Tiger

Paris..is always a nice place..
february in this place..is without tourists..
one gets to know Paris better that way,I guess..
I went into the quartier latin..lots of students..
nice pubs,restaurants..but..i did not have the money..
I booked a seat on a train from Paris..gare du Nord..
towards Brussels Central..and thanks to Cathy..
i reached Belgium again..i did not even have the guts..
to hitch a ride towards my home place..i was tired..
the winter weather cold..got into me...
I took a straight train to Antwerp...and my home place...
my Dad,brother and aunt..were glad I came back home..
but 16th of june..I was back on the road..to India overland..
I don't know..if I'm going to continue telling you all..
I might..we'll see about that..this journal..is a flashback for me..
thank you all..for taking the trouble..to read my adventure tales..
tiger

so..Chalons sur Saone..there I was..broke..
few pennies in my pocket..to tell you all honestly..
it's a very scary feeling..it was winter...
still more the 300kms..to go to Paris..
I was paranoid..about not making it in 1 day..
got a ride to Dijon..capital of Burgundy...
wine..mustard even..but..I could not concentrate...
got another ride towards Auxerre..
damn..I froze my ass off..it was so bloody cold..
got finally to Paris..thank God...and went to Rue Oberkampf..
Cathy and Christian..helped me out..they were glad to see me..
and..I..was glad to see them..if you catch my drift??
I stayed 4 days in Paris..food..shelter...and warmth..
true friends..one recognizes..in time of need..
it was 1975..february..Woodstock mentality??
who will tell??do people still exist like that??
Cathy borrowed me 200FF=French francs..
to take a train to Brussels(Belgium)
my adventure was over...it was...a real adventure..
i can only talk about it now..here..on a screen.
but..it's brings back memories...which you peeps..
have not the slighest idea off??
tiger

so..I left North Africa..ferry crossing to Marseille..
took bit over 20 hours..smooth crossing..
Marseille was a busy town..it's in the Provence regio..
it was beginning february...and freezing cold..brrrrr..
went to the GPO=poste office...and oh..got my Dad's money..
about 25 U.S dollars..changed into FF=French francs..
got myself some baguette(bread)+camembert cheese..
I tried to hitch out of Marseille direction Avignon..
I recall I was freezing my ass off..and could not get a ride..
I decided to invest all the money I got..in a train ride..
as far north towards Paris as possible..went to railway station...
got myself a 2nd.class ticket up to Chalons sur Saone..
that's bit south of Beaune and Dijon..
the rest towards Paris..was still more then 300kms..
I was gonna be broke totally in Chalons..but I guessed..
I could survive 1 day..on some bread/cheese+coffee..
in Paris..Cathy was there..I was welcome there anyway..
I boarded that train..wooh..at least out of the freezing cold..
I reached Chalons sur Saone...and was in fact broke..
no money left..exept from some coins..I was gonna hitch..
a ride to Paris..I did not have any other choice anyway...
Tiger

Tunis..is a town around the sea..the gulf of Tunis..
and the Mediteranean sea give Tunis lots of character..
I always liked towns surrounded by water..Stockholm..waww..
the medina of Tunis is a maze of narrow streets..little bazaar
shops..around the big Mosque...which is very ancient..
no less then 3 souks are situated..each with different style
of goods..one can wander around..just enjoy a mint tea..
or explore carpets,parfums,herbs,henna,groceries,jewelry..
art etc..No need to explain it looked colourful..
since I had to stay 3 days in Tunis..
I took one whole day just walking these souks..
it's really bit tiresome..because touts and vendors..
well..the usual stuff..if they see a foreigner..they wanna sell..
i did have to be very carefull with money as well..
just eating the cheap food like couscous...no splurge..
i recall I was quite run down on day 1 in Tunis..
stayed in a hotel where some other U.K.foreigners were staying..
rather cheap..not that big luxury as well..a shower..does wonders..
second day..I visited the Mosque..never been a big fanatic..
about visting religiuous places...but..I had to kill my time..
the Mosque interior was typical Maghreb styled.
big inner courtyard..loveley decorations anyhow..
the actual prayer place was forbidden for non Muslims..
Tunis is full of Mosques..they are spread all over the town..
day 3...I visited the new part of town..beautiful art nouveau
and colonial style buildings..gates,gardens etc..
did lots of walking these 3 days..was gonna take that boat
to Marseille..and then move north to Paris..I was hoping.
i was gonna get that money from my Dad..
so..finally...my Africa adventure ended in Tunis..
it was one of the most adventurous things..
i ever did in my whole lifetime..in 1986...I went back..
to Africa..Senegal+Gambia..but more in style..plane etc...
I'll try to find a good link on Tunis town..
http://www.tourismtunisia.com/togo/tunis/tunis.html
crazy tiger..