Journeys by Paul

The Current Journey begins in late September in my home in North Hampton, NH, where I check available flights on American Airlines, and scour the internet for information on Nice, France, and the cost and availability of hotel rooms. I've never been to Nice, but the information I'm getting is that it is less expensive to visit than Paris, and still has a true atmosphere of France. I want to experience France; it's culture and it's people, and I'm not opposed to hanging out on a Mediterranean beach while I'm doing so. There, I will  plan my journey up through Provence, Grenoble, the Alps, and who knows where else.  This is that journey.

Sept 29, 2006

I'm heading to Nice, France on Oct 2nd. I plan to hang out for at least 4 nights there, as I have already made an online reservation at a hotel my mother and sister recommended. After that, I may take a train up along the western edge of the Alps to Strasbourg, France, then back over to Paris. This is just an initial plan, and is subject to change. I hope to be able to log onto this new website and install sound files and other files along the way. You can either just click on the sound files to play them, or you can right click on them, and store them onto your computer to listen to later (or to put onto your mp3 player). I've already uploaded one about Nice for your inspection. Review of Nice for the Rich & Famous (not me)

The narrator writes travel reviews for a living, and I think it will be a good contrast to the ones I hope to install. In this first file, the critic tells us that we must get a 'nice' hotel with a sauna, a gym, and a casino because he is there in January, and beach time will be at a minimum. His observations of the people there consist of them wearing designer sunglasses and fur coats. His idea of touring is to hire a car and driver and go to Monte Carlo, Monaco, Antibes and Cannes to see the huge houses and great casinos (don't forget the yachts that are really ships). Well, that's one perspective of touring a foreign country, I guess.

I'm guessing his hotel costs at least $200 a night. The one I booked is a block from the Mediterranean, and it costs $59 a night. I'm sure it's not as nice as his. Of course, if I had opted for an ocean front room, that would have cost $89 a night. But I may stay a few weeks in France, and I would like to spread my money throughout the country so as to spread the wealth. Really, I'm just cheap. I know one of the reasons many people don't go to Europe is because they think it is too expensive. Maybe those people will find my perspective interesting. The 'professional' critic in the sound file says that he spent 4 nights in Nice, which was just the right amount of time. Perhaps, he adds, he could have spent one more day there. Shoot, it doesn't sound like he spent any time there at all, with all his chauffeur-driven trips to other cities.

Maybe, I'm just jealous.

Okay, I looked up the guy's hotel. The cheapest room advertised on their web page is $356 a night for a single. So I was off a little. Here's the link, if you're interested.   LE PALAIS DE LA MEDITERRANEE. But the guy did have some good photos of Nice on his own website. Here they are. Photos of Nice and Around

Now the real journey begins!

Read on,

Paul Ogier