Oh my, the anxiety you must have felt. Similar nerve-wracking incidents happened to me while travelling in Southeast Asia. I'd rather not revisit those hours 😅 keeping a travel journal is such a great idea Ruth, it's so easy to forget pieces of our life as me move forward. I'm inspired ❤️
Thanks for your comment, Sinù. I know what you mean about some moments being too painful to revisit. Writing in journals, whether while traveling or otherwise, can be good therapy—but it’s not always good blogging material!😝
Lord, what an ordeal, Ruth! But it made for enjoyable reading :) Long ago, when I was a junior in college, I took a sleeper train to...who can remember? Possibly from Naples, where I was visiting friends, back to London, where I was studying. I want to say it was four people in the sleeper car...but still, the thought of a college girl alone in a sleeper with strangers (including middle-aged men) creeps me out now. If you do go back to Cinque Terre in the spring, you'll likely find it a lot more crowded than in 2001, thanks to try to those behemoth cruise ships that come in at Genoa or La Spezia and bus/disgorge thousands upon thousands of day visitors to an area that was never meant to hold that much humanity. It's had a terrible impact. (Happy to share what I know if you want more info)
Thanks so much for your comment, Domenica! Wow, your experience sounds like an ordeal, especially for a college girl—I was so much older when my adventure happened, and it was still extremely scary and uncomfortable. I’m very sorry to hear about the cruise ship invasion that has negatively impacted this glorious part of the world. I don’t think Cinque Terre was anywhere near as popular in 2001. Now I’m wondering if we should just skip it this time. But I do appreciate your offer to share what you know. As a traveler, it’s so easy to end up following the crowds, especially now when everyone seems to be swarming to the same hotspots.
Fabulous real-life story, Ruth! But I am feeling a bit guilty to be enjoying reading it so, knowing you LIVED IT! I have been on the wrong train, but I wasn’t alone, and I did have money on me. My takeaway from traveling with family and friends is that if you get separated for any reason, by choice or fate, you need to be able to return to the hotel, or in this case - Paris! Too many things can happen. But to your question about journaling, I started travel journals with each trip, but never finish them. I journaled a bit when I was in cooking school in Paris, but not enough. It is helpful and delightful at the same time to see our past through our younger eyes.
Thanks so much, for your comment, Anne! I’ve taken many a wrong trains since this trip (more than once in Japan!), but I did have a cell phone, money and family by my side.
It is interesting, as you say (though sometimes painful), “to see our past through our younger eyes.”
I’d love to read about your experience in a Paris cooking school. Did it bear any relation to Julia Child’s at Le Cordon Bleu? Perhaps the sexism she encountered was by then a thing of the past—though I imagine you, like Julia, would have handled it with charm and finesse!🤗
Lots of sexism. Absolutely. I don’t pay a lot of attention to other people’s business as a rule, but I think there were some extracurricular activities going on between students and instructors!
I guess I'm not surprised. I do have a stereotype in my head about such "extracurricular activities" and the French, but then I'm sure it happens (and happened) here too!😏
I would say that most of my travel journals aren't quite as dramatic as this one was! You might be surprised what you find when you read yours back. I certainly was. Thanks so much for your comment, Sally!
Thanks so much, Sally! I’m definitely planning to take lots of pictures in Maine, Nova Scotia and elsewhere during our journey and showcase them in future posts!
I've heard the story many times, but your writing about it brought back all the terror, and finally, laughter. Thank goodness for cell phones. Especially in your family when people wander off. You'll undoubtedly get another story in your next trip.
Thanks, Judy! Undoubtedly it'll happen again, though not in the same way. I've lost Jeff SO many times and vice-versa since then, even with cell phones. Sometimes they're on silent, out of power, out of range, etc. Tech isn't foolproof, though I'm still thankful to have a phone in my pocket!
Oh wow!! I was a nervous wreck reading your tale, Ruth. Makes me even more thankful for cell phones. I look forward to reading about Maine and Nova Scotia!
Thanks, Vicki! It's amazing how soon we become dependent on new technology, isn't it? I can't imagine traveling without a cell phone now! It's the computer in our pocket that now controls our lives!😂
Thanks so much, Jolene! I was hyperventilating rereading it myself! I have been retelling the story for years and arguing with my husband about the details, but finding the journal did help.🤗
Thanks, Beth! I bet you would have figured out a way--as they say, necessity is the mother of invention, though I’m not sure what I would have done if I didn’t run into those guys with the cell phone! That was a bit of serendipity!🥵
Wow, we really should meet, Amie! Luckily we’re not lost on this trip nor broke—yet! (Any more trips to L.L. Bean and we certainly will be!) Maybe we can get together on our return through Maine. I’ll send you an email with our dates and hope we can!🤗
😱 😱😱 , and, for good measure, 😱. Trying to get my head around not having at least a credit card. 😱😱😱. How close were you to calling the nearest US consulate for assistance? 😱
Yeah, crazy, right? I think those were the days when we took lots of American Express travelers checks, but by these point I would have spent everything. I imagine I didn’t have a credit card or I’m sure I would have tried to use it. As for an American Consulate, I doubt there was one handy at the time. Also I think I was panicking about trying to reconnect with my family dnd not be thrown off the train!🥶
Oh my, the anxiety you must have felt. Similar nerve-wracking incidents happened to me while travelling in Southeast Asia. I'd rather not revisit those hours 😅 keeping a travel journal is such a great idea Ruth, it's so easy to forget pieces of our life as me move forward. I'm inspired ❤️
Thanks for your comment, Sinù. I know what you mean about some moments being too painful to revisit. Writing in journals, whether while traveling or otherwise, can be good therapy—but it’s not always good blogging material!😝
Sounds like an unnerving experience but glad that you can now look back on it….
It certainly was at the time. It’s nice to have the perspective of years and the technology of now.
Lord, what an ordeal, Ruth! But it made for enjoyable reading :) Long ago, when I was a junior in college, I took a sleeper train to...who can remember? Possibly from Naples, where I was visiting friends, back to London, where I was studying. I want to say it was four people in the sleeper car...but still, the thought of a college girl alone in a sleeper with strangers (including middle-aged men) creeps me out now. If you do go back to Cinque Terre in the spring, you'll likely find it a lot more crowded than in 2001, thanks to try to those behemoth cruise ships that come in at Genoa or La Spezia and bus/disgorge thousands upon thousands of day visitors to an area that was never meant to hold that much humanity. It's had a terrible impact. (Happy to share what I know if you want more info)
Thanks so much for your comment, Domenica! Wow, your experience sounds like an ordeal, especially for a college girl—I was so much older when my adventure happened, and it was still extremely scary and uncomfortable. I’m very sorry to hear about the cruise ship invasion that has negatively impacted this glorious part of the world. I don’t think Cinque Terre was anywhere near as popular in 2001. Now I’m wondering if we should just skip it this time. But I do appreciate your offer to share what you know. As a traveler, it’s so easy to end up following the crowds, especially now when everyone seems to be swarming to the same hotspots.
Fabulous real-life story, Ruth! But I am feeling a bit guilty to be enjoying reading it so, knowing you LIVED IT! I have been on the wrong train, but I wasn’t alone, and I did have money on me. My takeaway from traveling with family and friends is that if you get separated for any reason, by choice or fate, you need to be able to return to the hotel, or in this case - Paris! Too many things can happen. But to your question about journaling, I started travel journals with each trip, but never finish them. I journaled a bit when I was in cooking school in Paris, but not enough. It is helpful and delightful at the same time to see our past through our younger eyes.
Thanks so much, for your comment, Anne! I’ve taken many a wrong trains since this trip (more than once in Japan!), but I did have a cell phone, money and family by my side.
It is interesting, as you say (though sometimes painful), “to see our past through our younger eyes.”
I’d love to read about your experience in a Paris cooking school. Did it bear any relation to Julia Child’s at Le Cordon Bleu? Perhaps the sexism she encountered was by then a thing of the past—though I imagine you, like Julia, would have handled it with charm and finesse!🤗
Lots of sexism. Absolutely. I don’t pay a lot of attention to other people’s business as a rule, but I think there were some extracurricular activities going on between students and instructors!
I guess I'm not surprised. I do have a stereotype in my head about such "extracurricular activities" and the French, but then I'm sure it happens (and happened) here too!😏
❤️❤️❤️
Oh Ruth, Yes, I keep a travel journal and always have. But I have not written one like yours. What an experience!
I would say that most of my travel journals aren't quite as dramatic as this one was! You might be surprised what you find when you read yours back. I certainly was. Thanks so much for your comment, Sally!
I also love the pictures you chose for this trip. Send pictures of your upcoming Maine and Nova Scotia trip. Safe travels...
Thanks so much, Sally! I’m definitely planning to take lots of pictures in Maine, Nova Scotia and elsewhere during our journey and showcase them in future posts!
I love travel stories especially family. This had it all and that moment when Sam shouts Mom was the perfect ending!
Thanks, Mark! It was a bit of a kick revisiting that time. I hope you're on the road to recovery.
Oh my goodness, what a wild ride, Ruth! 🥵 so glad you found Jeff and Sam and all ended up ok! Such a fun read.
Thanks, Sam!
I've heard the story many times, but your writing about it brought back all the terror, and finally, laughter. Thank goodness for cell phones. Especially in your family when people wander off. You'll undoubtedly get another story in your next trip.
Thanks, Judy! Undoubtedly it'll happen again, though not in the same way. I've lost Jeff SO many times and vice-versa since then, even with cell phones. Sometimes they're on silent, out of power, out of range, etc. Tech isn't foolproof, though I'm still thankful to have a phone in my pocket!
Oh wow!! I was a nervous wreck reading your tale, Ruth. Makes me even more thankful for cell phones. I look forward to reading about Maine and Nova Scotia!
Thanks, Vicki! It's amazing how soon we become dependent on new technology, isn't it? I can't imagine traveling without a cell phone now! It's the computer in our pocket that now controls our lives!😂
So true!
Omg 😅 I started sweating just reading this saga, Ruth! Great writing, as always, and what a story!
Thanks so much, Jolene! I was hyperventilating rereading it myself! I have been retelling the story for years and arguing with my husband about the details, but finding the journal did help.🤗
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Exciting, harrowing, sad and funny! Love your writing! Thanks for sharing this wonderful story🙂
Thanks, Leslie! So glad you enjoyed it! ❤️
Yay! So glad you wrote about this Ruth! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Loved the story!!!!!! 🎊🎊
Thanks, Hoang! I loved yours too--and the sequel! As I said, it was my inspiration.🤗💕
OMG !!! I am a sweaty nervous wreck just reading this but you are my hero --- I would def not have been as brave ... I'd prob still be there ; )*
Thanks, Beth! I bet you would have figured out a way--as they say, necessity is the mother of invention, though I’m not sure what I would have done if I didn’t run into those guys with the cell phone! That was a bit of serendipity!🥵
sooo true but a little serendipity never hurts ...
You're going to Maine?! Whereabout? I'm just 50 minutes from Kittery.
Not far from L.L. Bean. Maybe we can swing it, Crowden. Please send me an email!
Also in Maine, 45 min north of Bean’s. We all should have a meetup, Ruth! I’ll bring my American Express travelers checks.
Wow, we really should meet, Amie! Luckily we’re not lost on this trip nor broke—yet! (Any more trips to L.L. Bean and we certainly will be!) Maybe we can get together on our return through Maine. I’ll send you an email with our dates and hope we can!🤗
😱 😱😱 , and, for good measure, 😱. Trying to get my head around not having at least a credit card. 😱😱😱. How close were you to calling the nearest US consulate for assistance? 😱
Yeah, crazy, right? I think those were the days when we took lots of American Express travelers checks, but by these point I would have spent everything. I imagine I didn’t have a credit card or I’m sure I would have tried to use it. As for an American Consulate, I doubt there was one handy at the time. Also I think I was panicking about trying to reconnect with my family dnd not be thrown off the train!🥶
Terrifying! Glad you made it work out!
Great story--worth remembering!