In the boarding lounge, lots of people waiting, some sleeping - especially in this section where a number of Asian people are. I hear lots of French. It sounds - nice. Different for a change.
My friendly flu virus is with me once more. Just in time to try and steal pleasure from my trip. I have no idea how I will get rid of it.
The train departs at 19:43. Where it says "On Time" on the screen it will soon say "Boarding". Eurostar, my first time on it. It is supposed to take around 2:35 to reach Gare du Nord (Station of the North) in Paris, but it will be 23:23 because of the 1 hour time difference.
There is Costa here. I'm tempted ... I'm having a coffee.
19:56
The train has pulled away and we are alternatively in tunnels and above ground. There's a hint of dusk left but it's already dark really. We're still in England. In my absentmindedness I forgot to put my French-English dictionary into my bag.
20:58=21:58
We've just exited the tunnel and are now in France. My mobile commented with a text buzz and a message from Orange. There are residences but not too many lights around, so I take it we're outside the immediate vicinity of any city.
Busy reading Freud's Civilisation and its Discontents. It reads very quickly.
22:56
I got halfway through CAID. Will rest a little now - I'm feverish and my mind is straining to concentrate. The idea of civilisation as a kind of diverted effort - its benefits assumed - a realisation of sublimation and redirected drives - is a clear one. What I am wondering about is Freud's contention that society disapproves of sex purely for pleasure. To me this is a central dilemma and the value of much hinges on the validity of the idea, and whether the sex drive really is so primary.
2 April 00:07
Arrived at gare du Nord and made my way, wide-eyed, from the train platform towards the exits. Suddenly revitalised and with that strange exhiliration associated with arrival. Some people were singing "Bon anniversaire" at the end of the train, to a guy beaming with a big smile on his face, he looks like he might have turned 21. This is France. Paris. I stand around and take a few pictures of the station, then go outside and take a few more.
Outside Gare du Nord - late at night
Taxi drivers standing around, I stop to talk to one and explain, in limited French, that I want to reach this address. Well! They joke by saying something to me in French that I obviously don't understand, but to my surprise do me a favour by telling me it will take me 2 minutes by foot, 10 by taxi. Most probably they just won't make much money - but I've heard so much about the French's rudeness towards English speakers that I'm ecouraged.
I find the right street but the numbers don't make sense - eventually asking at another hotel. They don't know but I eventually find my hotel - modest little place but perfectly adequate. I'll spend 2 nights here. I'm getting a wake-up call at 8 - try and sacrifice this virus during sleep. Take 2 aspirins and off to bed now.
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