On our 17-hour bus journey from London to Strasbourg, we had plenty of time to reflect. As I get older and more members of my circle face health issues, I’m not unaware of how fortunate I am to be able to do this. Being healthy enough, having loved ones healthy enough, who allow me to travel freely, without misplaced guilt.
I am very lucky in many areas of my life. I am surrounded by so many wonderful people, who love me as deeply and fiercely as I love them. I am grateful for every act of good luck, no matter how insignificant it may seem to others, from the kindness of strangers who allow me to go ahead of them in line, to the offer of a free place to stay overnight during my trip. I never forget how blessed I am and that I truly am one of the lucky ones.
An example of this was our Flixbus to Paris (from London, section 1 of 2). We reserved seats directly behind the stairs as it is a night bus and we didn’t want people lying down in our space. Our seats were 10C/10D. The bus was not Flix brand, so the seating configuration was different. The seats behind the stairs were 9C and 9D. On the FlixBus seating chart, those seats don’t exist, meaning I took 9C and 9D while Lee sat behind in the assigned seats. For the night leg of the trip, we had two seats each, which we greatly appreciated.
The bus crossed the channel by ferry, as opposed to the ferry. It was a longer route, but it meant we had to get off the bus once on board the ferry. This worked in our favor as we were able to lie down on the floor and get the much needed sleep. Once back on the bus, we were able to sleep for a few hours, but we were both exhausted.
Every time we book a night bus, we swear it will be our last. Then the next adventure arrives, we compare prices with flights and suddenly we book another night bus. Maybe this blog will serve as a reminder to my future self: Lucy, book the flight!
Then again, maybe after a night like this, our trail sleeping setup will feel like an absolute luxury!
After a brief interlude at Disneyland Paris, where we were able to stretch our legs, freshen up in the bathroom, and grab a much-needed Chai latte, we were back on the road, this time heading to Strasbourg.
We will stay here for a couple of nights, catching up on some much-needed sleep to prepare our bodies for the Hexatrek and catching up with some dear friends who have traveled from Berlin and Switzerland to see us.
From here, we will take an early train to Wissembourg next week to begin our tour.
The next blog will be about my first days on the Hexatrek…stay tuned!
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