“A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles.” ~Tim Cahill
Repeatedly while traveling in France my brother and I met people who went out of their way to welcome us.
At the farm in Normandy, we really felt like part of the family. We also felt at home with our friend Marine's famille in Beaujolais. And our hosts in Grenoble and Marseilles were kind, generous and open-minded. So our plan to use CouchSurfing.com and homestays to save money on accommodation and meet cool people turned out to be une bonne idée. In fact, the only less-than-good sleeping arrangement for me was the only one I paid for--the hostel in Paris.
For the last few days of my trip I returned to Paris for a few days. My hostel was located conveniently near central Paris, close to Montparnasse, and was fairly clean, but those were its only good qualities. The place was packed but struggling to cope with the volume, and every time I went to the front desk there was a huge line of people reporting problems. So I didn't spend much time there.
Luckily, the weather in Paris was fine, and I enjoyed walking around the city, shopping at the summer sales, and hanging out with Marine and her friends. And I made sure to eat as much bread, pastries and cheese as possible before leaving.
My brother is still in France and heading to Dijon, but I'm back in Korea. I had a great time and I'm so glad Peter was with me. I hope to see France and the friends we met there again someday. Au revoir!
