It is interesting how our early lives provide us with the templates for later. I spent a long time this morning wandering around a large housing estate in the suburb of St. Aubin-sur-Scie trying to find a road out of Dieppe. As I said, things do not change.
I eventually found the Paris to Rouen road and walked about 3km (look how quickly I adapted to walking in metric units!) before I got my first lift. This was in a minibus with kids from Crawley on a school outing. We stopped for a picnic lunch shortly afterwards. I had some bread and a banana, and the school party shared more bread and meat with me. I had a swig of Bass export, which suited me fine – one of the teachers must have passed it to me.
My notes are fairly sparse for today. I got to Rouen in the early afternoon and had a stroll around the town. I crossed the bridge over the Seine and had a lovely view of…
…Rouen from far back – all spires and offices mainly!!
I spent the night at l’auberge de jeunesse in Rouen – that is, in less poetic terms, the youth hostel. My grasp of French has never ceased to let me down.
Where will I be sleeping tomorrow?
Clues: The unofficial capital of Champagne; often referred to as the “Coronation City”; Joan of Arc entered it in 1429.
Meet you there tomorrow!
Psychologist on the Move 