March 9

It has been quite a day.

Up early to say good bye to Roland at the train station in Carcassone...he made this trip possible in so many ways, and has been a great companion.

The train to Narbonne: realised that next time I have to allow for a lot more travel by this means...it was quiet, quick and comfortable. I had wondered about the transfer at Narbonne...was I going to be hauling the suitcase miles...no just up and over the track! Then 2 minutes before departure, the train pulled in, and I was right in front of the carriage I was assigned. All the apparently fruitless work on the website paid off, unlike the Germans, Americans and Italians I knew I was to find my place! Watching them at the time the ticket man came through filled the time I wasn't looking at the mountains, the sea, and the inceredibly lush countryside...I had mistakenly seen Spain as arrid.

At the border I managed to keep calm. I don't know why this process sets my nerves on edge...I am not this way in airports. But the process wasw just long and boring...with 3 American students not knowing that they needed their passports and then complaining about the EU! One was the same girl I heard talking loudly about her plans to do E in the bathroom...what an idiot.

The arrival in Barcelona was a bit of a work out. Mentally, and physically. the enormous map of the Metro I found was readable even to these rapidly aging eyes...it was just so big that I couln't work out where I was, let alone where to go. When I did, I accepted I was not travelling light...and that hauling 60lbs of luggage up and down stairs was a good way of developing muscles...but that doing it 3 weeks ago would have been more useful! By the last station I had worked out that I was (in a way) handicapped...and found that the access for wheelchairs was very good. We all learn at different rates.

My information had been to disembark the metro at Place Catalunya...which meant I walked past the 2 metro stations that would have made the trip easier. But I have to admit, I enjoyed the walk. La Rambla is both a pedestraian and a vehicle treet, but the pedestrians outnumber the cars by about 25 to 1. It's clearly the tourist center of the city...the usual rubbishy items for sale, cheap restaurant offers, and also some top shops. I was to see a lot of it in my wanderings!

Check in was late due to the housekeeping, but I spent the time in the lobby productively...resting and reading brochures and getting my bearings. I really am not a planner!

This time decided me thqat I would pay to take the double decker bus tour around the city and get my rather poor compass set. That involved going down to tthe old port...foot in the Mediterranean and buying the ticket. Then walking up La Rambla to board the bus. An further example of my planning!

Sitting on the top of an open air double decker bus in a long sleeve T shirt should have been a disaster in March, clearly the natives, in scarves, boots and coats thought so, but was in bliss until about 7pm...whaen I did retreat into the downstairs.

After a very long bath (8 miles covered, too much of with the suitcases) my feet needed some rest and this put me on to the Mediterranean timescale...eating 8 is early! So I had a great supper, more walking and then crash.