Hit the road northward, towards France, through the Pyrenees, in the morning. Uphill to the border, I spent my last pesetas on pastries in Jonqueras, the border town on the Spanish side, then proceeded up to the mountain pass and border. On the French side, it was mostly downhill or level ground to Perpignan and settled at the Youth Hostel there.

I met Alexa there, a young Swiss woman who had been travelling for a few months. I enjoyed her company a lot and we spent a couple of days wandering around the city.

Alexa was leaving by train along the Côte d'Azur towards Italy and Cinquo Torre before going back home, but I couldn't follow since the particular train wouldn't take bicycles.

Her company had made me realize how much I missed friends and family back home and I decided to cycle my way back to Paris and head back home myself.

Cycling northward towards Narbonne, the wind from the west was so strong that it would periodically push me off the road. I was cycling at less than 10 kms/hour and after a couple of hours of this I got so depressed that I resolved to take the train to Paris once I get to Narbonne. It took me 5 hours to get there and there was an overnight train that same evening for Paris that might take my bike if they had the proper wagon for it. The teller told me to check with the conductor once he arrives. Well, they had and I left with the train.

Well, I had a good sleep on the train and once in Paris in the early morning, I set out cycling north across Paris towards Charles de Gaulle airport. I took a break at the Ile Saint Louis in front of the Notre-Dame Cathedral. It was a beautiful sunny day, the surroundings were nice and quiet this early as the hordes of tourists were still probably in bed, and I started thinking that it would be a shame to go back now... I'm only a couple of days away from England and had always wanted to see it nor had I ever seen the north of France. I could always come back to Paris if things didn't work out... So off I went, towards the northwest and Dieppe to catch a ferry to England.

The cycle was nice, though hot and humid. I stopped for pastries and sat at the edge of the Seine to eat them speaking with locals. In the PM, I asked directions to a young fellow who ended up inviting me over for a beer at his family's home. At Gisors, I decided to call it a day. I was on the road again !...

Left in the early morning. It was nice and misty, not too hot, and though hilly the ride was nice. I stopped at Forge-les-Eaux for a quiche and a flan and there was music in the streets everywhere for Mother's Day. I continued on and for some reason I was falling asleep on the bike. I ate some chocolate and it woke me up. I arrived at Dieppe towards the end of the afternoon and took a bunk at the local Youth Hostel. The manager there was nice enough to let me use his computer and I sent Mother's Day wishes to my family back home.

The next morning, I checked the ferry schedule and found one leaving in the early afternoon.

This gave me the morning to wander around town and take pictures.