Episode 546: From Paris To Lucerne

Most of the day was spent eating up the miles between Paris and Lucerne, demonstrating that it is pretty exhausting to be cooped up in a coach for hours at a time. I did finish up yesterday's poem, which I'd been mulling over and tweaking repeatedly but unable to finish. It's an imitation of James Fenton's 'I'm In Paris With You', which has turned out okay, I think. At the very least, it's now a lot better than my earlier abortive attempts at getting a half-decent poem down. Anyway, just when I'd made up my mind to hate my roommate, he sprang on me the revelation that his mother had died a month ago and so he's sad. How can you in good conscience hate someone who's played such a brilliant sympathy card? Yes, it does seem like he's going to be my roommate for the rest of the trip, which is good in its own way. If I express sufficient incomprehension, he usually gives up, so it's like paying the price of a double room but effectively having the peace of a single. He comes and goes, although I sensibly hold onto the room key at all times. Just had dinner in the Swiss hotel, which was so much better than what we were served in the Parisian hotel, which was surprising given that that was a Holiday Inn! We even got served seconds here, which was fine by me because it was yummy. Am still knackered after last night's partying, so I think I'm going to do some reading and otherwise have an early night.