European Getaway Day 5 (20-11-2006)

Lauterbrunner to Nice (Switzerland to France)

This morning we were not woken by crazy people telling us the wrong time, I always like waking up to my alarm instead. When eating breakfast this morning (we eat outside near the cook tent) we had possibly one of the best views in the world. We were surrounded by mountains on either side (most people call this a valley) and the mountain trees had snow on them it was amazing to see.

Again we were told today would be another long drive day; I think that any day we are driving will be a long day. We drove through Italy to get back to France. When we were exiting the country this time we got stopped at the Italian Boarder and had sniffer dogs on us again, this little fella was a bit more interested in finding stuff but not that much more, and they let us into the Italy/The EU woohooo. While on our drive down to Nice there was nothing interesting to write about just more scenery that you cant really describe, although we did see the Italian coast which in a way was kind of alright.

We arrived at our hotel in Nice (for those who don’t know it is pronounced Niece) we had to quickly unload the coach and then take our bags down the street. At this point Kieran and I we still carrying ours like normal bags not like back packs. Finally made it to our hotel. We were given keys to our room, Yay we were going to have our own room again. This time our room was on the 3rd floor. I waited at the bottom for the lift to take our bags up. The thing with the lift was that it could only have 2 people at a time without bags. It didn’t have a very good weight limit. So as I waited down the bottom a few minutes passed and then we found out that the lift had broken. We took out our straps and hiked up to the 3rd floor in limited light. Made it to the top to find out that our room contained 2 single beds (this was to be a good thing that night).

The room was nice we had an ensuite and a little balcony with 2 glass doors leading onto it. On the out side of the 2 glass doors were 2 wooden doors with shutters on them for privacy. The thing with the shower in this room and the other one in Paris is that they were both really really crap. There were no shower screens only a curtain, but the curtain would have to sit in the shower but there was too much of it so you ended up almost tripping on it and dying. To make it worse because the curtain would hang outside the shower the water would go all over the floor. An interesting thing to note is the French must not believe in drains in the bathroom floor so that if there is excess water it will go there. Instead you have to use up a whole bunch of towel so you don’t drown. Good thinking there Frenchies.

We were heading out to dinner that night to a French restaurant. I can’t remember the name of it but we were the only ones there. The guy who welcomed us was a bit crazy but not in a crazy happy French way in a slightly insane way where you didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He began by getting our attention (even though we were the only people there) by dinging this wooden crappy looking wind chime thing. If you haven’t heard one of these it makes a fairly dull wood sound not a happy ding- al-ing which may have made more sense. Apparently we were going to be eating classic French cuisine. I was not to sure what that meant, I thought we might get some frogs or horse or some cheese. What we got I didn’t think was particularly French. We ended up having for Entrée: Tuna and lettuce salad (Kieran had it without the tuna), Main: Sausage (crazy French food), Carrots (not even julienne) and potato chips that were round, Dessert: Profritta rolls with Ice cream in the middle not custard (custard ones are heaps better). No Glen these ones rocked they had hot chocolate sauce drizzled all over them mmmmm and ice cream in them yummo!

After we had all finished our ‘Classic French’ meal we walked down to Wayne’s bar which had a live band. We got the first drink at happy hour prices and then the next lot would be at full price. The thing with beers in Europe and England is they cost roughly the same at home as they do here but instead it is in Euro or Pound so works out to be a lot more, even though they are pints. At Wayne’s bar I ordered a few drinks and Kieran got a ‘sex on the beach’ cocktail. When returning with Kieran’s drink the waiter guy decided to put it on the stack of coins we had prepared to give him as payment, and the glass went all over Kieran and her coat. Best way to start the night! We ended up getting another drink to which I did not pay him as he had spilt the first one all over Kieran.

The rest of the night was a shambles. There was not much room between tables and the easiest way to get to people for the bar tender was to walk on the long narrow tables, this lead to everyone deciding it was cool to do the same and the dancing on the tables began.. Me being the OH&S guy I am, I could not get on the table for a few things one my height I would have to hunch up there increasing my chance of falling and 2. because I just didn’t want to alright!. Every few minutes you would hear a glass break as one of our party dropped it from their hands. I have to admit I was apart of this. I accidentally dropped an almost empty bottle of wine on the floor. I heard afterwards that that was the most amount of glasses that had been smashed in one night. Gooo Team.

I didn’t feel like staying out that night, was just not in the mood. I headed back to the hotel with a few of the other girls who were leaving early and decided to leave Kieran there and asked the boys to look after her for me.

Kieran can tell you how the rest of the night unfolded

Umm well yes from what I can remember me my wino mate Sam and Debbie went thirds in bottles of wine and I believe we probably had about four during the night at the bar and had two at dinner (This may account for me the memory loss… just maybe). There was lots of dancing on the tables. Georgie kissed David, Ashoor kissed Debbie, Tiffany was with the guitarist of the band, Teagan was with the Singer of the band. S.J was getting told off by the bar staff because she didn’t have shoes on. Tarshi and Loydy mysteriously disappeared together and the rest is a bit of a blurr…. Top night though!

I went to sleep and was then was woken up by Kieran pounding on the door to let her in. As I did so she fell straight into bed and was so paralytic drunk she could not even undress herself. I helped her do that. She ordered me to bring the bin in from the bathroom to next to her bed as she felt crook. She did have time to walk to the bathroom if she needed to spew. Obviously walking 2 steps was too much for her so she had a spew in the bin next to her bed, she was goone!.

As Kieran was lying in bed I heard a commotion outside the room and went to have a look. The boys had come back and couldn’t find Kieran I told them she was alright and in bed. Next thing I new someone was running upstairs to say that Amanda was sitting on the Balcony and was about to jump off. The other boys ran down there to sort it out. Although I was the only sober person I was too busy looking after Kieran.

I decided to fall asleep with the bathroom light on for her.