The short version: This picture is Nicole and I eating dinner on a train platform in Narbonne, France, on the way to Toulouse.

The long version: When we left Nice our ultimate destination was San Sebastian, Spain. Because of the distance by train we had to split up the trip, so we stopped in Toulouse, France for a couple of days.

The trip to Toulouse was not a short one, however. Because we didn’t plan ahead (a common theme throught the Europe trip) we had to take 3 or 4 trains for what was a scheduled total of 11 hours. We began early in the day, around 7 or 8 AM, and everything was going well until the last leg of our trip. The last train we had to take was cancelled so we got stuck in Narbonne, France for a couple of hours waiting on the next available train to Toulouse. All of the restaurants within walking distance were closed and there was a large group of people also trying to get to Toulouse who we knew we would have to contend with to get a seat on the train once it arrived.

We got the last bit of food from the train station’s store and ate it on the platform while we waited. The train eventually arrived, although communication was lacking so we weren’t totally sure that it was going where we wanted it to, and it also didn’t leave until 45 minutes after everyone boarded. Luckily we got seats, and eventually made it to Toulouse at 10 or 11 PM.

Pictured: Nicole.