We are now in Venice. Didn’t sleep much on the train – people kept knocking me. That’s what happens when you stretch out in the corridor. Venice is nice and not too busy. Seen all the main sights. Went up the clock tower in St Marks Square for a brilliant view over the city. I like the quiet back streets and canals the best.

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2 weeks into our trip. Sitting at a pizza restaurant in a town in NE Italy. Wine. We’d tried to go to Florence but didn’t realise you had to change train so ended up in this small town. Lovely waitress. Waiting for the train to Rome.

On our way to Innsbruck after spending only half an hour in Munich – Burger King at the station. I want to go through the Alps in the daytime this time, hence leaving Germany so soon. Sat next to a German baby. For the last 2 nights we’ve had a compartment to ourselves which means a free bed. We just got on and shut all the curtains.

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In Innsbruck, sitting in a street cafe with white wines, largers. A tempting cable car. Excellent journey into the Alps, the best thing we’ve done yet.

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Shit. Our train to Venice is 3 hours late. Don’t really want to go to sleep because we’ll probably miss it. Barry is asleep.

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At last. It’s 0520 and the 0142 is about to leave!

Just left Stockholm, to Copenhagen. Most people had reservations so we are sitting in the smoking section, but no one is smoking so it doesn’t matter. Bought a newspaper to see what is going on. Slept for 10 hours last night. In the evening yesterday I went to the back of the train to take a photo and the ticket man locked me in that carriage. Had to wait till the next stop and there were suprised looks when I jumped out of the luggage compartment!

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Now sitting outside the Interrail centre at Copenhagen station. Too hot and crowded inside. A place like this puts things back into perspective. During thelast few days we didn’t seem to have a purpose – just travelling. Soon we’ll be back in major cities. Got to Copenhagen after listening to a mad Australian giving a rendition of his round the world trip to some poor chap. At this station there’s a shop called Toms Chocolate. A fat bald man I’d never met wanted to be in the picture with me.

This Scandinavia lark is taking a long time. We have been travelling via crappy connections, hanging around. Caught a train north at 0215 and changed at 0620 so didn’t get that much sleep. I’m getting thinner.

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At last we are on the overnight train to Stockholm. Today in the far north of Norway, at Narvik. Went up a cablecar just into the snowline. Feel more positive after Finland. Bought crisps, chocolate, biscuits, apples and have eat them all already. We haven’t eaten much the last few days.

Time is going really quickly. Today mainly spent waiting for trains and buses. Finland is pretty crap. It’s full of trees and boring people. A guy on the train is sex mad – we saw him seduce a girl and now he’s with another. Crossed into Sweden – horay!

Now sitting on the floor of the luggage compartment waiting to go north through Finland. From the station in Stockholm, we travelled by tube and on foot to the harbour, waiting till 2115 for the boat to leave. Very posh boat and departure lounge, which seems typical of Sweden. Night crossing, at the disco until 0300. Nice girls around, danicng. Finland seems a long way from the UK. Just been moved on from the luggage compartment.

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Up to Rovaniemi which is about as far north as the train goes in Finland. Disappointing journey, just trees all the way up, with glimpses of lakes. We are now in the youth hostel in Rovaniemi and tomorrow we cross back into Sweden and the scenic line into Norway. Barry is right in saying we have been travelling too much.

1 week into the journey. On a train now to Stockholm, having decided to take the ferry accross to Finland, then back through Sweden and Norway. Will take a few days. This is the best train so far, very plush. Breakfast of cornflakes and toast etc, all on a table and you could have as much as you wanted. We made loads of ham & cheese sandwiches and took them with us. Lots of blonde girls around.

Sat in a couchette but didn’t have enough cash in any currency so we didn’t pay anything. Sharing with a Norweigian girl and a Dutch scientist who let us sneak back in after the ticket man had gone. Woke at 6 before he came back and moved out into the corridor. Now on a ferry from Denmark to Sweden so we are really getting somewhere. I think we are trying to get a proper bed tonight. Not so much a bed I need but a shower.

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Just had a really good bath. We are at the youth hostel in Gothenburg. Had to buy some papery sheets for the bed. It’s good to have stopped in a room. Not really sure how to get to Finland – free ferry or round the top into the arctic circle.

Got to Amsterdam after sleeping in the train corridor – better than sitting. No accommodation in Amsterdam because of some yachting event, so couldn’t stay long. Walked up one street which was like Carnaby Street and ate a McDonalds. Back on the train now going west towards the Dutch coast. We’re not sure why.

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Went west on a suburban train out of Amsterdam. Got to a countryside station. It made a change to sit in the countryside. Then to Rotterdam, Europe’s largest port. The girls are just amazing, really nice. Sat in McDonalds again and watched them all go by. I’ve decided I quite like Holland.

Arrived in Nice around 0830 and got a croissant for breakfast and a litre of water. Walked down the main street to the beach. Nice is not as garish as I thought it might be. Water really clear but didn’t swim as couldn’t leave passports, etc. Climbed up the steps to an old castle with a good view. Caught a train along the coast to Italy where we needed our passports for the first time. Wish we’d gone to the Alps but couldn’t find the right station. Not sure what we are doing tonight. Overnight train? Where to?

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We decided to return to our original route and catch the train from Milan to Amsterdam, if we can find what patform the train goes from. Journey to Milan was slow & hot.

Caught the train to Rosslare. The boat left at 1700 and should get to Le Harve at around 1500 French time. Watched Look Who’s Talking which was v. v. funny. Had a really good night’s sleep on the floor of the TV room and am now having false croissant and Irish milk. Can’t wait to get to France.

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Most of the day on the ferry. Watched Joe vs the Volcano in the ship cinema then sat around. Barry tried to buy some lunch but didn’t have enough cash, so he just left his tray then grumbled a bit. Ferry journey wasn’t too bad. Sat at Le Harve terminal waiting for a bus to the station. Now sitting on the train waiting to go to Paris via Rouen, then have to find somewhere to sleep.

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Am now at a Youth Hostel in Paris, having gone all the way across Paris by metro. It cost 100F for the room inc. breakfast. Needed the shower, which was really good & powerful. Sharing with an Austian guy who is OK. Having dodgy conversations in between writing this. Everyone speaks English far better than I speak anything else. It’ll be good to sleep somewhere that isn’t moving. Saw the Arc de Triomphe which looked OK.

Just arrived in Ireland. Straight off the ferry onto the train to Waterford. Not planned at all. We don’t know what we’re doing but it doesn’t really matter. Had a total of 2 hours sleep on the ferry but don’t feel too bad – it’s like when we went to France on the bus. Had a walk around the deck in the night – full moon.

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Have looked around the semi-industrial city of Waterford. It was weird – half British half continental. Sat in a cafe and generally walked around. Waiting at the station to go back to Rosslare, then across to France, an 18 hour boat journey.

The Excellent Grand Tour of Europe, August 1990

Rang Barry, picked him up in Peter’s van and drove to the Cotswolds. Slept in Sandra’s house in her lounge. Left after breakfast, which was too late as it took ages to drive west through Wales to Fishguard. Arrived two hours late for the ferry, so plan to catch the 0315. Went round crappy Fishguard for a while and are now sitting down a lane having some tea. Peter is dropping us off at 2300 at the port, so will get some sleep there before leaving for Ireland.

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Sitting at Fishguard ferry terminal. Have around 3 hours to waste before we depart. Might go to sleep for a while but the room has just been invaded by loads of loud Americans. I think Barry might have overpacked but that’s his problem – I did warn him before Peter dropped us off. Watched Back to the Future Part III to pass the time this eve.

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Barry, my travel companion