Hobos, Bikes, and Flat Tires

Today was the day of our Versailles bike tour, and what a day it was! We all got up super early (7 AM!) and made it to the bike shop before 9. After tying up our purses with bungee cords (you were right, Aunt Lucy... we SHOULD have brought backpacks!) and going on a quick spin on our bikes to make sure they worked, we were off!

I suppose I should have been nervous when our tour guide apprehensively told us that boarding the train to Versailles might be difficult and crowded. I didn't realize how much he had underestimated until the doors to our train opened, and we saw that the train was COMPLETELY full of people.

"We are 16 childrens. You cannot get on here." One French boy told us. Sam and I were together with two other old ladies, and both of those ladies were resigned to give up and wait for the next train. I was not pleased by the thought of having to wait for a potentially equally-as-full train, and after our other tour guide yelled "You HAVE to get on!", Sam and I rushed the train.

It was definitely take no prisoners, and would you believe that all 16 "childrens" parted and made way for our 4 bikes?

It was only after we had been on the train for a few minutes that I realized to the left of me smelled like a college boy's dorm room after a night of heavy, heavy drinking. Not really wanting to look, but having no choice but to look, I glanced to my side to see two passed out young men, laying on the floor next to my bike.

Oh, how I would have liked to move! Unfortunately, I was jammed between my bike, Samantha's bike, Samantha, and two French "childrens." Oh, and the hobos, one of whom decided my leg looked like an excellent pillow.

All I could do was stand there and take it. And pray that the hobos did not awaken to puke all over me.

Long story short, the hobos DID stir, but only after we had arrived at OUR stop and were on our way out. The hobo who had mistaken my leg for a pillow waved and said "bye" to me, which was a pleasant surprise and much preferable to him puking all over me.

The rest of the Versailles trip was relatively uneventful, although Sam got a flat tire twice, and I fell off my bike 3 times. Shades of Grandma... it wasn't all my fault though. :)

As I had already been to Versailles, I didn't take any photos, but Maria and Sam took a TON, and I'm sure will post them later.

Tonight the girls are off on a ghost tour, which I (VERY REGRETFULLY!) had to beg off of, because after a full day of biking/walking/climbing stairs, my knee began to bother me terribly again. Tomorrow we fly back to Dublin to visit the sites there, buy last minute souvenirs, and get our fill of sketchy hostels before returning to the States.

Hasta luego!