This weekend, I had to get out of Aix-en-Provence. So I
choose a solo-weekend in the cote d’azur.
I stayed at a hostel in Nice: Villa
St. Exupery Gardens (review to come)
I got there Friday afternoon and wandered around, had some
snacks, and then made my way back to the hostel for the evening….
So it was that
time of the night for a solo-backpacker. Time to make friends. The bar is
starting to pick up and is dotted with groups of people starting to come
together, all chatting away. No one is drunk enough yet to just stumble across
you, so this is where your (attempted) social skills come in. I have refined
mine pretty well.
So on this night I sat down on my phone next to two
young(er) looking guys. I could tell they were speaking English but not
American English- score. I hoped for an Aussie, after all it’d been a week
since I was in Rome and had my full Aussie fill. Withdrawal can be tough. I
literally sat down at the table next door, and used my phone for maybe 45
seconds. Then there was a lull in their quiet convo and one went to get another
beer. This was my moment. I turned to the side, made eye-contact with the guy
next to me and asked him where he was from. Turns out he’s a pretty cool British
guy. We start talking. And then when the next guy comes back they invite me one
table over. I’m in. The other guy is even aussie. So we stat talking. Early in
the night so it began with basic life stuff and as the drinks flow it becomes
more fun. I start on the strawberry mojitos.
Just one for me during happy hour.
After all I’m frugal remember? Then it starts to get good.
I see a guy
walk by and I can tell right off the bat that he has got to be aussie or kiwi.
You know what I’m talking about. Long(er) surfer boy hair and laid back style.
Plus pretty cute. So I told my new aussie friend I’d go up and ask him where he
was from. If he was aussie I got a free drink. Done. I waltzed right up tapped
his shoulder and said excuse me I have a bet with my friend that you are
aussie. You should have seen his face.. Struck down he was a kiwi. He said
sorry and he could pretend to be aussie to get me a free drink. I said it was
okay. But stayed a chatted for a bit.
That’s how
it works when you’re in a traveler’s bar. You end up creating a web, and you
can bop around. Then when the time comes to start going to other bars, you
latch on to your favorite connection. So I chatted a bit and returned to my
table for awhile. I might not have won the bet but I became friend with the kiwi
before returning to my old friends and the free drinks started flowing. It
started with more strawberry mojiotos. We went to the bar together and the
aussie paid. Yes please. A little more time back at the table and then I ended
up at the bar again. This time alone.
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| ALL BY MYSELF |
I saw a guy
next to who seemed fun and a little crazy. So this was the part of the night
where people were getting drunk enough that you can just say something. So I
said where are you from to the guy drunk next to me at the bar. Done. Danish, A
little older and very friendly. SO the night begins. He’s buying shots and buys
us 2 right there and then a round for his table which he invites me too. Gladly.
So I sit down with them and meet his Danish mates plus the rando American (girl)
that joined to their group. And the real drinking ensued. Shots and strawberry
mojitos to go around. And mind you I was not paying for these things. This is
my talent. We chatted and batted and just had a rowdy good time. Those Danish
boys can sure drink. At some point the other two I was with showed up. Everyone
hit it off beautifully. Start of an awesome night. Than it was off to clubs.
Lets just be honest that even if you haven’t had that much to drink, when it becomes time to
go to the clubs everything is just a blur. I think it’s a mix of the lights and
the people and good god I’m just lost.. so that happened. And I’m not sure
about much else other than a bar with tables to dance on- every American college girls dream – ELEVATION, and lots lots of fun
dance moves. Needless to say I was pretty darn happy at this point in time. I ended
up sweaty and tired back at my place around 3:30AM. Successful night to say the
least. I had my sweat soaked wet shirt to prove it.
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| imagining it looked something like this.... |
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