Dirty Hippies...almost.

EuroStar's highspeed trains
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From TH-arago-TH-a, we headed out on a 5pm train to Nice, France where we are to stay only one full day. On our way there, however, we had a 8 hour layover in Montpellier, France. Usually no big deal, except when you get in at 12AM. Well, to preserve our precious budget, Shaina and I decided to live like true dirty traveling hippies and sleep at the train station that night. I mean...why bother to pay 50 Euro for a hostel that you are literally going to stay at for only a couple of hours? Well...it sounded like a great plan in our heads anyway.

Shaina and I enjoying our 1st class benefits of the all inclusive wine and pot roast.
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So, on the train to Montpellier, Shaina is trying to store up as much Z's as possible, while I (being the energizer bunny that I am) is chatting away to a French gentleman sitting next to me who is in an interesting band that records World music. We were chatting and somehow I mention that we are excited to be dirty hippies that night and we are planning on sleeping at the train station, when he generously offers his friend's flat (where he is staying only for the evening as well) for the night. Now...I know that back in America, you are all reading this and thinking- Wow, I hope Erin didn't accept because that could possibly be one of the most stupidest things she could do, right? But, we have found that Europe is a completely different culture, different lifestyle, different personal interactions, and different way of thinking.

We were chatting and somehow I mention that we are excited to be dirty hippies that night and we are planning on sleeping at the train station

The cute, old French man just wanted to dance...
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Shaina and I accepted with his friend's approval, and posted up that evening with a hot shower and a very comfy sofa, watching the European Cup futbol game between Spain and Germany. Life was good.

Our new friend, Maeti, mentioned the next morning (on the most craziest Mr.-Toad's-Wild-Ride-Adventure of a cab ride to the train station), that when he originally moved to Paris, he had been without stay, job, or friends and a random stranger offered him up a place to sleep for the night and ended up helping him with his next job.

What goes around comes around I suppose, and we are NOT complaining!