Turin, Paris, Brittany, Normandy, London, Edinburgh

In October 2005 I went to the MAEGS 14 Association of European Geological Societies natural hazards conference in Turin in Italy. On the way home I took a long weekend in France and went to Edinburgh to catch up with people there. I wouldn't recommend visiting three countries in the space of ten days or so. However, the french trip was fun. I went to my favourite bookshop "Shakespeare and Company" .. a beautiful independent bookshop in the Latin Quarter of Paris, with fascinating books and in a magical setting opposite Notre-Dame .. revisited family haunts in Carnac and along the Breton coastline and slept in my tent behind a hedge with a view of Mont St. Michael on my last night. It is fun how childhood memories enlarge the scale of everything. I had a great time and just needed it to be ten times as long.. so busy I seem to have no photos.

As for accommodation.. I stayed in hostels as usual and my tent. The youth hostel in Turin is exceptionally cheap, in a nice residential part of town and though not very central is still within walking distance of the centre. It has no kitchen facilities. The Aloha hostel in central Paris had a great location and friendly hostellers but was cramped and noisy at night. My tent is compact and usually has a great view.