Backpacking 2009 Journal Complete

I have finally completely finished posting the entire journal from 2009. I will start on the 2012 one tomorrow (I swear!). I've typed it all up, but would like to put pictures and such with the posts. I realize, looking back on my posts that my food allergies (dairy and soy) were affecting me in a bad way. I wonder if my knees will hurt next time I go backpacking. It will definitely be harder to eat, because they put dairy and soy in almost everything that is processed, which is a huge part of a hostel-backpacking diet. Cheap processed crap.

My food allergies were not only causing me gastrointestinal distress, they were also causing me severe mood swings, and irritability. Ask the hubby about the irritability. And the pain. The joint pain was horrendous. And it's all gone now. I had been hurting for so long, that I didn't even realize how bad I hurt. Until I got all of the dairy and soy completely out of my diet last year, and then it was like night and day.

I wonder if there's anyone else out there with food allergies who has gone backpacking?

Journal Entry: Departing Carcassonne

I am packed. This place was amazing. The hostel is great. I hope St. Christopher’s in Paris is still good. 

Ready to Go

I am going to check out at 8a. I have to return the rental car at 8:30. I did not get gas last night. Gazole, or diesel, was cheaper down near Foix by about five cents per liter. It is about €1.41 here. Cheaper than the motorway on the way here from Marseille. The rental lady told me that they have had people put gasoline in the diesel cars. I told her that’s just stupid LOL. She said it happens frequently. I guess people are dumb. Some people anyway. 

After that my train doesn’t leave for almost two hours. 

My digestion is really messed up. I think next time I come to Europe, Andy and I will rent an apartment in or near Carcassonne. Then we can cook for ourselves.

Journal Entry: Time Unknown - Over the Atlantic

We’re in the air over the Atlantic. I don’t know the exact time for where we are, but it’s 1:16pm back in Britain.

We were given a choice of lunches, and I chose beef with potatoes. They also gave us a salad before hand and desert after. Some really good ice cream called “Beechdean” for the brand name. We’re supposed to have tea and scones later which I’m looking forward to. The candy they gave us was good too, by “Lily O’Briens.” I think the pen is finally out of ink.

So, here’s the new pen! It’s a “Zig” pen that was on clearance. Very spiffy. Next time I go trudging about Europe, I shall be sure to bring a few nice “Zig” pens with me since it seems to write better than the other ones. The purple one I was using from Mirepoix was a nice color but had problems writing smoothly, consistently.

It's good to be king...