I had a very intense love affair with a Danish woman a few years ago. Being a romantic with the love of travel sex and adventure, I ventured to Europe sort of spur of the moment, by myself. I was well prepared with an outline of where to go, what countries to see, etc. But most of it was made up as I went along. I really wasn't on a budget, but I stayed at youth hostels simply because I heard stories about meeting the most interesting people at these inexpensive inns.
It was in London, where I met Christine from Copenhagen. She was on the same page as I, looking for a deviation from ordinary life.
She was also traveling solo. Well, she did have a friend in London, whom I never met. After a long day of seeing all the sights of London via one of the open-air, double-decker buses that are common in England's cities. I met some fellow Canadians when I checked in the day earlier, and upon hitting it off with them, we agreed to see the sights together. I was quite mellow after this long day, with sore feet.
Although it was still quite early in the evening, I decided to stay in and relax, watch some TV perhaps and then take a hot bath before bed. After a traditional English dinner fish and chips, of course at the hostel's restaurant, the chatter of the other guests from the commons area of this Victorian house turned into a hostel invited me to join the social environment.
I first went down to the corner store and purchased an eight pack of cider. Upon return to the commons room, I offered the four guests seated around the coffee table a cider. It was accepted by all but one, an older gent who was suffering from an apparent hangover.
