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It was now 7pm. I was exhausted following the ten-hour hitch and getting a bit desperate as car after car passed me, despite the placard I held which read 'FRANCE: £10?' Just as the streetlights began to buzz a van screeched to a halt a couple of hundred metres down the road, I grabbed my impossibly heavy rucksack and lurched after them. "Ten Quid?" he asked, before opening the door of their small van. I was to share the back with several crates of beer that they'd just bought in the duty free...

European Tales: Switzerland 1996, a lengthy tale

Joseph Tame
2006-06-30 17:53:26

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my recently divorced sister and myself decided to take a holiday on the Greek Island of Crete. It was a fantastic experience. We spent most of our two weeks abroad in the southern fishing village of Paleohora: walking, talking, arguing and drinking the local Raki being our favourite pastimes. Another attraction for Emma was the ugly barman of our local restaurant, 'The Pelican'. With his help she was able to make a complete fool of herself most evenings, much to my amusement. I however would return to our tent alone, where the huge rats racing along the overhead power cables would greet me.

Even though we had been away for only two weeks I found it very difficult to get back into the old UK routine. I realised for the first time just how much I was being constrained by my job at the shop. I didn't want to have to worry about the bags of frozen peas that were going out of date at the end of the month, and it drove me around the bend getting forty weather forecasts a day from the local population. This job was no longer what I wanted, but I felt honour bound to do it. My employers had trusted me with a lot; if I were to leave I would be letting them and myself down. Talking this over with my friends and family, I began to see that I had to do what I wanted to do. It took about a week of persuasion and a long phone call from Emma (who was feeling similar at WHSmith in Gloucester) to finally make my mind up - I was going to break another contract! As soon as my employers got back from their fly & drive holiday in the U.S.A. I broke my news to them. Although disappointed, they took it well and were very kind to me. I was quickly released from my contract (which their dog had eaten in any case) as their son agreed to take over management of the business.

It was the beginning of summer, and I set myself a goal to save enough money to enable me to leave the UK the following September. As a result of my desperation to find decent short-term ...