10:00 am

I hate meeting people, having a great time with them, and then leaving them -- without even getting an address or a proper good-bye. This is what I hate about traveling alone. I already miss Mark, Linda, Karen and Brandy -- my Florentine friends. I didn't even get a picture of them! I had to dash to get this train, so I didn't say good-bye to Mark. He was so nice, So were "the girls." So often, things just don't work out. I'd like to join up and travel with people, but they're going another route. I'm glad I stayed two nights in Florence. Last night, a group of Spaniards was singing and playing guitar, drinking. Mark and I sang along when we could. After Mark went off to bed, Linda came up and we danced to "The Bird." What fun. Wonderful friends who I'll never see again! How depressing! Mark and I went to the museums yesterday. Very expensive -- 10,000 lira each ($7.50) But the David statue is so incredible. We had lunch in the Boboli gardens -- after running into the girls at the Vivoli Gelateria, which serves "the best" gelati in the world. We came back to the hostel at 4:30 -- hoping to go back out to the American Express office, but we took showers and naps instead, then had dinner at the hostel. After dinner, Mark and I walked to the stadium in search of a Communist festival, but it was over. Partied at the hostel from 9:30 - 11:30. Florence is beautiful, but hot. And not very active in the evening. Motor bikes are everywhere! I'm surprised there aren't more accidents. the sight of the red tiled roofs from the Duomo is incredible. Mark is a vocalist. He's going to music school in Manchester next year. Works at the theater in Leicester. Very attractive -- or did I mention that? Nice personality.

Some needs for future travels: good sandals, learn German, research more beforehand work on assertiveness, stay at hostels more, watch with band. More thoughts: the peaks and valleys that you encounter emotionally can really be distressing. Great highs, tremendous lows! I was glad to meet a Swedish woman, traveling alone, who said she got depressed. Mark said he doesn't.

1:00 pm

Things I've learned: More understanding of the homeless. The pain of trying to find a place to sleep, not having roots, carrying all you own. The stares from people, especially children, when you speak a "foreign" language. How must foreigners in the States feel? I met two Torontonians at the Tourist Info office in Pisa and walked with them to the tower. They were really nice -- Jeff and Steve. The tower is pretty impressive to see. I'm going right on to Menton, France tonight. Not spending the day in Milano and taking an overnight.

4:15 pm

A little too exciting. These darn Italian trains. My train to Genova was late, of course, so I had to run to just barely make my connecting train. Luckily, it was at the next binario. But now I can't spend my last 3500 lira. And I have no French francs. Not good when I'm getting into Menton after 8 pm. I hope there's a cambio open and the hostel isn't full! The Italian seaside is beautiful!

6:30 pm

It was really tragic leaving Mark. We had boarded the bus, not talking beforehand because he went down to get his washing. I never told him that I was going to try for the 10:00 train, so I was getting off at the station. He got off at the Duomo -- our eyes met through the window. His questioning why I wasn't getting off. We waved. That was it!