Posted on 11/11/2016 2:31:30 PM PST by Springfield Reformer
Hi everyone. I've been away for a while, and had a lot of time to get my sci-fi romance adventure novel going full steam ahead. I'm at a point in the story where my main character is backpacking her way across Europe on a shoestring, while trying to elude a number of suspicious characters. I spent some time quasi-backpacking overseas a few decades ago, but not along the route my character is taking, which includes England, France, Switzerland and Italy. If anyone has any direct personal experience with these places and is willing to share those experiences in this thread (or by FReepmail), I'd love to hear about it.
Thanks,
SR
Must be a strong swimmer too. England to France?
What is the timeline? Is you character fighting off Muslim hordes.
Time would help. I have been a backpacke nearly my entire life. Gear, shows, backpacks, name brands will make it believable. The Tyrole hills should be mentioned. Matterhorn. In England you have the royal walking trails that must remain open through any proprty. Lots of sheep to see.
I did a solo to Jerusalem for ten days,,,
UNBELIEVABLE!
I have other interesting stories, but they are the nice kind or related to drinking. Sorry, nothing sinister.
Although one of the coolest things was seeing the remains of the maginot line bunkers. The wall France built to prevent another invasion from Germany. They were in dense wood and overgrown with green vegetation but you could make them out from the road. We got off our bikes and explored as close as we dared, knowing that there could be weakened ground near the bunkers that could collapse.
Could make for an interesting scenario if someone had to escape into one of those. Very eerie and exciting.
[[What did it smell like? How did it feel being there?]]
Combination of cow manure, raw earth, perhaps mold (it’s quite moist there i would think with all the snow and melt they get) Bat guano smell perhaps- old hotels often have bat issues- especially if they have rock foundations/walls)- The smell of grass if in a meadow- hay if it’s being cut- wild flowers if the hotel owner likes flowers- smell of mud as kids track it in- smell of old boards- dusty perhaps- could be a cedar closet smell or cedar chest- the smell of home cooking permeating the air- maybe the smell of sour milk if the kids have chores of milking the cows- the smell of salt pork curing in the cool hall closet- maybe the smell of evergreens (not sure if htey have them in alps?) body odor, grungy clothes smell- being that it’s a kids hotel- perhaps there’s a barn nearby- lots of smells there- chickens, pigs, cows, goats- all have unique smells- perhaps it drifts into the hotel-
Taste could include unique swiss cooking- lots of pungeant cheeses- sour milk foods- curds and whey perhaps- maybe home made chocolate smell and tastes- homemade candies-lots of tripe (the most foul food ever invented)- corn breads- loads of lard- alpine fish- earthy root vegetables- sour/bitter field greens for salads-
sounds: Cows, roosters crowing break of dawn- dinner bell- alarm bell to wake kids up- pigs oinkin- goats bleeting out their chorus- birds chirpin (have to find out what kinds of birds, their songs etc)- dogs barkin- cats meowin- children fighting- adults yellin- gun shots in the distance- in winter canon shots as they trigger avalanches- If the kids are nearby- sneak over to watch it happen, the smell of gun powder, the thud in the chest when cannons go off- ringing in the ears- eyes watering from the smoke-
Touch: The feel of fresh grass on bare feet- the feel of the dew on the feet- the sun popping up over the mountains, warming up the brisk morning- The chill of evenign as sun goed down behind mountain that drives the warmth of the day away - the constant wind whistling through the mountains- cool in summer- dangerous cold in winter- The feel of chicken eggs- duck eggs, etc- goats with wirey bristly hair- same for pigs- soft chicken feathers- the feel of walkign through pig or cow manure the smell of it- the smell of milking hte cows- the feel of slimy fish as the kids go fishing- the taste of tripe- curds- the texture of it- (horrible)- Slimy, sour- vomit inducing- Texture of htigns liek blood soup- brain sandwhiches- the smell of them-
Plenty of material- bluff your way through lol
It’s set in modern times.
“So there I was crossing into Germany when suddenly all of these Syrian refugees came running toward me from the opposite direction, yelling something about a guy named Trump.”
Solo backpacking in western europe.... Get a thesaurus and look up words for smells. Acrid, pungent, fetid, mephitic
Car chase- (I dont’ know what the chase was like in spectre- if what I’m saying below is like that just disregard) narrow streets? Tables in alleys flying on impact? Pigeons scattering at the last second? Woman on third floor throwing water out the window, landing on car? screeching to temporary halt as children dart out into street- dogs barking like mad as cars zoom by, dogs with their chains at full tension as they strain to get at those yummy car tires- old men and women sitting on porches shaking their fists, cursing perhaps- Car ducks down impossibly narrow side alley- taking out fruit stands, ripping down clotheslines- bouncign off cobble stone walls- sparks flying- smell of rubber burning- nerves on edge- anxiousness- fear- worry- throw up a little in fear- shaking, hard to steer- see clearly- nearly everything is heightened, hearing, smell, reflexes- but sight is clouded by fear sweating- fruti splotches on windowshield- wipers goign smearign it worse-
foot chase- over cobble streets- rough going- fear of twistign ankle- the smells of bakeries as them ind flashes from task at hand to beign aware of surroundings- smell of coffee shops, meat shops- sounds of dogs barking- children screaming- older folks arguing back and forth- running out of breath- sweating, contemplating looking for a safe place to hide or keep running- thoughts of family losing their loved on if they catch you- leaving them destitute and homeless- regrets running through mind-
Mix it up by including things out of the blue- like thinking about what you had for lunch, how it’s settling hard during the chase- it makes you sick to stomache- sweating more- feel weak- then switch to thinking about what you gave to do when you get finally get home- then switch back to the task at hand- escaping- Then to the girl you dated in high school- thinking how you’d like to apologize for standing her up the night of the prom lol- but keep the tension of hte chase up by ‘thinking these thoughts between gasps/gulps of air- swiping sweat from brow with forearm- stumbling- hearing their footsteps getting closer while your trying to get up and running again
Lots of ways to bluff your way through scenes by making them so interestingness that other details accurate cultural details don’t matter so much anymore lol
Make her hiking topless.....
Sex sells...umless she looks like Hillary..
[[It’s set in modern times.
“So there I was crossing into Germany when suddenly all of these Syrian refugees came running toward me from the opposite direction, yelling something about a guy named Trump.”]]
Oh my gosh that’s funny- good one
The streets of London are a bit more stark than an American might expect. The place wasn’t centrally planned, but grew organically, so it’s easy to get lost there if you’re accustomed to grid patterned cities.
Because of the Blitz in WWII, there are modern buildings squeezed in with 500 year old structures. For the thirsty, there’s a pub on every corner. They have a homey, comfortable feel, unlike the typical bar in the states. And they serve their beer warm.
One could mistake the Thames for a lake, if you didn’t know it was a river. Its that lazy. Button up in a warm jacket if you decide to take a ride on the river in one of the ever present tourist cruisers. It can be nippy.
If you’re a Yank, please look to the RIGHT before crossing any street. Don’t ask how I know this.
The famous double decker buses are a hoot to ride. They’re small, cramped, and most have seen better days. Still fun, though.
Forget food, unless you find an ethnic restaurant or McDonald’s. Aside from fish and chips (which no one does better) the Brits subsist on the sort of fare best reserved for your dog. That is, unless, you’re willing to pay through the nose at one of their finer restaurants. Those places are remarkably good.
The money is funny looking, but if you stay a while, you’ll get used to it. Doesn’t go as far as a greenback, though. The five pound note is their smallest denomination of paper money.
Their public transport system is second to none. You can get doorstep to doorstep practically anywhere in the country. Its literally one of the best things they do.
Alrighty. I’ve got tons more memories, but it’s a pain typing on my tablet.
“I could not believe I was actually making the trip to the infamous Eagles Nest, once home to Der Fuerher himself. The long tunnel leading to the elevator had been crafted under the direction of the finest German engineers of the day and the work supplied by forced labor from nearby death camps. My mixed feelings were difficult to express as the contradictions created a vortex of turmoil’s inside me.”
LOL!!!
What I have heard is hitching from England to France without swimming is definitely possible. Challenging, and a bit dangerous, as hitchhiking always is. But possible. A preplanned ride with a commuter doing the channel tunnel, taking up with a trucker, and finessing a car-less ride on one of the ferries at Dover have all been suggested by various online hitchhiking guides. Disclaimer: I am not recommending any of this. It’s simply something my story’s character is driven by circumstances to attempt.
As for timeline, it’s contemporary, so yes, encounters with Muslims and other populations in movement are possible. But not certain. Even large movements can be harder to see close up.
But thanks for the tips. They all look useful. The royal walking trails? Oh my. :)
“Forget food, unless you find an ethnic restaurant or McDonald’s. Aside from fish and chips (which no one does better) the Brits subsist on the sort of fare best reserved for your dog. That is, unless, you’re willing to pay through the nose at one of their finer restaurants. Those places are remarkably good.”
Mr. Hamilton: Would you make me a Waldorf Salad?
Basil Fawlty: [having never heard of it] I beg your pardon?
Mr. Hamilton: Get me a Waldorf Salad.
Basil Fawlty: Well, I think we just ran out of Waldorfs!
WF, thanks! Those were all great observations. The bit about looking to the right before crossing the street is a gem. Just the sort of thing I’m looking for.
And yes, I knew London’s streets were a bit of a maze, and I’d already factored that into my character’s journey from Heathrow to a youth hostel.
Again, all useful. Thanks. And yes, typing on a real keyboard will always be better than touching a screen. JMHO.
LOL. A classic.
All good. And no doubt all the more noticeable to an American sense of smell.
Its a faith and family story. If it were ever made into a movie, it would be PG-13, at worst.
Awesome collection of sensory information that really puts you in the scene. Thanks Bob. Very helpful.
Ever had a British ‘beefburger’?
I hope not.
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