In vino veritas!

After a much needed power-nap in the afternoon, I decide to go a wander around the Montparnasse district. After much meandering, I bump in to Logan and Philip on the way back, who are with Ashley and Antonia (American and Austrian) and the 5 of us decide to go and get some food.
We eventually find a lovely little French brasserie in Montparnasse, and sit outside chatting and drinking wine (naturally, we split a bottle of red between the 5 of us....tres expensive otherwise!)

We decide to save our pennies and buy wine to take back to the Hostel, so stop in at the supermarche again and load up in a few more 2 euro bottles each. Classy.

Perhaps this should have been our first warning, but when we arrive back at the hostel, the receptionist is in a foul mood, and moans about noise levels and alcohol consumption repeatedly. This is prompty followed by a threat to call the police (though I'm not entirely sure what his line of argument would be...."Gendarmes! These people are having too much fun. And in a youth hostel of all places!....")

After some sweet-talk and compromise, we head to the kitchen area to have drinks, where Mike joins us, along with 2 guys who are in my room; Forrest and Denny (Hawaiian and Swiss).

A host of drinking games follows and we all get fairly drunk and talk utter nonsense for a few hours. When it's just me, Mike and Logan left, we remember about our teeny tiny bit of hash from the night before, and set about making a joint. Of course, what we don't quite anticipate is the CCTV camera in kitchen....

Yes. The moody receptionist has been watching us. Cue his arrival at the top of the stairs, shouting " What you are doing eez eeeleegal! I will call the police......You must get out!"

So me, Mike and Logan decide to let the receptionist calm down, and head out to smoke our (badly rolled) joint. After a bit of down time, we head back inside. It's about midnight/1ish by now, and Mike informs us that he has nowhere to stay; his reservation ended today...

Spurred on by red wine, I give Mike my room key and tell him to make a run for it while I distract the receptionist. In a scene reminiscent from Saved by the Bell, I ask the receptionist a series of inane questions (what time is breakfast? where is the nearest cash machine? etc) while Mike hides. Unbelievably, we get away with it; Mike has a free room for the night!

Feeling more-than-rough in the morning, I have to check out early. Today, I'm going to attempt to head to Amsterdam. I say my goodbye's to people at the hostel, and me and Forrest decide to get some greasy food near the Gare du Nord before I catch my train. Because of my serious lack of organisation, I miss all direct trains to Amsterdam, so end up having to make a stop over in Brussells. Should be in Amsterdam by around 9pm. I just hope it's still light when I get there - don't really fancy trying to find my Hostel in the dark.....