Train to Lyon, a Refresher Course

I asked the clerk this morning at the station if he spoke English but did it in French, one of the few phrases I know. He thanked me in perfect English for at least know some rudimentary French. I try to take a refresher course every once and a while by heading on my own. Press trips can make you a bit lazy when you get used to guides, drivers and such. My trip from Chamonix to Lyon was a great example of getting back to finding your own way. While only 2oo kilometers it took two trains, two busses and six hours to do. Long but great, to see the people and places that are sometimes missed when tooling in style, the number of stars of your hotel drops also. That also feels good as I am very comfortable in my new digs at the Mercure in Lyon. So far my refresher course in traveling is going great, recertification seems close at hand.