i have received lots of lovely PMs about my son's travels and their value to him (the verdict is universally that this trip will be great for him.....). So I thought I would report in -- with not a word of any language but English, (and that is debatable some time) he made it through Italy, Switzerland, Germany and France. He met up with a 'couple of French chicks...' who turned out to bea couple of German chicks (I told you -- he doesn't speak any languages!!!!!) and they all took the ferry from Calais to Dover with them arriving at the ferry terminal after public transportation had stopped for the night so he (and they) hunkered down for the night in the waiting area of the ferry. This for my dear, lovely, spoiled American son, is as hard as it gets......I don't think he has ever spent a night (other than camping) in the rough before.
when public transport started runnng he made it into town and met up with my cousin after a couple of false starts.....his quote was ...'I just want to wash my clothes, clean my teeth, take a bath and sleep in a real bed.....' (after all, he HAD roughed it for one night....!Then he got to my cousin's house and found out that he could not do laundry and take a bath at the same time because the hot water wouldn't last........I am not sure to be proud or not that he chose laundry over a bath!!!
He plans to hang out in England til his money runs out - which should be a while as he has endless free rides from my large extended family........we are having such a peaceful time while he is gone, we are debating whether to ensure his money does NOT run out yet.

I think this will be the making of him......