» Stuff You've Overheard

Yet another American tourist story...
While interrailing with friends in Europe a couple of years ago, we were climbing some stairs to get to the top of a chapel for the view of the city (I can't remember exactly where we were at the time). We were stuck behind a small group of American tourists, who were obviously struggling with all the exercise. About half way up one of them turns the others, and explains: "normally I'd have no problem, but the air is getting really thin up here". Since the city itself wasn't at any significant elevation, I can only assume he thought that this was because of the 40 or so steps that he'd climbed. Presumably he was suffering from full blown altitude sickness by the time he reached the top.
(Fri 11th Jun 2004, 14:33, More)