Day 62 – On to Astafort – just outside Agen

Today is Saturday 31st July. It’s exactly 2 months since I set off from England. I think my mission here is pretty much over here as far as the reccy goes. I’ve seen most of the places I want to see, I’ve seen what your money can buy you, seen how the climate can change within such a small area, learnt a bit about French culture, and the French language and had a bit of a holiday into the bargain. It’s not over yet by any means. My plan was to stay for 3 months and I still intend too. Thanks to the efforts of a good friend back home my house is finally getting rented out (soon) which means it will be in use when I return home so there is no point in returning early. However I do think it’s time I drew a line under the blog. I really enjoyed writing it and gave me something else to do other than go out and spend money. It is taking up too much of my time though and I’m running seriously short of time (and money) to get my real work done.

The ‘Marie’s’ (mayor’s) office is often quite a fancy building. This one in Agen is typical

Heading homeward

Today I turned around and headed in the direction of the Dordogne. First to Tarbes, where I stopped for coffee and a look around the market. Then onto to Auche. They have a small campsite here on a tiny island in the middle of the river and its only 4 euros something to stay! 4 euros!! There wasn’t much in the way of shade though, so after a quick drive around the historic city centre I headed out on the road to Agen. I am looking for something quite specific; a nice quiet spot, by a river, with lots of shade. Just like that very first night I spent in Chateau Gontier. I only ever intend to stay one night in any place, but some places just make you want to stay another night... then another...

Found it

All in all I drove about 200Km today and I’ve stopped at every campsite for the last 80Km. One of them wanted 48 euros for 1 night!!!. About 10Km south of Agen I approached a bridge with a sign on the right saying ‘municipal campsite’ pointing left. As I drove over the bridge I looked left and saw a lovely grassy spot on the bank of the river in the shade of four huge willow trees. The bridge itself was a stone arched bridge and the river had a large wier which when seen from the bank gives the impression that the river just stops... in mid air so to speak. It is picture postcard. I turned around. Its Saturday night... boogie night... I’m just 10 Km from a happening spot but what I want is right here.


The tiny office on site doubles as the village tourist office and the girl working there seems bored. She babbles on for ages about stuff knowing I don’t understand a word. It doesn’t seem to bother her though. Me neither. She says she caught too much soliel today. Effected her mouth I think!

Midget warrior hedgehogs

I think she’s talking about a time once when she got really bored and was lured into cyberspace by a band of midget warrior hedgehogs from a time far in the future. A time when hedgehog-kind had supplanted humans as the dominate intelligence on the planet and they needed a leader to help take back the solar system from a race of giant space spiders that have made their webs out amongst the moons of Jupiter. However they suspected the spiders had picked up their radio traffic on their webs and were preparing a counter attack......... I could be wrong though... I only caught a couple of words.

Now the lovely shady spot I’ve got by the river doesn’t have electric. So I’ll either stay just one or two nights (however long my batteries last), or relocate to a less idyllic spot where there is electric. Where I’ll stop at next is anyones guess, but it will be in the direction of Bergerac for sure. ‘Castelmoron’ sounds like an interesting place! I wonder how it got its name? Maybe I’ll find out if I go there?

Now I am about 10 feet from the bank. I’m expecting a lot of mosquitos tonight. I’ve run out of insect repellent so this could be a real problem. When I’m sleeping I can zip up my inner tent so no mosquitos can get in but it gets really hot in there especially now I’m out of the mountains.

A taste of things to come... this is the dinner of the future. 6 days into the future to be precise! I wonder what it’s gonna taste like?

Rummaging around in my toiletries bag I find a small jar of tiger balm I bought in Malaysia. This is supposed to help with the itch once you’ve been bitten. However it’s pretty potent stuff. I makes my eyes water just opening the jar, imagine what it must do to a tiny insect. I reckon a light smearing of this on my exposed regions should keep any mostique well away. It’s worth a try. And theres always the ‘vin rouge’. Jacey used to swear by it!

So it is then, that I’m sat here on the bank, in this idyllic spot, just like when I first started, only this time, stinking to high heaven of petroleum jelly. I’m sat at my little table with my bottle of red wine and an empty plate which just a few minutes ago contained last of the Sausage Bolognese Curry. It is still light but the sun is low in the sky. A van drives over the bridge, the very same bridge that I did only a few hours before. A guy in the passenger seat, a young bloke with a gotae and shades spies the exact same spot that I did only a few hours before... only this time, with me in it! The view only lasts a fraction of a second, but it was enough time for him to yell out the open window “BON APETITE!” which trailed off as he went. “MERCI!” I shouted back. I had already finished my dinner, so I wondered; maybe the ‘appetite’ which is referred to is altogether a broader one than for food alone.

FIN

Day 60 and 61 – Luchon

These next two days were pretty much work days. Work isn’t going great. I’m struggling with the whole philosophy of what I’m trying to do. I knew this would be a case of try it, see if it works out, try something a bit different etc. Suck it and see as we say in the trade!

Although they have good internet / Wifi on this campsite, there are too many distractions. Too many people coming and going. Not enough shade. Although the town is only at about 900m that equates to about a 10 degree drop in temperature. Which means that it’s much colder than the UK in the shade. If I sit in the sun I can’t see the screen... at all, even on full brightness. If I sit in the shade I get really cold because I’m not moving around. I need to find somewhere back nearer sea level, where I can sit in the shade and be warm. Maybe I should move on to the Dordogne soon. My spot here is reserved from the 31st onwards so I need to move soon anyway.

The Dordogne

The Dordoyne is on the way home and is where most Brits head for. It’s at sea level (ish) about one third up from the south and west of centre. I don’t really want to live in ‘little england’ in France, but I am curious to know why most Brits head there. It is suppose to be very beautiful and one person said it reminds him of the New Forest. Now that gets my vote. If I could build my dream eco house anywhere, it would be the New Forest (if I could afford it!... yeah and if the weather was a bit warmer!). There are also a vast number of campsites according to the guide, the biggest concentration in all Europe. So it must have some appeal. Maybe it will appeal to me? Either way my chances of finding a nice quite campsite and getting some work done are quite good.

Cheese man

As I sat there on one occasion squinting at my screen a man pulled up in a van on the empty plot next to me and said something to me in French that went completely over my head. “J’ne comprend pas” I said. “Queso!” he said while putting his fingers to his mouth. I recognised the Spanish for Cheese. He was driving a re-fridgerated van with the back open. “Ah! No merci”. I said. He looked at me like I was mad... “You don’t want cheese?? Yet you are in France??”. “Je avez fromage déjà merci” (“I already have cheese thank you!”). But clearly he didn’t seem to understand this basic concept.

Then my neighbours appeared and showed and an interest in his cheese. I’m guessing they called him out and he got them confused with me. Or maybe he’s just generally confused. Later on that day... I ran out of Cheese!

The thermal spring in town

The enemy of your enemy is your friend

Have you ever successfully swatted a fly? I’ve tried a million times in the last few days and not got a single one (bloated mosquitos don’t count). However while I was busy in my kitchen inventing the Sausage Bolognese Curry, I heard this frantic buzzing noise. In front of me on the steel bars I reinforced my roof with, a small spider had caught a fly almost as big as himself and seems to have stunk his fangs into its midrift. The fly is twitching and buzzing a bit but you can tell it’s in its death throws. After a few minutes it stops and the spider drags his big juicy meal off between the bar and the water tank. He did this entirely without a web... or a swatter! Well done!

The beard

I got rid of my beard today. I’ve had it now for 18 months, but I longed to feel this cool mountain air on my chin. I went into the sanitary block and hacked it off with the only two razors I could find and without the help of any cream. My chin wasn’t half sore afterwards... especially when I applied my sun scream.

Day 59 – Luchon

The next day I felt much better. The amount of mosquito poison in me I’m surprised I woke up at all. But I did, and I needed breakfast, and I had no bread! Arse! Now I’ve got to walk into town even before breakfast.

Passed this giant Sequoia on the walk into town. Don’t see one of them every day

It’s almost 9am as I walk outside the campsite. There is an old couple sat at the bus stop right next to the entrance. I recognised them as resident here. “Do you know where I can buy bread?” I asked. I picked out the words “.... ville.... cinque minuit....”. Hmmm.. I was hoping there would be somewhere closer. Maybe a shop on site somewhere. Anyway I start walking. About 30 seconds later the old couple start shouting at me and pointing excitedly. They appear to be pointing to a van coming my way... beeping its horn all the time!! The bread lorry!!! Of course! As it went past I clearly picked out the caricature of a baguette and the word “pain” (that’s French for bread).

I chased it back into the campsite I had just come from. It drove around slowly beeping its horn all the way. ‘A bit rich’ I thought for a campsite full of people on holiday at 9 in the morning, but let’s face it, it’s either that or break your teeth on the old bit of concrete left over from yesterday... it is indeed a serious business.

Quatre vingt

The other side of the lorry, hidden from me until now is an open counter displaying all sorts of fresh bread. I took my French rustic baguette ‘du campagne’ and asked how much. “Quatre vingt deux” he says. Bimey! I picked out the ‘quatre’ bit... ‘4 euros and something...?’ thats 4 times the price it is normally. I guess thats the price you pay to have it delivered to your doorstep. I had 3 euro something and a twenty. I gave him the twenty. “Ooo la la” he says and looks at me a bit odd. Now this always gets me... the baguette is 82 cents! To say 82 in French you say “four twentys and two”. To say 92 you say “four twentys and twelve”. Isn’t this a bit like shillings and sixpence??

My proposal

In the interests of brevity I’d like to make a suggestion to the French people. Since you say ‘huit’ (pronounced ‘weet’) for 8, why don’t we simply make 80; huit-y (pronounced ‘weety’). Then 90 will be ‘nuefy’ and 92 will be ‘nuefy deux’. Simple!

The telecabin drops you off here

This morning I did some work, and as usual by midday there is no shade anywhere for at least two hours. So I decided to get the cable car up to the top of the mountain for a walk. The cable car costs 8 euros for a single return journey from the centre of town and takes about 20 minutes to get you to the top. From there you have a short walk to the other side of the mountain where it drops steeply into the next valley. The mountain rising from the other side is the really high 3500m one with the snow caps, and you can see it in its entirety, from its base where the road is and where there are tiny little dots for houses. Up to where the trees stop and then a little higher where the snow starts. These are the biggest mountains I’ve seen on this trip and they’re right there in front of me. The slope on my side starts between my bum which is on the flat bit and my feet which are on the slope. If I fell forward I probably wouldn’t stop rolling for an hour or so until I was at the bottom.



It’s much cooler up here. About fridge temperature; between 5 and 7 degrees. The sun is hot and is burning my skin but the wind is cold and any bits sheltered from the sun feel the cold. I sat there for about 3 quarters of an hour watching the large mountain birds rise on the thermals. I’m trying to figure out how large they are. Wingspan much longer than a man for sure. I’ve seen Condors doing this in the Colca canyon in Peru. I don’t know if these birds are Condors or Eagles or something else but in no time they have risen from 500m below me to 500m above me. What a life!!

Here I’ve zoomed into the valley of the previous picture. To give you an idea of scale, you can just about make out the road and some buildings right down the bottom

Eventually I pulled myself away from the view and went back down, passing 3 gliders on the way (we don’t do it as well as the birds). Later that evening I managed to get some more work done.

The pistes without the snow

Day 58 - Bagneres de Luchon

The next day I had a splitting headache. I had one most of yesterday afternoon but it hasn’t gone overnight. I probably got dehydrated. I know I don’t drink nearly as much water as I should. I did drink plenty before bed last night though.

About midday I walked into town. It only takes about 15 minutes. It’s a lovely place. If I recommend anywhere to anyone I think this would be the place. It’s a pretty town with a long central high street with loads of bars and cafes along the entire length. Light music is played from small speakers up and down the high street (In Foix they played rock music!!). The only downside for me is there are too many tourists, which also means there are too many rubbish gift shops and the prices are quite high. Mountain biking is the main summer activity testified to by the number of bike hire shops on the high street. Paragliding and actual real gliding (in a glider!!!) are also very common. If you look up at any point in the day you’re bound to see something of this (or down, if you happen to be on the peaks).

The town is nestled in a very steep mountain valley; huge mountains on either side are covered in trees and brightly lit by the sun. The town itself is at about 900m and the immediate peaks on either side rise to about 2200m. Behind those are even higher peaks rising to well over 3000m, well above the line at which trees stop growing and permanently capped in snow even in the middle of summer.

My ‘emplacmant’ in the campsite

I wasn’t terribly hungry but thought that it might make me feel better. I went for the gourmet salad. I felt terrible afterwards. Now nauseous too! I tried to settle the nausea with a small beer, but that made it worse. Maybe I didn’t use enough beer? I couldn’t risk it... I hobbled off home feeling like I was about to puke. I didn’t.

I could have picked up a bug. Given the number of flies walking around on the table when I’m preparing food, on my cup rim when I’m drinking tea, not to mention the number of ‘mostiques’ that have gorged themselves on me when I’ve been sleeping, it’s surprising this is only the first time.

Mostiques

That night as I was sleeping, I had my ear plugs in, so I couldn’t hear my neighbours whispering sweet love gibberish in each others ears. However it also meant I couldn’t hear the high pitched wine of a whole army of mostiques that had amassed on the frontier to my kingdom. I must have had a temperature as I haven’t yet been bitten 12 times in one night!

I woke up about 2am itching like crazy. There were two really fat mostiques on the bedroom ceiling. They were so fat with blood that they probably couldn’t fly even if their life depended on it. And now.... it most definitely did! As the shadow of my big fat thumb grew around them, they could barely manage to cling on to the roof. The roof that will always bear two slight stains... of my blood!

Evolution

I like to co-exist where possible with my fellow creatures of the universe, because I believe that peaceful co-existence is the sign of true evolutionary development... not just technical development, which is a much narrower concept. Neither do I believe that human development is the pinnacle evolution within the universe. I’m sure that any truly advanced society will either put aside its greedy aggressive ways or destroy itself before it has a chance to colonise the cosmos. And rightly so... as I believe we are about to demonstrate! Now if I’m wrong, and aggressive species can survive then maybe there is a big alien thumb shadow approaching us right now. Instinctively though I don’t feel this to be the case. Now mosquitoes and flies I make an exception for. They spread germs and make me ill. I wouldn’t want to eradicate their species because they are all a part of the delicate balance of nature, upon which we all depend, but if I find one inside my kingdom... he gets the thumb!