Strange that when you go on holiday, sometimes even 2 weeks is too long, now it's only 3 weeks left. September weather has is a way been better than August, able to top up my tan in the past week, but nights are now cold, and its back to the duvet. For the first time I am wearing long sleeves to work in!! Had more rain than the 5mm that Wales had, but not the half annual rainfall that fell in 3 hours , that Montpellier had! Now one can understand the reason behind storm drains big enough to stand up in. Montpellier even though nearly a 3 hour drive is the regional headquarters for a lot of government srvices. The local river is still clear but getting a lot more runoff, even though there was very little rain here.
Hasit been worth it? Definitely... hospitality is hard work, frustrating, with people arriving late at night and not leaving until afternoon, the mystery of the disappearing, teaspoons, wineglasses, even a pair of pillows has walked... by mistake, and she has offered to pay, the excitement of becoming grandparents obviously affected them! Less is certainly better, an i think my ideal would be a couple of camp beds under cover, food from a barbi , solar showers, and a compost loo..at least then no one would complain that they cant get the subtitles off the tv. A couple locally who have the gite/appartment/ chambre d'ote business of many northern europeans, have got it right I think ; with exposed stonework, which doesn't show up the cobwebs, underfloor heating, so no dust trap radiators, and wet rooms, with flying toilets, for a quick mop out of the bathrooms, They have had repeat clients to this remote area for , almost the lenght of time they have been doing this. They go to lenghts for their visitors but also charge an arm and a leg for the privilege...so their own next break is the garden route in south africa followed by a safari...nice Being dutch most of their visitors are too, one couple of ex paying guests even comes to house sit for them twice a year do they can take a break without worrying about the donkeys, geese, dogs, cats etc.
Well train tickets booked, mychauffeur who picked me up from the airport, will have driven back to the UK by then, FGM also flown back to UK a week before. So its reliant on the TGV as long as it isn't cancelled due to floods en route. But the really anoying thing is that the last 100 miles from Bristol to Pembs will be the most expensive. Thats British Rail for you
And what I will do when I get there?..
