Bonjour all
Just to reiterate from the last blog - I met Lance! Truly exciting and still keeps me too excited to sleep at night when I think about it!
Anyway...
On Thursday afternoon Jase took Pauline and Lex to Lyon as they were flying to Rome to meet Scott and Nicki the next day. Mum, Christine, Titch and I went to the Vaujany pool in the afternoon so I could do my 1hr swim. The pool was busy for a change and I had to re-employ some of the aggressive passing manoeuvres I had come up with when swimming with the German oldies. Christine advised me that I had no 'pool etiquette' but as I told her I have no plans to become a swimmer so it doesn't matter!
On Friday Titch and Mary hired road bikes and did an Alpe d'Huez TT. The little Irish one surprised all with a pretty racey time and congratulated herself with a nutella crepe at the top! Christine and Jase rode the Col de la Croix de fer - in 35 degrees! Mum and I went to the Vaujany pool as I wanted to say goodbye to the lady who works mornings up there because she is so nice and has really helped me with conversational French. Mum was the only one who became emotional at the farewell, which was interesting as she had never even met the woman before!! I only swam Quatre-vingts lengths (80 - I count my lengths in French as it has helped relieve the boredom of staring at the bottom of the pool, and has helped me learn to count to 100!) as I was tired from swimming the night before. My shoulders and arms have gotten a bit bigger, and my legs are now little sticks - not really the right recipe for biking but hopefully that will change in the future. I have finally accepted that this is the situation and I just have to go with it for now.
Yesterday afternoon Jase, Mum, Christine, Titch and I headed up the Alpe d'Huez to look at the shops. Jase the legend bought me an awesome ski jacket to replace my jacket that was stolen in Australia last year. The winter gear is so cheap here but I guess it is because it is out of season.
This morning the alarms went off at 6am (major shock to the system!). We picked up Titch and Mary at 6.30am and I drove the team up the Alpe d'Huez for an early morning parapente! The four of them absolutely loved it! I stood at a vantage point and got an amazing photo of Mum as the guy with her saw me so came really close. Unfortunately I can't put it on here as we don't have the technology! We will pick up the CD of professional photos soon so will see what I can do (well let's be realistic here... what Jase can do!).
We strolled around the markets this morning and then said our tearful goodbyes to Mary and Titch. COME BACK TO NZ TITCHER!!!!! I have also said my goodbyes to my French helping 'friend' Arnold Gerard, and will say goodbye to our elderly neighbours (Jean and Giselle) soon. They are fantastic - can't believe they are 82 and 80! They now sit outside waiting for us each day so I can tell them in my broken French what we have done that day! Will also head to the local cafe to say 'Au revoir' to our favourite waitress Marina. Very sad, but next time I return it will be even better with my bike!
Jase and Christine have just returned from their last ride here in Bourg. Tomorrow we are driving via the Gorges du Verdon to the French Riviera (Antibes). Mum, Christine, Jase and I will stay there for the week, before Mum and Christine fly to Geneva and Jase and I head to the Costa Brava. We may not have internet access there so please don't be offended if we don't reply to your emails straight away.
Au revoir to Bourg
J
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