Tuesday 7th Sept.
Last night we had a lovely meal outside at the hotel where we were staying - that in itself is a treat - to be able to sit outside, with no breeze and not a breath of chilly air right up to 10pm. Up bright and early this morning, we headed off towards Sete on a beautiful early autumn morning. Jealous? You should be! :) There was a dramatic change in the scenery, from the endless flat fields of the north, now we were travelling through the Auvergne region with its mountains and superb views. I took photos again as we were driving but can't post them until we are back home with the benefit of broadband. The French seem to have invested heavily in their road system. Granted, you have to pay tolls on many of the motorways, but the driving is easy and, because the country is not nearly as heavily populated as Britain, the roads are far less crowded. Of course, in the towns, there is always the archetypal French driver who thinks that the rules of the road don't apply to him....no different to Britain then! Another outcome of the abundant space is that they seem to just build their motorways beside the older roads, rather than replacing them, so, when roadworks are necessary, the motorway can be closed off and the traffic diverted along the old route which is usually running alongside.
I am still intrigued to see the desolation of some of the little villages. Buildings stand empty, quietly rotting away and the whole effect reminds me of those old films which show soulless, mid-western American towns which seem to be totally bereft of human habitation. Keith got quite excited at one point when he saw a young mum with two small children walking along! On the other hand, some of the towns we have seen are very attractive, with lovely flower displays in the main streets, and obviously well kept, with no rubbish lying around. Their bins have lids, which deters wasps, and seem to be well used!
Anyway, the view of the Mediteranean in all its glory was well worth the long drive, although, as it was slightly overcast, it was not as blue as Keith remembered it from his youth. I persuaded Keith to buy some swimming trunks and tomorrow, we are off for our first dip! We will probably stay here until the week-end and then set off towards my old stamping ground, the south west, Bordeaux area and, in particular, Marmande, where I stayed with a family several times. I have long since lost contact with them and they are sure to have moved on, but it will be nice to see the area again.
Sunday 5th Sept.
Having arrived at Dover early, we took the opportunity of visiting the castle, although it was so hot, we didn't have much energy for walking very far. However, we got an earlier ferry and arrived in Calais at 4pm (3pm in U.K.) Keith set up the GPS to take us to Etaples sur Mer, where we had booked to spend the night. While we were waiting to disembark, I suggested he could do a sales pitch for GPS to the couple in the car in front of us, who were using ordinary maps! How archaic can you get?? However, he declined the offer, rather to my surprise.
So off we went, out of Calais and towards Boulogne, past the famous flat cornfields of that part of Northern France. We noticed that the roads seemed much less busy than in Britain but also, Keith remarked on the fact that, unlike the sixties, which was the last time either of us was in France, all the cars are the same - all jelly moulds, as he calls them, no distinctive 2CV's to be seen at all. We also had to pay road tolls on the motorways, which was an unwelcome innovation since our last visits!
And so we continued.....We did pass a sign for Etaples, but the GPS wasn't having any and, as Keith pointed out, there could be more than one Etaples. On we drove......kilometre after kilometre, towards Reims. I had a very simple map of the location of our hotel, which I tried hard to reconcile with the way we were going but, as Keith never makes mistakes with directions and neither, he said, does the GPS, I assumed that it was me getting it wrong. However, when Keith noticed that we had now clocked up nearly 100 miles. we thought we should pull over and investigate. It was then that we discovered that Keith had typed in Etables instead of Etaples and the GPS was trying to take us somewhere near Bordeaux! There was no way we were prepared to retrace our steps, so we continued. Keith negotiated his way through Reims without incident and we continued in search of somewhere to stay. Now you would think that Northern France, beloved of so many of our compatriots for the duty free trips across La Manche, would be bristling with Travelodges or the like - not that we were looking to repeat last night's experience, but any port in a storm... Rien, nada, niente! Finally, when we were beginning to think we would be spending the night in the car, we came across a hotel, which is really a neat little bunch of chalets and so, eventually, we found somewhere to rest our weary heads!
After a very pleasant dinner, here I am .......blogging before I crash out for the night. I should be able to post this in the morning - the signal on our mobile phones is good here, so, till then, good-night at all........Bon soir et bonne nuit!
(And the moral of the story is.........get your spelling right if you use GPS!! :))
Monday 6th Sept.
Today we set off further south, having decided to leave Paris for another time. There is no way we could do justice to it in a day - I think we need to keep it in mind for a holiday in the future and visit properly. So our route took us south west of Paris towards Clermont Ferrand. We travelled through more of the flat, open countryside so characteristic of these parts - huge expanses of cornfields. We saw the outline of Chartres cathedral in the distance and I did try to get a photo of it, but didn't manage a very good one. I have taken some photos from the car as we have travelled, but because we are driving on the right and I am on the left of the car, that technique doesn't work as well as it does in Britain.
We stopped at a couple of service stations - not nearly a big and complex as those in Britain, and remarked on the 'sameness' of products on offer. We could almost have been in service station shops off any British motorway - another effect of the E.U. - an insidious loss of each country's individuality. Where we got off the motorway and drove through small villages, it was much more as we both remembered it. In fact, in some cases, it was as if time had been frozen in the 50's. There were many garages, shops and restaurants that had obviously been the casualty of main roads and motorways being built nearby.
We are now in a small hotel just outside Issoire for the night. (Got your map of France? Follow with your finger! :)) Tomorrow, we should make it to Sete, where we plan to stay put for a few days.
Last night was too late to try for an internet connection, this morning. Keith's phone needed recharging. To my annoyance, my phone just won't play ball as regards enabling me to go online at all, and here, guess what! No signal again! So. I'm not sure when this will hit the ether - soon, I hope!
Having arrived at Dover early, we took the opportunity of visiting the castle, although it was so hot, we didn't have much energy for walking very far. However, we got an earlier ferry and arrived in Calais at 4pm (3pm in U.K.) Keith set up the GPS to take us to Etaples sur Mer, where we had booked to spend the night. While we were waiting to disembark, I suggested he could do a sales pitch for GPS to the couple in the car in front of us, who were using ordinary maps! How archaic can you get?? However, he declined the offer, rather to my surprise.
So off we went, out of Calais and towards Boulogne, past the famous flat cornfields of that part of Northern France. We noticed that the roads seemed much less busy than in Britain but also, Keith remarked on the fact that, unlike the sixties, which was the last time either of us was in France, all the cars are the same - all jelly moulds, as he calls them, no distinctive 2CV's to be seen at all. We also had to pay road tolls on the motorways, which was an unwelcome innovation since our last visits!
And so we continued.....We did pass a sign for Etaples, but the GPS wasn't having any and, as Keith pointed out, there could be more than one Etaples. On we drove......kilometre after kilometre, towards Reims. I had a very simple map of the location of our hotel, which I tried hard to reconcile with the way we were going but, as Keith never makes mistakes with directions and neither, he said, does the GPS, I assumed that it was me getting it wrong. However, when Keith noticed that we had now clocked up nearly 100 miles. we thought we should pull over and investigate. It was then that we discovered that Keith had typed in Etables instead of Etaples and the GPS was trying to take us somewhere near Bordeaux! There was no way we were prepared to retrace our steps, so we continued. Keith negotiated his way through Reims without incident and we continued in search of somewhere to stay. Now you would think that Northern France, beloved of so many of our compatriots for the duty free trips across La Manche, would be bristling with Travelodges or the like - not that we were looking to repeat last night's experience, but any port in a storm... Rien, nada, niente! Finally, when we were beginning to think we would be spending the night in the car, we came across a hotel, which is really a neat little bunch of chalets and so, eventually, we found somewhere to rest our weary heads!
After a very pleasant dinner, here I am .......blogging before I crash out for the night. I should be able to post this in the morning - the signal on our mobile phones is good here, so, till then, good-night at all........Bon soir et bonne nuit!
(And the moral of the story is.........get your spelling right if you use GPS!! :))
Monday 6th Sept.
Today we set off further south, having decided to leave Paris for another time. There is no way we could do justice to it in a day - I think we need to keep it in mind for a holiday in the future and visit properly. So our route took us south west of Paris towards Clermont Ferrand. We travelled through more of the flat, open countryside so characteristic of these parts - huge expanses of cornfields. We saw the outline of Chartres cathedral in the distance and I did try to get a photo of it, but didn't manage a very good one. I have taken some photos from the car as we have travelled, but because we are driving on the right and I am on the left of the car, that technique doesn't work as well as it does in Britain.
We stopped at a couple of service stations - not nearly a big and complex as those in Britain, and remarked on the 'sameness' of products on offer. We could almost have been in service station shops off any British motorway - another effect of the E.U. - an insidious loss of each country's individuality. Where we got off the motorway and drove through small villages, it was much more as we both remembered it. In fact, in some cases, it was as if time had been frozen in the 50's. There were many garages, shops and restaurants that had obviously been the casualty of main roads and motorways being built nearby.
We are now in a small hotel just outside Issoire for the night. (Got your map of France? Follow with your finger! :)) Tomorrow, we should make it to Sete, where we plan to stay put for a few days.
Last night was too late to try for an internet connection, this morning. Keith's phone needed recharging. To my annoyance, my phone just won't play ball as regards enabling me to go online at all, and here, guess what! No signal again! So. I'm not sure when this will hit the ether - soon, I hope!
Ashford
We had a bite to eat in Pizza Hut - loud music, loud voices and too many children running around and since then, Keith has been working hard at creating an internet link through one or other of our mobile phones, but, would you believe it? - no signal for either T mobile or Three!! Thought this was supposed to be the civilised part of the country!! lol. Tomorrow - a leisurely drive to Dover and the ferry. France, here we come!
That was yesterday. The night presented us with a choice - window open + air to breathe + noise or windows closed + no air + sleep without noise but also without breathing! I alternated between the two and so did not have a good night. Keith, on the other hand, unusually, slept like a log! More later, hopefully, if I manage to get this uploaded! Au revoir for now.
Ready for take off
Preparations for our departure for France are in their last stages. At the moment, I am at home waiting for a delivery of a car-mount for our camcorder, ordered by Keith for our trip so that we can film while driving (Don't ask!!!). Unfortunately, he forgot to specify that it be delivered to the shop, hence my enforced house-sitting.
House and dog sitting arrangements are finalised.
Packing is mostly done.
GPS is programmed.
My laptop, mobile phones, PDA, camcorder, digital camera, relevant leads, chargers and adaptors, memory cards, traveller's cheques, euros - all are ready and waiting.
Alarm set for an early start tomorrow because we need to arrive in Dover at 2.30p.m. as we sail at 3.15.
Phone call from Keith: What date do we leave?
Me: Tomorrow, of course.
K: And what is the date on our booking?
Me: The 5th. Why? What's the problem?
K: And what date is it today?
ME: (as realisation dawns slowly) Oh........the 3rd. See what you mean.
So, on to plan B:
Depart at a later hour for a leisurely wander down to Dover and overnight stay somewhere along the way!
Well done, Keith - you spotted my deliberate mistake then!! :)
House and dog sitting arrangements are finalised.
Packing is mostly done.
GPS is programmed.
My laptop, mobile phones, PDA, camcorder, digital camera, relevant leads, chargers and adaptors, memory cards, traveller's cheques, euros - all are ready and waiting.
Alarm set for an early start tomorrow because we need to arrive in Dover at 2.30p.m. as we sail at 3.15.
Phone call from Keith: What date do we leave?
Me: Tomorrow, of course.
K: And what is the date on our booking?
Me: The 5th. Why? What's the problem?
K: And what date is it today?
ME: (as realisation dawns slowly) Oh........the 3rd. See what you mean.
So, on to plan B:
Depart at a later hour for a leisurely wander down to Dover and overnight stay somewhere along the way!
Well done, Keith - you spotted my deliberate mistake then!! :)
Mad customers
I had this conversation with a potential customer yesterday:
The customer wanted to know if we had a particular sound card and what the price of it was, which I told him.
"What time are you open until today?" he asked.
"Half past five," I replied.
"Oh, half past five?" he said.
"Yes, that's right," I said.
"Oh good," he said, "I'll pop in at lunch-time tomorrow then."
True...honest!!
The customer wanted to know if we had a particular sound card and what the price of it was, which I told him.
"What time are you open until today?" he asked.
"Half past five," I replied.
"Oh, half past five?" he said.
"Yes, that's right," I said.
"Oh good," he said, "I'll pop in at lunch-time tomorrow then."
True...honest!!
Life after exams
The usual furore over GCSE and A level exam results got me thinking about my own children's experiences with exams. Elder daughter always wanted to be a doctor but had to redo one of her A levels due to poor teaching, so she had a gap year doing chemistry A level and working in a local bar. Elder son always wanted to go into the army and so he did, but as his was a summer birthday and the army wouldn't take him until he was 16 and a half, he spent a term helping me in school, which he thoroughly enjoyed and he proved himself to be really good with the children. He had done his GCSE's and could easily have done A levels and gone to Sandhurst but that was not what he wanted.
Younger son got his GCSE's and was given a place in the 6th form but left within weeks, complaining that he wasn't being treated like an adult (Yes, I know!). He has always had an entrepreneurial side to his character and had a few different jobs, including working in large pet shops before eventually settling to the job he has now, concerned with the sale of mobile phone accessories. Along the way he has picked up a lot of expertise on computers and I.T., supporting the theory that, in the world of learning, boys tend to devote their time and effort to what interests them rather than what the system dictates.
Younger daughter worked hard at GCSE's and A levels and won a place at university to study drama and english, but within weeks, realised that she wasn't happy either with the course or the university and came home before Christmas. To her credit, she picked herself up, got a job for the rest of the year and pestered her current university to give her a place. which they duly did.
I'm not intending to get into the argument about exam standards here. I have my own views but I feel some sympathy for pupils who are caught up in the discussion year after year. They have worked hard within the system as it is and that is all that can be expected. Meanwhile, politicians will always use statistics to support their own views.
But I am proud of my children's achievements, whether they've benefited from the exam system or not. They have all shown, in their own ways, that if you have strength of character and belief in yourself and your abilities, you can make it - not always in the way you expect, but you can get there in the end!
Younger son got his GCSE's and was given a place in the 6th form but left within weeks, complaining that he wasn't being treated like an adult (Yes, I know!). He has always had an entrepreneurial side to his character and had a few different jobs, including working in large pet shops before eventually settling to the job he has now, concerned with the sale of mobile phone accessories. Along the way he has picked up a lot of expertise on computers and I.T., supporting the theory that, in the world of learning, boys tend to devote their time and effort to what interests them rather than what the system dictates.
Younger daughter worked hard at GCSE's and A levels and won a place at university to study drama and english, but within weeks, realised that she wasn't happy either with the course or the university and came home before Christmas. To her credit, she picked herself up, got a job for the rest of the year and pestered her current university to give her a place. which they duly did.
I'm not intending to get into the argument about exam standards here. I have my own views but I feel some sympathy for pupils who are caught up in the discussion year after year. They have worked hard within the system as it is and that is all that can be expected. Meanwhile, politicians will always use statistics to support their own views.
But I am proud of my children's achievements, whether they've benefited from the exam system or not. They have all shown, in their own ways, that if you have strength of character and belief in yourself and your abilities, you can make it - not always in the way you expect, but you can get there in the end!
It might as well rain until September
Those of you of more mature years may remember that song by Carole King. I was reminded of it this evening when I realised that today is the last day of August which means that tomorrow September begins - the first month of autumn.....and we haven't had summer yet! Or did I blink and miss it! Ah well, down in Sete, southern France, where we are headed in just a few days, the temperature is around 26 degrees.....bliss!!!!
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