Choo choo

Next stop Grenoble! I'm on the train now, if you hadn't guessed from the unimaginative title.

'Croissant- Growing' This could well be my favourite translation error of all time

Avignon was lovely, though it seriously tested my navigation skills. The historic centre is walled, so when you don't have a map like silly old me, trying to find your way to the wall through a maze of streets, and then walk along the wall to find a door was not easy.

I'm quite pleased with my French though- I dived straight in and it's been fine!

Yesterday, I spent most of the day just wandering around and getting lost. I climbed a massive rock thing and had an ice cream in a little cafe at the top as a reward.

Considered riding one of these

I also walked along the river and sat there contemplating life for some time before deciding to find a restaurant and getting lost for the hundreth time. It was quite relaxing, just meandering around by myself, occassionally stopping for coffee, and once for macaroons- I love the pistachio ones.

Getting lost in the windy streets

I didn't sleep so well last night because two more room mates arrived, well they arrived earlier in the evening but they went out and returned at 1am and proceeded to make as much noise as a herd of elephants. I really tried to ignore it, because it's a hostel and you can't have privacy and luxury but it was too much in the end. I stormed out for a cigarette and when I came back it was dark and silent. The American girl and I had the last laugh though- we were both up at 7.30.

I had a coffee at a cafe before heading to the train station, where a man came and asked me for a lighter. Then 10 minutes later, he returned and asked if he could sit and talk to me. I politely declined and he went away. About half an hour later, I was having a fag outside the station when a car pulls up and the same bloke gets out, comes over and says he has to talk to me because I'm beautiful. I told him to go away and he appeared to, but I hid in the station for a bit. What is wrong with people?!

Anyway, thank you Avignon, for a lovely and sunny couple of days!

Laters
Xxx

Hasta luego Murcia, Salut Avignon!

So the week in Spain came to an end and I'm sitting in a cafe near a fort above Avignon, after walking for ages in boiling heat and shouting at a lady in the tourism office because she told me to wait my turn while she found out whether or not the monuments are suitable for children (hint, you're in a bloody walled town with fortresses, hello) and all I did was quickly and politely ask where I could get water... ANYWAY
The last few days in Spain were good fun- we spent one of them round the pool, another down by the beach at La Azohia which was just like something from a film set, and my last evening was spent at an anniversary do.

La Azohia

I danced my butt off, which always happens with Auntie Julie around. Roger, Julie and I all had a lovely dance to 'Get Here' by Oleta Adams, which is a song for our whole family really, as we're in all corners of the globe (YouTube it, you'll see what I mean) and we all get choked up listening to it. The night was rounded off by me finding some Germans to talk to, yay!

At the top of the hills

We spent my final morning at Mazzaron port for coffee, before we came home to pack and had a final sausage, eggs and chips at the Trevi. I fell asleep on the way to Alicante, which I'm annoyed about as I wasted my last hour! My family don't say goodbye to each other, so see you soon Julie and Roger and thank you for a lovely week!

Told you I was famous ;)

It was a massive faff at the bus station after they dropped me off. There was nothing for Avignon on the board so I asked a man behind a counter and he said 'diez' and held up 10 fingers so off I popped to bay 10. Three boards had 'Francia' on them- no cities, just France. Helpful.

So when a Eurolines bus pulled in, people surged towards it desperately waving their tickets. I was quite close to just having a little scream and telling everyone to get in a queue, but it was alright in the end and I got here eventually!

I've already been 'Sur le pont d'Avignon' har de har. Did anyone else realise that the bridge was built because a man had a message from God that Avignon needed a bridge? I also had a look at the Pope Palace which was interesting. I know right, Avignon also had popes at one point and was completely separate from France. You learn something every day.

View from my hostel

Moi on the bridge

Pope Palace

I clawed my way to a church across the river and dragged myself up a hill to a fort. It was a very spooky experience since I was pretty much alone up there in one of the towers, and not improved by wearing flip-flops! The views were worth it though.

Fort St. Andre

What?

One the better selfie attempts, believe it or not

Ciao for now, I'm gonna have another coffee before I face the walk back down...

Xxx


P.S. I am posting via email, look at me and technology eh