I’m back

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Well I am back after a few days away from blogging. As we had a couple of days not doing activities apart from we hired electric bikes to go on a cycle ride with the rest of the group. We picked the bikes up and decided just to take them for a spin before the ride with the group. This was a great idea as going up a hill with a camber I fell off - so that put paid to me going out with the group - I was not going to make a fool of myself especially as we would have been going on roads. Mike went with the group though and thoroughly enjoyed it. I stayed and was reading my book and the bike was staring at me so I thought this is stupid you can ride this so I decided to give it another go and in the end did over 10k on it - so pat on the back for me then.



When everyone got back from the ride we had a pétanque contest between us all. Well my team got knocked out in the first round so I was not best pleased but at least I now know the rules which I did not know before that. Incidentally, Mike’s team also lost in the first round.



The next day we all chilled and Mike and I walked into the town centre which was a sleepy little French town.



Yesterday we had more activities arranged for us. So we all got on the coach for our first stop which was Cahors and its famous bridge called the Valentre Bridge. It is a medieval bridge which was built in the 14th century and is supposed to be one of the most remarkable bridges in Southern France. It was amazing to be totally honest even though we have Tower Bridge which again is amazing.



We then got back on the coach and went into Cahors which was a nice little town which if I am honest I wanted to visit so win win for me. In the town square there was music and people doing the tango - I thought I was in Argentina for a few minutes. We then found a fabulous French market selling fruit, vegetables, etc - I did think of buying a string of garlic and then thought why when I can get garlic at home. I did buy a dish that you can use to crush garlic on so something to remind me of Cahors. The funniest thing was it started to get hot so Mike decided to take off his jumper - which in turn started taking off his polo shirt so I shouted NOOOO you are showing your belly - so I was laughing so much I thought I would video the spectacle and put the phone in video mode but was laughing so much did not press play - shame this would have made me £250 “you’ve been framed” what a plonker that would have been some money towards by bag in Paris and got me out of a lot of trouble when the American Express bill arrives!



We then got back on the coach to the village of Bouziès to pick up the Gabarre cruise boat. Well all I can say is those roads were windy and the sheer drops were unbelievable. I could not believe it - at one stage I was looking the other way so I could not see anything coming down the road and could not see the drop. All I can say is if Goose (as Mike is my navigator) had taken me anywhere near those roads I would have completely flipped and cried all the way shouting I am going to die and so are you when I get down, ha ha. Anyway we finally got to Bouziès and I could have kissed the bus driver for saving my life - but in true English fashion I said thank you (I must admit I nearly sank to my knees and said thank you but I managed to keep it together). We all had a picnic lunch and then boarded the Gabarre cruise boat. A Gabarre is a wooden boat which used to take goods down stream from Saint Cirque Lapopie and then, when it reached its destination of Bordeaux, the boat was broken up for fire wood. The boats have a flat bottom as some parts of the river Lot are really shallow. Anyway the cruise was amazing as you got to see where they carved a tow path out of the rock to the village of Saint Cirq Lapopie. The one thing that was annoying was that there were 3/4 English on the cruise however they only told us about things in French unless we read the booklet they gave us. Honestly I did not think this was right but hey ho what can you do when in France - not a lot. We then got back on the coach which if I am honest I wish I had not and met everyone at Saint Cirq Lapopie as I thought the first coach journey was a dream compared to the next journey. I honestly well nearly honestly had to sit on the floor with my eyes closed crying “I am going to die” a thousand times and confessed if there was a confession booth I was there I promise - I would have thrown anyone in the booth out as my confession was more important - who do I think I am!!!! So my confession was “I am sorry for not going to school and always playing truant and convincing my class to go and see David Cassidy on the Thames” - sorry headmaster that our class had no pupils that day as we all met outside school and took the underground to see David. Anyway we got to the village and once again all I said was thank you to the driver - not you saved my life!!!!



The village was amazing although I could not climb up to the top and look down - am I really going to do that NOOOOOOOO. Then Mike reminds me I have parachuted out of a plane and done a hang glide in Nepal with no health and safety - I am sure I am getting worse but am thinking can I go for hypnosis for my height phobia - note to oneself look into this asap when back in the UK.



We all split up today to go our own ways and we have gone to Camping du Lac de St Pardoux.

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