We're here! We're in France! In the South of France! It is everything and more than I imagined!
But let's go back a day....
Amsterdam - final morning. Up we got, packed up, said goodbye to our lovely, lovely host (forgot to take pictures of the place to show you.....argh!), and made for the tram stop.
We got through the tram ride, and got our tickets at the station for the train to the airportin Eindhoven - an hour ride away. This is me, minutes before my miserable moment of the trip.
You see, I was waiting on the platform with the bags while Ryan took the girls to the Starbucks bathroom and to get himself some coffee while there. Now, I don't normally get pannicky, but after a good 20 minutes and the train having arrived with no sight of them, I started to wonder what was going on. I waited and waited. The train woul dbe leaving soon. I couldn't possibly carry all the bags myself and go look for them. But I couldn't leave them there either. The moment I got up quickly to peek down the stairs a stone's throw from where they were, people came up and started looking worried about these "abandoned bags".
Just in the nick of time, as I had decided to actually pick them all up at once and go in search of my people, worrying that something had happened to Ryan, or one of the girls had been grabbed or something (because yes, my brain goes there sometimes), they ran up the stairs, al smiles. They had had to wait for Starbucks to open (it was quite early) and then the shop had forgotten to brew coffee.....yes, I know. Facepalm.
As I let out a huge sigh of relief, I realized I had touched something on one of the bags that was slimy. I look down at the unknown substance and can't make out what it is, until I smell it. It's puke.
My stomach nearly turns right then and there. But it's time to get on the train! So on we get, pukey hand and bag and all.
I thank my brains for having thought in our great pack to bring hand wipes. I managed to find them and clean myself and the bag up. Then Ryan looks and says, "Where's the little black bag?"
And that was the third whammy. We realized that one of our girls had been wearing a small backpack full of each of our second pairs of shoes, and had left it on the tram. Oh mercy!
Okay, so things could have been worse, but at that point, for the first time on this trip, I wanted to just point my face into a corner and cry. But I didn't. I was a big girl. I was a toughie. I shook it off, told our dear girl that it was no big deal, and we moved on.
It got better, way better, from that point on!
We arrived at the airport, had a snacky poo....
And our little place.
...and boarded our plane!!!
And then, two hours later, we landed in Marseille!
We got our rental car (and ended up upgrading to a size that would fit us, and paying way too much for it....rental car companies are apparently the same wherever you go....) and somehow, SOMEWHOW, I ended up being named as the driver. How did I get this good fortune? haha! Who knows?
We set off with great excitement (after I figured out some basics, like how to put the thing into reverse).
...and after riding on the country roads for a short while, we were all terrified!!
Haha - okay, so the country roads are too narrow, so it's like a game of chicken any time someone comes along. Both cars vear to the edge of the road and kind of rub the grasses on the side in order to not hit each other, but then it happens at about 80kms. Yeah. WOAH MAN.
But after a while, I was getting a bit more used to it, and not freaking out every time another car came along. And Ryan also calmed down in the passenger seat. :D
So we start going through this amazing countryside and then these amazing little medieval villages....WOW.
We even passed by a castle!
And then another one! All of us were impressed.
And then just like that, we arrived in our little village...
It took a bit of troubleshooting to figure out how to call the woman who would come open it up for us, but a quick run to a local restaurant and a little whipping out of my French Immersion background, and it was done. Here's our place!!
Front entryway, just inside the door.
The funky kitchen. Yes please!
The main living space - comfy and spacious!
Bathroom - important.
Toilet - also important.
Around the corner, the side room that leads to the bedrooms. (And the place I've been sent to sleep. They call me "snora"....no thanks to that horrid virus I had.)
The two big girls' room. With the little one demonstrating "getting primped". Thank you little one.
Ryan and the little one's room....sigh! (SHE doesn't snore...)
Out the back door into the private courtyard.
Outdoor eating area....
Outdoor cooking area....
And the little private pool! Aiyaiyai!!! This place couldn't be better!!!
This morning, I got up early with the little one and we walked to the Boulangerie for some baguettes, sausage rolls, and "pain au chocolat". Yum! This is going to be a wheaty week I think! Haha!!
Love to you all. We are taking it easy and considering this week a laid back time, with less sightseeing and more lounging around the pool. Pinching myself constantly. It's so amazing!
xoxo
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