Thursday 24th June 2010 - Journey To Champagne Mouton

An early start for another day of travelling. Having packed the night before and already having paid my bill, it was just a case of getting my breakfast at a wee place round the corner from the Hotel Urkia. Then, having collected my rucksack, I walked to the Amara Euskotren Station for my 45 minute journey to Hendaye just over the French border.

This is a fascinating wee station and operates trains of the Basque company Euskotren. Whilst waiting for my train to depart, I was entertained by the sight of a machine washing the carriages of a train standing at one of the platforms. The machine itself was pulled along the platform by hand whilst large, revolving, vertical brushes cleaned the carriage sides. It was very effective too. The train's inside was basic and functional - well suited to short journeys such as the one I was undertaking.

In a matter of 40 minutes, I had arrived in Hendaye, France and crossing over the car park to the Gare SNCF, I retrieved my ticket from the Automatique Billeterie. On looking at the departure board however, I noticed there was no indication there was an afternoon train departing at the time on my ticket. A visit to the ticket office confirmed that the afternoon train was cancelled and I hurriedly had to change my ticket for the train that was to leave in 4 minutes time!!! It was a rush but I managed to make it just in time!!!

I found a pleasant seat in First Class and settled back for a restful journey. Stopping at Bayonne, I was joined by another passenger going to Paris Montparnasse. His name was Daniel and he was an Immoblier (an estate agent). We had a lovely conversation in French - and English when words failed either of us (me more often than he!!) - and it helped pass the time on the trip through Aquitaine north to Charente and my destination of Angouleme.

It wis bilin hot in Angouleme!!!! Hot! Hot! Hot! And the long steep hill up to the town was in full sun! Arriving at the Tourist Information on Place des Halles, I asked for the timetable of the the bus to St Laurens de Ceris. The kind lady seeing me suffering from the heat also allowed me to take some water from the water fountain. I was very grateful and threw back several cups before going back outside into the searing heat.

I didn't go far. Just across to the Chat Noir Brasserie and a few cold pressions!!!! Lovely!!!! Luckily there were some huge electric fans placed on the terrace of the Brasserie and it was very refreshing to sit and relax there until it was time to go for my bus.

Buying a sandwich and a bottle of cold water, I made my way to the rear of the Hotel de Ville and awaited the bus to St Laurens. The bus mainly ran to suit school pupils, and as such tended, to take in several schools on its route. That being the case it was quite a leisurely trip and it was getting to 6.30 by the time I was set down in St Laurens de Ceris.

St Laurens is eight kms from Champagne Mouton and I had cycled it before. It was not going to take me too long to walk it. Halfway there, there is a little village called Vieux Cerier and it was there I planned to stop for a wee pression before the last leg to Champagne Mouton and my sister's house.

That was the plan. The weather had other ideas......

Setting out from St Laurens, I noticed a wind getting up but the sky was still relatively clear. However, about two kms into my walk the heavens opened and it bucketed down. I mean bucketed down!!!! I was soaked!! I decided that there was nothing for it but to plod on, and, as I reached Vieux Cerier, it had thankfully stopped.

Rather than stop for a rest in the little bar, I continued on, hoping to get to Champagne Mouton before the weather deteriorated once more. Ha! Ha! I was only about two kilometres from my sister's house when it came on again!!! It was as bad as before!!

Just then a car stopped and the young driver opened a welcoming door. I was so fed up and wet that any of my limited French escaped me. I dumped my rucksack in the back and I plonked myself down into the passenger seat. We introduced ourselves (his name was Kevin) and then we shot off along the road. I mean shot off! His car didn't have functioning windscreen wipers!!! I could hardly see but I knew the road well enough to realise he was driving too fast. What a way to end up after all my adventures - in a car on its roof by a French roadside; deid!!!! Luckily Kevin knew what he was doing!??! In a couple of minutes I was in L'Hotel Le Plaisance greeting its owner Chokri once again and sitting down to a meal and something to drink - having dried off as best I could. The rain continued to pour down as we sat watching some football before I took my leave and crossed the road to my sister's house. Fumbling in the dark, I turned on the electricity and the water before tumbling into bed exhausted.