Hotel Saluces Salers

... view from the drivers side as I was looking right into the gorge (don't worry mum I drove very slowly and was very careful not to drive too close to the edge). Luckily there were many parking areas to stop at so both of us could get out and really appreciate how beautiful it was. On the downside it was still a little wet so hiking was off the cards...next time.

... was buzzing with activity and people gossiping... there were also the biggest mushrooms we've ever seen they were a funny yellow colour and I would be worried they would make you sick... if you've seen the movie INTO THE WILD you will know what I mean.

We left the west coast and headed inland to look for work. We stopped at Angouleme for lunch which had a spectacular view from the old city. We carried on into the Dordogne, and looking for a campsite came across a municipal site in a little town called Argentat-sur-Dordogne. The weather was stifling hot, which that night brought on 24 hours of massive thunderstorms and then 3 days of rain! The Dordogne was flooding and even Argentat lost electricity one night!

... any idea what kind of amount will be charged. And the amount varied widely! Our friend had told us Avignon was dull and way too touristy, but we had a very different experience. Unless we're way more mainstream than we thought (not too likely). We really enjoyed the town, and if you haven't been in one of these medieval walled towns before, I'd think this would be a great one to start in. People were very friendly, and ...

... all the way to the pyrennees, according to some of the people who actually have guidebooks. which will make me happy because although my pack is heavy it does not pain me to go uphill. downhill however is another manner, and my knees hurt quite a bit. i'm very cheery today, but we do get sad and your prayers and thoughts really do help us along, so if you read this, please let me know. love trae

... compeet, doubled in size the third day. this affliction was quite painful, and yet with the determined doggedness you would expect from a texan i walked through the pain. now, eight days in, i think the only aches we are experiencing are muscle, heart, or soul aches, and our bodies have hardened into vessels fit for walking. I am not sure if everyone is aware jeff tams and i brought the video camera with us to make a documentary, but we did ...

... there are several hitch-hikers hanging round at the next stop. Ride with a quiet young Morrocan. Lond ride. Nice car. However Chris and I concur that his music choice ranks bottom out of all rides. Dropped off in the dark by the motorway. Climb over a fence to investigate whatīs growing. Grapes galore!!! Chris looks on with pity as I stuff grapes into my throat. Set up camp nearby and feel a bit ill.

Misery. Weīre so WET. Chris didnīt sleep. And I barely did. Found a cheap super market and bouhgt a cheap roast chicken to dry our sorrows. A bad move. This over-preserved chickenīs soul will come back to haunt us. Catch about six rides from village to village til we get to ...

... next morning to a perfect dawn, and to the crack, crack, crack of rifles from the valley below where the locals were hunting wild boar. The delicious boar is a delicacy and we tried it in many forms at the local restaurants and on our picnic table later in the week. The best version was at a tiny restaurant - il Corso - perched high on a rocky outcrop in the Marremma Coast hinterland, overlooking the Apelmeia wine estate where Robyn took us to meet an ...

... half dressed in freezing temperatures are just hoping it's a "cold spell" that will pass. I remember the tradition every fall when mom would bring out the bags of "winter clothes" and I would re-discover my favorite scarf with the mittens on the ends. Maybe that preparedness is one of the plusses of having more pronounced seasons. In any case, I am definitely looking forward to seeing the sun more. Cahors is a little ...