Things that need getting used to

It's one thing to get on a plane and travel half way around the world, and know you are coming to another country, with another culture and other ways that things are done....but it's another thing to experience it.  (Again).  I was last in France in 1997...and while some things have come back like it was yesterday, others haven't.  I travelled with two good friends, in a Eurolease car (a little blue/green Renault Megane) for a couple of months.  This time I travel with a husband and two kids, in a Eurolease car (a Renault Grand Scenic).  There will be a little less spontaneity on this trip.      

Driving 
As we loaded up the car at Nice airport, there was a road above us.  The cars were going so fast.  Our Renault lady loaded our destination into the GPS.  I made sure the language was set to English.  Not quite ready for driving instructions in French...although I do want to get to a comfort where I can change the language.  That busy fast road I had seen was our first road out of the airport roundabout.  No easing into it on slow road.  Wham.  Straight into it.  I drove.  Gregg looked out windows and into the lanes and helped tell when it was safe to merge, change lanes, pass etc.  Seems silly, but trying to re-get used to a manual car, driving on the wrong side of the road, really fast - it was all a little overwhelming.
 
We chose to travel on the toll roads as we wanted to get right through to Fanjeaux the same day to get the kids settled in at our new 'home' (check out Chez Nous here Chez Nous - our place in France).  So we missed out on some fantastic destinations along the way and some amazing scenery.  It's a trade off - but we'll back track while where're here!

First stop was the petrol station.  When I went inside it was so familiar.  The grocery section.  The bottled water.  The 'fast food' of baguettes filled with ham and cheese and tomato.  Out came the French.  Handed over the credit card so we could fill the car with gazole (diesel).  I asked for coins for the tolls (as we had had a disastrous toll booth experience a little earlier on the motorway), and I now got told the booths take notes - which we had....refer below as to why this is relevant. 

The speed limit on the toll motorways is 130km/hr.  When I got on I said to Gregg we would not be driving that fast. It just seems wrong.  After coming from 100km/hr speed limit in New Zealand, and travelling with precious kiddy cargo, it was a concept that just seemed wrong.  However, after an hour or so, there we were cruising along at 130km, passing tucks and slower cars.  It still freaks me out some of the fast cars.  With a speed limit, there are always those that break it...and they must have been going 150km/160km.  Eeek!  Out the rear vision mirror one second there was nothing, and then there was this fast fast car.  Now we are at our little village and have local roads around us, we avoid the toll roads where possible (not because you pay - but you only see France at 37,000ft that way).  Apart from the speeds, the toll booths cause a stupid amount of stress....far more than they should - it's not 'cos I'm particularly tall - but you'd need to be Dutch tall to work those damn machines.... 

Sometimes Jonathan wants to drive

Driving on the right side of the road

Toll booths
The worst part of our driving to date.  And I'm not sure yet whether the stress associated with them will subside to a level they actually deserve.  When we picked up the car and I asked the lady about toll roads, and did we need coins, she told me to just pick the credit card lane and use that.  Seems ok.  At the time, we forgot about exchange rates and credit card fees that would probably be more than each toll, but brains weren't working properly.  Otherwise we would have totally thought about the cash option more.  So we get to our first booth we have to pay the toll.  Pick the line with credit card option.  Plonk it in the booth machine.  Message reads...Carte Non Accepta.  Eeek.  You don't even need to know French to know that you are in the poop.  Tried another card.  Same message.  Cars lining up behind us.  Try again.  And again.  Same message on the machine. (running out of cards at this stage...)  I pushed the Help button and in very bad French attempted to say "J'avais une carte non accepta" ie I have a card that doesn't work in the machine.  The voice came back asking where I was.  Who knows.  I was looking for a booth number, a location name place.  Nec minute a young guy is next to the car window.  By this time we've taken out some money to give him, which he then feeds into the slot on the machine.  Where on earth was the cash slot when WE were looking at it???!!!  Magically disappeared.  Blindness hit us.  It just wasn't there.  Amazing what stressful situations do to you. 

Then there is the driving up close to the booth machines to get tickets, or pay the money (which we know how to do now).  I can never get close enough.  I have to open the door.  Then the car stops when you open the door or put it in neutral and take your foot off the clutch.  Another stress!!!   But then it starts automatically again.  Arrrgh.  So toll booths are definitely NOT a favourite of ours.  And no matter how familiar they become, our first experience with them will probably mean they will stress us out forever.  Gregg thinks they are hilarious - Not helpful.. %$#*

Unmanned Petrol Stations
Another bad part of driving so far.  Although our credit cards are chipped and up to date, the machines at the petrol stations, most of which are 24/24 (ie unmanned) they don't blimmin work in the machines.  And the machines don't take cash.  So we hunt for the petrol stations with people.  And generally pay for the luxury.  But we have been lucky.  We clocked about 900km before the petrol light came on...a full tank of diesel would be about 70euro, approx. $125 NZD.  Our car had 1111.1 km on it this morning and it had only just been filled up. 

Speaking French
I know a little bit of French, although I can probably read it, and listen to it far better than I can actually speak it.  So the transition to making the words come out of my mouth from my head has been interesting.  Mostly I have been able to make myself understood.  Sometimes there is hilarity as no one understands. I have been (pleasantly) surprised at how little English is spoken where we are.  Either that, or they are humouring me and pleased I am making an effort.   In the last few days I've had to buy medicine for a sick little girl, buy sandals (out of season) for Elena, visit tourism offices and ask about the Dinosaur museum (although my Kiwi version of Dinosaur was not understood, but pretending to actually be a dinosaur was understood.  Deeenosaaur, not Diiiineosaur... Of course!!! Have got a new phone number for France.  Hired a cleaner for our house.  And lots of other things with so little English that I am proud of myself.  I need to practice, and remember new words.  But after a week here, French is becoming the automatic language for some of the things I say.  The kids understand those little phrases.  Gregg knew no French before coming here.  And I have been so proud at the way that he has learnt some key phrases and words and is happy to rock up to a shop and get what he needs.  Kind of like NZ - they don't always get him though...

The Sunday Shutdown
Everything is shut on Sunday.  I knew this, but had forgotten this.  And because we are on holiday, and not tracking the days, it all just sneaked up on us.  It also happened to be the day we decided to go to the supermarket for a big shop.  Typical.  So we gave up on shopping, but decided with so little food in the house we should eat out before going home  Ordering.  Went ok.  Three filled baguettes and some drinks.  By the way - what is with the fake cream put on top of cappuccino's??  I need to change my coffee of choice here.  Paying.  Gregg went up to pay after we had ordered a round of icecreams.  We must had hit a staffing change over, because as he was trying to pay chaos ensued!!  They kept trying to give him three more baguettes.  He kept giving them back. (This happened about 10 times...) Remember he cannot speak any French!!  They kept telling him it was already paid (which he knew it wasn't) and he kept saying ..' non'.. then trying to give him the baguettes again after 10 minutes of this he could have ended up with sandwiches - fortunately he had the common sense to keep saying 'non' - although when I got to the counter some of his drawings for them were quite comical! I am oblivious to all this, as it goes on, as I deal with two kids and dripping ice-creams - they had, in fact let him pay for..... so now we had a split bill and language barrier......  It all looks jovial so I leave Gregg to it.  But really all I wanted was him to come back to the table so I could get some napkins for the drips ( thinking he's found someone who wanted to practice their English....)!!  Little did I know he is trying to play charades, and mime that he has already eaten (OMG can you imagine it).  When I eventually came along, I didn't have much more luck until the word 'deja' came out!  Our learning is pay as you go!  Watch out for staff changes.  Buy groceries before Sunday!  Know what day of the week it is. 

Was interesting trying to ask for a 'fluffy' for Elena.  Turned out ok. 

Starting to need the napkins but Gregg was playing charades

Sundry things to get used to

• Amazing wine, cheaper than soft drinks at home
• The price of beef.  So expensive.  We have it so good in NZ
• Du Pain - Bread. Yummy.  So cheap.  Gregg at a million corporate breakfasts in NZ has never gone near the pastries.  There is no stopping him here.  I have to fight him to order from the shop keepers.
• Midday shutdown - needing to time eating vs shopping vs anything else as there is generally a shut down between 12 - 2.  Although you know life goes on behind the shutters, as you hear chatter and clattering of cutlery and smell yummy cuisine
• Being called 'madame'  - it makes me feel old. 
• Lazy time.  So relaxed.  No need to rush anywhere or feel like we need to be anywhere at anytime.  Although I do need to collect my brother Joe from the airport tomorrow as he flies in from the UK. 
• Time with the kids with both of us.  And not just the standard weekend rush to fit things in.
• Writing a blog.  Lots of ideas in my head to get down 'on paper' but finding the time.  The kids have not been the easiest to settle at night.  Jet lag has hit them a bit and we are all paying the price.  So evening time to ourselves has been a little bit lacking.  But I think we are coming out of it now.   
• Shutters.  Sleeping in because although it is glaringly bright outside, it is pitch black in the bedrooms.  Is good, but is bad. 

So many things that are probably just becoming the norm now.  We are loving it.  Getting used to things is just part of the whole experience we have come here for.  We could not ask for anything more. 


PS Gregg added a couple of words to this, and says...'Here you go, it is funny now'.  This isn't supposed to be a funny blog, I don't profess to being a comedienne.  There might be the odd amusing thing, but really these are just ramblings from me.  Hope you enjoy anyway.