Old News - Newsletter July 2001

Suddenly it seems a month has flown by since I last wrote! I guess I've been busy!

We're still working very hard, and going to the gym a couple of times in the week, so the days zoom past. My Mom arrived 3 weeks ago, and has been looking after us very well! Cooked meals waiting when we get home is very welcome, not to mention she's taken over the cleaning too. What a pleasure! It's been great to catch up on years of news too... so the evenings have shot past as well! She's struggling to find work as she's trying to get live-in couple work, and everyone wants to meet A first. He gets here in about 2 weeks time when things should pick up. In the meantime she's spoiling us rotten and looking after my garden!

Mountain Man and I took a week's holiday in the South of France 2 weeks ago. We flew to Lyon on Friday night, caught a train to Avignon on Sat morning and spent 2 nights in Avignon. Avignon is in Provence, and the Popes were based there for about 50 years a few centuries ago, so it's rather grand on a lovely small scale. A most imposing fortress dominates the town, and the city centre still has well preserved city walls. We did a daytrip to Nimes on the Sunday, which has lots of Roman remains, including an amphitheatre where they still hold plays and bullfights.

Then Monday we went to Nice, which we really liked. Although it's a huge city and quite commercial there is a large 'old quarter' that is quite bohemian and laid back. Tuesday morning we caught a ferry to Corsica and spent 3 nights there. We travelled all over the island, taking a train ride through the central mountains which are spectacular! It's a gorgeous place, and we're determined to go back again.

Then we got the ferry back to Nice at midnight on Friday, and spent the day in Monaco on the Saturday. I wasn't that taken with Monaco, as there isn't much to do or see, and no local beach. Mountain Man had a great time following the route of the Grand Prix, as I whinged along behind him up the hill in the heat. It was nice to get back to Nice and chill out on the beach in the evening!

Then Sunday we spent travelling back to Lyon and landed in London on Sunday evening. A very full trip, and we were pretty tired for a few days afterwards!

Not much else going on at the moment. We're madly busy, and the days are too short!