Post Lockdown: Etang de la Bonde
Day 321: Rach had to buy some bum medicine. Also, we left Isabelle’s.
We’d had a good final evening at Isabelle’s, eating, drinking and chatting. At some point we’d got talking again about accents, and whether or not there is such a thing as an accentless person. News readers? The Queen? Rach attempted to do a news reader voice. For some reason, her headline was, ‘’a young man was gunned down today in a shop.’’
Before we left the next day, Rach gave Isabelle a parting gift she’d made for her - a couple of wine glasses with the phrase, ‘’You make the world a better place‘’. One in English and one, for her mum, in French. Isabelle started crying, then we had a photo together. A fond farewell if ever there was one.
Our other lockdown mates, Nico and Lara had returned the previous evening, and the four of us had decided to move to a lake, called Etang de la Bonde, about 20 minutes away (recommended by Isabelle). We left Isabelle’s not knowing quite what to expect, as it was hard to tell from the photos how nice this place actually was, but it was definitely a body of water, and that was all we were really after.
As we drove to our new home at Etang de la Bonde we saw a large hawk or small eagle fly across the road in front of us, carrying something. At first, I thought it was carrying a stick, but after seeing the wigglyness of the thing, it became clear - it was carrying a snake!
When we got to the lake, we were not disappointed. It was beautiful. One of the prettiest man made lakes I’ve ever seen. It was actually one of the best stops we’ve had in all the 300 odd days we’ve spent on the road. Struck absolute gold.
We spent the following couple of weeks swimming (whenever the police disappeared), playing cards and drinking games, and poking tablets into our bottoms (just Rach the last one). We spent the evenings sitting on the wall at the lake’s edge, watching the sun go down. Around the same time each night, thousands of bugs would appear, hovering over the lake. Then, the bats would arrive. Dozens and dozens of them, darting and diving over the water and through the trees. Eventually the larger fish would appear too, rising to the surface of the water to snack on the fallen bugs. It was quite a busy place in the day, especially on the weekends, but in the evenings it was peaceful, the only sounds being the plooping of the fish, the choirs of frogs dotted around the water, and the bats, which would fly so close to our faces we could hear their wings flapping.
We’d had a good final evening at Isabelle’s, eating, drinking and chatting. At some point we’d got talking again about accents, and whether or not there is such a thing as an accentless person. News readers? The Queen? Rach attempted to do a news reader voice. For some reason, her headline was, ‘’a young man was gunned down today in a shop.’’
Before we left the next day, Rach gave Isabelle a parting gift she’d made for her - a couple of wine glasses with the phrase, ‘’You make the world a better place‘’. One in English and one, for her mum, in French. Isabelle started crying, then we had a photo together. A fond farewell if ever there was one.
Our other lockdown mates, Nico and Lara had returned the previous evening, and the four of us had decided to move to a lake, called Etang de la Bonde, about 20 minutes away (recommended by Isabelle). We left Isabelle’s not knowing quite what to expect, as it was hard to tell from the photos how nice this place actually was, but it was definitely a body of water, and that was all we were really after.
As we drove to our new home at Etang de la Bonde we saw a large hawk or small eagle fly across the road in front of us, carrying something. At first, I thought it was carrying a stick, but after seeing the wigglyness of the thing, it became clear - it was carrying a snake!
When we got to the lake, we were not disappointed. It was beautiful. One of the prettiest man made lakes I’ve ever seen. It was actually one of the best stops we’ve had in all the 300 odd days we’ve spent on the road. Struck absolute gold.
We spent the following couple of weeks swimming (whenever the police disappeared), playing cards and drinking games, and poking tablets into our bottoms (just Rach the last one). We spent the evenings sitting on the wall at the lake’s edge, watching the sun go down. Around the same time each night, thousands of bugs would appear, hovering over the lake. Then, the bats would arrive. Dozens and dozens of them, darting and diving over the water and through the trees. Eventually the larger fish would appear too, rising to the surface of the water to snack on the fallen bugs. It was quite a busy place in the day, especially on the weekends, but in the evenings it was peaceful, the only sounds being the plooping of the fish, the choirs of frogs dotted around the water, and the bats, which would fly so close to our faces we could hear their wings flapping.
Also, on one particularly peaceful and gorgeous evening, I farted. It was meant as no disrespect to Nico and Lara, of course. It just popped out as I leaned forward to look into the lake. One of those rogue ones, you know? Absolutely out of my hands. Well, out of my hands, figuratively speaking. Out of my arse, actually. Apart from that one blemish though, so peaceful.
As I say, the weekends were very different. According to Nico, exams had been cancelled on the one Thursday, so the place was teeming with teenagers, each with their own personal sound system. At any one time and in any location, we were treated to at least 7 different Latino-pop tunes which I thoroughly detested.
Nico and Lara gave us some sticky fly trap tape for the van. It’s like a long strip of paper with gooey brown shit all over it. Rach put it up one evening. The next morning, within about the first half hour of being up, I got my arms stuck on it three times and my hair twice.
Rach has learned how to make amazing pizza, with dough made from scratch and everything. I told her that it’s the best I’ve ever tasted, apart from Dominos. And I meant it. She had two pizza making contests with Nico, which ended a one-all draw.
As I say, the weekends were very different. According to Nico, exams had been cancelled on the one Thursday, so the place was teeming with teenagers, each with their own personal sound system. At any one time and in any location, we were treated to at least 7 different Latino-pop tunes which I thoroughly detested.
Nico and Lara gave us some sticky fly trap tape for the van. It’s like a long strip of paper with gooey brown shit all over it. Rach put it up one evening. The next morning, within about the first half hour of being up, I got my arms stuck on it three times and my hair twice.
Rach has learned how to make amazing pizza, with dough made from scratch and everything. I told her that it’s the best I’ve ever tasted, apart from Dominos. And I meant it. She had two pizza making contests with Nico, which ended a one-all draw.
My tea making continues to hit new heights.
After two weeks at the lake, we were moving on. Lockdown in France has pretty much ended, and the border to Italy is now open. We said a sad goodbye to Nico and Lara. We got quite close over the last few months, especially in the final few weeks. We hope to see them again one day soon.
Sorry about all the arse stuff in this blog. I promise to keep it clean in future. The blog, I mean, not my arse.
After two weeks at the lake, we were moving on. Lockdown in France has pretty much ended, and the border to Italy is now open. We said a sad goodbye to Nico and Lara. We got quite close over the last few months, especially in the final few weeks. We hope to see them again one day soon.
Sorry about all the arse stuff in this blog. I promise to keep it clean in future. The blog, I mean, not my arse.
Would loved to have been there to see the bats and hear the wildlife. Wonderful👌👌
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