Wine and whining

Last week commenced with yet another bank holiday Monday. I have no idea what the excuse was, but I know that it was a full week before the one in England. I took this time to try and relax as much as I could, so interacted with as few people as possible.

It was pretty successful actually. I didn’t leave the house and took some time to paint my nails. I’m hoping that if I take better care of my exterior, my interior will feel the effects too.

Kev and Mel were off on Tuesday too (bloody teacher training days or whatever). Mel had a huge football tournament, so I didn’t see her for most of the day and Kevin is usually the easiest to deal with, so it wasn’t too bad.

We were meant to go to the gazillionaire’s house for dinner on Wednesday (see a previous blog for more info on her) and I can’t lie, I was thrilled. I’d made my hair look presentable and everything, but she cancelled at the last minute. All I can say is, thank god we had pizza pastry in the fridge, otherwise we would have been screwed! 

My week has consisted largely of solitude. Without Krisztina, I was reluctant to even bother leaving the house. How completely and utterly depressing, especially seeing as I’ll have at least three weeks without her before I come home. That is all I think about at the moment: coming home. Time is going by so slowly that it might as well go backwards! It’s safe to say that I’m sick of this place and these people. It’s simple things I miss, like walking down the street and saying hello to people, or going to the shop and having a chat with a friendly face, or the mundane weekly shop in Tesco. The people here are just so cold, you almost get frostbite just looking at them.

My bestie returned on Saturday morning *squeal*, but Brenda and I had a little trouble finding the arrivals section. Note to self: don’t bother picking anyone up again. I’m a complete idiot!

Eventually, we retrieved her (thanks Brenda!) Afterwards, we headed to a more-or-less free wine event. The idea was that you buy your wine glass for 10CHF and can sample an unlimited amount of wine for free. Unfortunately, I donated most of my money to Brenda for her glass and was left empty handed. Top friend points though…

As the designated driver I stayed wine-free anyway. We traipsed around all of the stalls which, unsurprisingly, is much less fun when you’re completely stone cold sober. We met a lovely, older man who let me have a paper cup of grape juice, while telling us tales of his travels and practising his English. He was super sweet and very generous, unlike a few of the wine givers. We actually stayed and chatted to him for quite some time, before realising how long we’d been there. Continuing our wine travels, I took a seat underneath a little shelter while the others topped up their glasses. This is where we queue the drunk Englishmen…

So, there I was minding my own business, when I made eye contact with a guy sitting further up the table. He said hi, in English, so I said hi back. Clearly none of them believed my story about not being alone until my friends returned, because they seemed surprised when they sat with me. We spent most of the afternoon with them, which was great because I had people to talk to and laugh with.

Me and my new pals

Yes, we were matching. No, it wasn't intentional!

The time came where all five of us ladies were bursting and urgently needing a toilet. Of course, the village only had one toilet and it was being used by hundreds, so was blocked by the time we got there. Which led us to taking a row each in the vineyard and peeing on the grapes (a real bonding activity, I recommend it). Classy ladies, I know. Classier than the couple having sex in a completely open space, that’s for sure!

Originally, our plan was to head to a music festival in Geneva, but it looked rubbish and we ended up back in Divonne drinking wine and eating sandwiches by the lake. Honestly, it was a really lovely end to the day.

Brenda's white 'socks' haha (nice tan!)

On Sunday, I finally returned to the market to see my love, the taco lady. She remembered me, even after all this time (I haven’t been since before Christmas), and was as generous as ever with her portion. I only stayed for a couple of hours because I foolishly said yes to watching my host Mum in a dance show.

The drive was over half an hour long, which feels like an eternity when you’re squished up against a sweaty child in a hot car. I can’t lie, the show was a little odd and, let’s just say that my host Mum is no Louie Spence. I would describe her as a skinny Ann Widdecombe on Strictly.  Harsh, but true…

It honestly couldn’t end soon enough, Kevin even put his earphones in for the second act! As soon as I got back, I was straight back out again. After waiting fifteen years for Krisztina to be ready and her trying to cancel on me, we went to the old classic, Casa Italia, for dinner. Thank god we shared a pizza because it always makes me feel funky. Let’s just say, Monday morning came with a rather uncomfortable stomach.

Obviously, I skipped French (didn’t want to poop myself, lol) and ended up finishing season one of 13 Reasons Why. I think my morning was much better spent doing that to be honest!

My mission now is to finish season two before the weather gets too nice and I want to be outside. I think I can manage it, I did the first season in less than a week, so it’s certainly doable.

I predict that I won’t have much to say about the coming week, but I have everything crossed that the weekend will be more entertaining than the week.

Pray for me.

A very, very quick update

I’m not okay.
It’s only the second time I’ve felt so low since I’ve been here. Strangely, it’s completely unrelated to the place or the people. This time, it’s much more personal. I guess there are a few things that could’ve triggered it. When all of the components swirl around together for long enough they are destined to collide, leaving utter devastation in their path. 
That leaves me, a bit broken and alone in a foreign country. I know, I know I’m not alone, but sometimes it just feels that way. I can’t help it.
I’ve learned from previous experience how vital it is to talk to someone. I’m lucky that I have an absolute rock at home who is always willing to listen in my times of need (trust me, there’s been a few). This incredible human consistently offers a sympathetic ear and useful advice, when sometimes I can’t even think straight. So, take the time to appreciate your loved ones and thank them for all they do for you. 
The end is near, only a few more weeks left before I’m home. My god do I need to be home! 
Until next time, my friends. See you all soon! 

P.S apologies for the ironically cheerful picture, it can’t all be doom and gloom haha!
P.P.S don’t worry, I’m feeling much better now!

A weekend of travels

Last week was somewhat uneventful, which is super refreshing. I've been needing a bit of break recently, as my end date is feeling a little distant. Let's just say that my energetic positivity from the Easter break has been dwindling away into nothingness for a while now. I'm trying to find ways to keep going for the remaining forty-odd days, but it's proving a tad difficult at the moment. Why must time go by so slowly? 

On Friday Melanie invited three of her friends over for a sleepover, while the rest of the family went out for a meal and to listen to a friend play music. It actually wasn't anywhere near as bad as it sounds. They made some pizzas, which I helped them cook, and spent most of the evening downstairs watching films. The four of them made sporadic visits upstairs throughout the night and were super talkative. It was actually a really lovely evening, apart from having to help Jason with his university application until 1am. 

Krisztina and I decided to go to Yvoire on Saturday, which is a few miles outside of Geneva. It was a bit of an odd day weather-wise, there were moments of warm, sunny weather, then others where it was wet and cloudy. The town is stunning, with really old buildings set upon the edge of lake. I got some lovely presents for my mum and dad, I just hope they get back to England in one piece! 

I managed to hit 20,000 miles on the clock this weekend, which just shows how much I've been adventuring while I've been here. When I bought my car this time last year, it had just over 15,000 miles to its name, so we've come a long way since then. 

The following day Brenda, her cousin and I got up early to drive to Lyon. It took two hours and cost a fair bit in tolls, but it was well worth the journey. I was a little anxious driving through the twisty mountains, especially being so tired, but I managed just fine (nobody died!) We were so lucky with the weather, the sun was shining without it being too hot. We ended up parking in a random spot, just to get a place, and then wandered around for a bit trying to find the centre. When we reached the bridge over the river, we looked up at the daunting walk up to the cathedral. 

Before setting off, we had a mooch around the old town and Brenda and I indulged in some expensive sweets...no shame.Thank god I had taken a wealth of snacks to eat, because that hike up to the summit was something else! I don't think I've ever been up steps that steep in my life and there was so many of them. Every time we thought we were close, there were another hundred or so steps to the next level. 

Anyway, we eventually made it up, breathless and tired, with shaky legs, but the view from the top was absolutely stunning! We took a few stereotypical tourist pictures and filled our bellies, before slowly descending back to the old town. 

On the way down, we discovered a rose garden which smelled incredible! Only downside was that it triggered my hayfever, which I've not really been suffering with until this point. It was well worth it though!

The three of us sat outside in a little cocktail bar called Le Paradis des Fruits, which boasted freshly pressed fruit juices and smoothies, as well as ones with alcohol. (Obviously I chose the alcohol-free option because I didn't need anything making the drive back even harder!) 

After our much-needed sit down, we were supposed to meet Jason at a park further outside of the city centre, but we got distracted by a band playing in the street. They are called La Fanfarovis and are super talented, definitely check them out on Facebook if you have a spare minute or two. 

When they'd finished it was a bit too late to go to the park, as it was a 4km walk and we'd not even started. We ended up sitting by a little skating area for a bit, watching the guys do crazy jumps and stunts while we ate more sugary snacks. 

After a while we headed back to the centre, where we decided to eat in a restaurant called Ninkasi. It was an awesome choice on Brenda's part, because the food wasn't that expensive and they played up and coming music while you ate. I don't know about the other two, but my food was fantastic, even though I had a salad (shock horror!) Brenda and I were both particularly impressed by their lemonade, which was very fizzy but beautifully refreshing. 

We spent a bit of time by the river with Jason and his friend, before heading home. I think all three of us were exhausted from the early start, all the walking and the bright sun, so we were glad to go back. I basically got in, had a shower and sparked out completely. Luckily, the kids are off so I got a bit of a lie in (thank the lord!)
I don't think I'll recover from this weekend for a while, but you won't hear me complaining about it. Roll on next weekend I say!

The Best Saturday

It's true what they say, French people spend more time at home than at work/school during May. 
Over this past week alone, Marilie has had three days off and the others two. Of course, those days didn't coincide much. Mar had Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday off, while the older two had Thursday and Friday. 
It's safe to say that this week was a lot to deal with. Marilie has been ill, so decidedly more grumpy. I suggested she steam herself to clear her sinuses, as that's what my mum has always told me to do, but she just ended up wet and sweaty without feeling many positive effects. 

I managed to get her out and about on Tuesday. We grabbed the bikes and headed off to the park, mini picnic in tow. We hadn't got much actual food to take, so I just shoved a load of nibbles in the bag, along with some water. Praise the lord that she found two friends to play with, because it gave me a much needed break. I sat while she played for what seemed like an eternity, although it was a mere few hours. Nevertheless, it burned off a decent amount of her energy and she didn't give me much gyp when we got back. Essentially, I just plonked her in front of the TV praying she'd fall asleep. 

On Thursday, I spent most of the day hiding from people. Somehow we ended up feeding ten people for lunch, which included two feral children. As soon as lunch was over, Mel and I retreated to a safe zone so that we could watch the latest episode of Riverdale in peace. My god, that was some gripping stuff! I highly recommend, if you don't watch it already. (I know it seems rubbish at first but keep going, it gets better I swear!)

After her friends had left, Marilie had the tantrum to end all tantrums. While screaming that she hated me and that I was horrible, she managed to threaten smashing a bowl over my head. Charming, I know. I swiftly switched the TV off and told her to pick up all of the things she dropped on the floor. 
Later on, her mum fully admitted that she can't cope anymore and that boarding school may be the only option. As well as this, she told me that she finds herself actively avoiding her in order to swerve any potential conflicts. Basically, I'm caught in a bit of a war zone at the moment, where everyone is quickly running out of time and patience. It can't get any worse though, surely?

As you can imagine, I rejoiced when the weekend finally arrived. Krisztina and I have decided to stop moaning about being here and start trying to enjoy our last few weeks here. It's about time really...
To begin our new quest, we chose to go to Les Gorges du Pont du Diable which, for those of you who don't speak French, is a cave where there is a "Devil's bridge". Allegedly, the Devil constructed the bridge but, in return, wanted souls to pay for his service. The people tried to trick him and sent animals across the bridge, but this only angered him more. He told them that if they didn't bring him the souls he required, he would destroy the bridge. Unsurprisingly, they sent some poor old ladies across the bridge to be sacrificed to the Devil, which pleased him enough to keep the "bridge" whole. 

Our tour guide was super lovely and tried to explain in both French and English, which was great for me. I got to try and understand in French first, then either had my translation confirmed or corrected. After the trek back up to higher ground we went to Lac du Jotty to take some awesome pictures and have a bite to eat. The scenery was absolutely stunning and looked a bit like the setting for the French TV series, Les Revenants (The Returned), which is another must-see! 

When we'd finished up there we decided to head to another lake, Lac de Montriond. When we arrived, we were shocked to see that there was still snow around certain parts of the lake. We took a slow, muddy walk around the lake, being careful not to fall in the flooded parts. On the side opposite to where I parked the car, we sat down for a bit on a picnic bench. That's when I noticed that there was a waterfall from the very top of the mountain down into the lower levels. Krisztina even caught the moment on video and it's quite amusing. Sadly, all good things come to an end and we had to make our way back up the anxiety-inducing mountain roads before we lost too much light. (One thing I can say about driving in France/Switzerland, it hasn't half boosted my confidence in driving!)

Kriszti's host family was at their chalet, so we were planning on having a bit of a film night. However, the diabolical WiFi had other ideas and we ended up watching Eurovision instead. I'll just take this time to appreciate the Czech, German and Irish acts, who were certainly better than Israel in my personal opinion.
Saturday was 100% one of my best days here, which was something we could both agree on wholeheartedly. Sadly, Sunday was a bit less incredible. The weather was a bit miserable and your options are limited here as soon as it rains. Krisztina and I finally utilised our free tickets to The Olympic Museum in Lausanne, while we still have the chance. I have to admit, I don't quite understand the hype behind it. Sure, parts of it were pretty interesting, but for the most part it's just a bunch of sweaty clothes worn by Olympians. Let's just say that we were both glad we didn't pay 17CHF for a ticket!

The Olympic Torch - London 2012

Usain Bolt's jersey

Chris Hoy's outfit

Torvill and Dean's winning outifts

Medals from London 2012

My favourite medals - Sochi 2014

Then we're back at Monday...already. Where on Earth does the weekend go? They always say "time flies when you're having fun" and this weekend was firsthand evidence of that. I spent Monday morning cutting up a sort of Rocky Road traybake for Marilie to take to school (for her birthday, which was ten days ago). I cut it into teeny tiny pieces, so her classmates will be utterly disappointed in their portion size. Think of your teeth kids!

After my French lesson in the morning, I swindled a piece of birthday cake before it all disappears. It's the first cake that almost defeated me, I think I'm sick! Anyway, it was delicious so a big shoutout to Mel's friend, Hanna, who is a fourteen year-old baking genius.
I have everything crossed that this week is a breeze compared to last week, but I won't hold my breath.