I've been pretty terrible at keeping the blog updated since I arrived back in the states. Part of my lack in updating comes from sheer laziness, but I think part of it has something to do with the end of my trip and feeling a little down about that, so I haven't had the motivation to update to the end. But here it goes!
August- The end of my time at American Village was welcome, though I was sad to leave the camp and the people I worked with. I definitely was not as burnt out as I was the year prior, which was great, but it was still time to move on.
One of my favorite activities of the summer came during the last session, we hiked out to an open area to camp overnight. I eschewed the tent in favor of sleeping under the stars, which was pretty amazing. I had never done anything like that before, and it was surprisingly comfortable!
At the end of August, I said farewell to kids and counselors alike an embarked on a high speed train back to Paris, where I met up with my sister, Jane, and stayed with the van den Broeks. Jane had been working as an au pair in eastern France for two months, and it was great to see her. We spent a couple of days wandering Paris- we ate falafel and went to Asian supermarkets, wandered through Paris's many covered passageways and visited some clothing stores so I could replenish my wardrobe before the last leg of my trip. After a few days, we took the train down to visit Anna and Fred, who I had the pleasure of meeting at the beginning of August. We did what one does in Prayssac: eat a lot of delicious food, sleep well, play petanque and drink pastis.
We spent four relaxing days in Prayssac, and then Jane and I parted ways in Toulouse: she flew to Rome to start a backpacking trip through Italy, and I headed east towards Pau, a town at the foothills of the Pyrenees. I had about a week an a half before meeting Scott in Barcelona, so my plan was to visit some friends I had made while working as a counselor and seeing a few new cities, my last time as a solo traveler on this adventure. Scoops (Scottie) was one of those friends I met during my first month of camp this year; we shared a bunk bed in our cabin-y perma-tent at Saut du Loup.
August- The end of my time at American Village was welcome, though I was sad to leave the camp and the people I worked with. I definitely was not as burnt out as I was the year prior, which was great, but it was still time to move on.
One of my favorite activities of the summer came during the last session, we hiked out to an open area to camp overnight. I eschewed the tent in favor of sleeping under the stars, which was pretty amazing. I had never done anything like that before, and it was surprisingly comfortable!
At the end of August, I said farewell to kids and counselors alike an embarked on a high speed train back to Paris, where I met up with my sister, Jane, and stayed with the van den Broeks. Jane had been working as an au pair in eastern France for two months, and it was great to see her. We spent a couple of days wandering Paris- we ate falafel and went to Asian supermarkets, wandered through Paris's many covered passageways and visited some clothing stores so I could replenish my wardrobe before the last leg of my trip. After a few days, we took the train down to visit Anna and Fred, who I had the pleasure of meeting at the beginning of August. We did what one does in Prayssac: eat a lot of delicious food, sleep well, play petanque and drink pastis. |
| Lunch one day |
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| Farmers market haul |
We spent four relaxing days in Prayssac, and then Jane and I parted ways in Toulouse: she flew to Rome to start a backpacking trip through Italy, and I headed east towards Pau, a town at the foothills of the Pyrenees. I had about a week an a half before meeting Scott in Barcelona, so my plan was to visit some friends I had made while working as a counselor and seeing a few new cities, my last time as a solo traveler on this adventure. Scoops (Scottie) was one of those friends I met during my first month of camp this year; we shared a bunk bed in our cabin-y perma-tent at Saut du Loup.
Turns out Scoops is an awesome cook, so one day, after a trip to the largest Asian grocery store I've seen in Europe, she made me and her partner Aymeric Vietnamese rice noodle bowls that were to DIE FOR. Otherwise, I spent a lot of time walking around Pau and admiring the view of the Alps and the castle, first built in the Middle Ages and occasionally used by Napoleon as his holiday home.
Before I arrived, I had originally intended to stay in Pau longer, but decided to shave a couple of days off to visit San Sebastian, a city on the Basque coast of Northern Spain. My next stop had been Madrid, and it would have been much easier to get there from San Sebastian (aka, I could take a direct train) than attempt to find a BlaBlaCar from Pau. Plus, a few people I know had been to San Sebastian and really liked it, so I felt I would treat myself to a couple of nights in a hostel before heading to the center of Spain.
The morning before I left, I ran through the castle grounds. The sun through the trees was beautiful, and the mountain air was fresh and invigorating. It was a great last morning in France after spending more than two months there. I hope I will return sooner rather than later!
Later that day I took a bus across the border to San Sebastian. I'll account for my Spanish trip in my text post, which will hopefully come sooner than this one did.
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