Brix, France
I'll keep writing even though I can't find a wifi strong enough to upload these posts with the photos. One frustration after another. (It's titled BagLady's Travels and Torments for a reason...sometimes I like to complain:)). I had a long list of things I was going to get done over the wifi on the ferry. Not! Too weak. Argh. Then I figured I'd get a new SIM card in France and it would work better than my UK one on roaming. And that wasn't easy or simple. One girl spoke English but chose not to comprehend even when a gentlemen stepped in to help translate. You mean you can't just tell me the series of steps I have to take to buy and activate a card. How hard can it be?? And I have to what to buy a plan? Go to the Tobacco shop to put € on my account? You can't take my money in the Orange store? The store that sells and provides the service. I did all that they asked and while they closed for lunch, the 17€ I had on my account dropped to 4€ and is now 1€ maybe. I go back to Orange. Where's my money go? It's your phone. It ate it. Mise en jouer or something she said. How do I tell Orange which plan I want after the Tobacco guy puts money on my account? Blank look. I don't know what you mean. The Tobacco guy is suppose to do something more. Really? What? Clueless. I go back to Tobacco guy who speaks fairly good English. I have to put more money on. Will you call Orange and see if you can figure out the final step that applies the money I have on credit to a plan? He tried to first call and apply the voucher on my account but Orange was having technical difficulties. Argh! I gave up and left town. I have a voucher for 10 € more but I'm not calling it into my account until someone tells me how I get it applied to a plan before it just dissolves before my very eyes. This has been the most costly and most frustrating of all the new SIM card experiences. If you don't hear from me often, that's why. No service. Might do me good to disconnect. Who knows.
The good news is, once you find them, there are well marked cycle routes down lovely lanes and back roads. I did manage to get a book at the Tourist Information that shows them for this area. That should be good for a few days. They're longer to travel, but so much quieter.
And it's warmer here! Feels almost like home in many ways. No rain all day! Wahoo!
I'm tucked away in a farmer's field tonight. No views but oh so quiet and relaxing. Guess I needed this after my 18 hour ferry ride. I don't handle motion well so I took a bit of Dramamine. And as usual it knocked me out. I slept 12 hours. Good way to pass the time. So many people. So expensive. Better to sleep. And frustrate over the internet.
Overheard on the ferry:
Mother: Make sure your doll doesn't drop.
Little girl: I'm make sure-ing:)
Gotta love kids!
I did meet a fellow Triker, Stephan, from Germany that also took the ferry. I think folks thought we were together because we were riding the same bikes.
Livin' the life,
BagLady
Facebook: Kathryn Mossbrook Zimmerma
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