Day erm 20 and a bit: the holiday.

Ok I haven't been posting lately and there's a good reason for that. I'd been doing a couple if hundred km just circling Tours basically waiting for Helen to come as I had no other destination. However on one cold and rainy morning and having no specific place to get to, I found myself browsing hotel listings on booking.com. Before I knew it I had booked a one bed studio for 4 nights. Whoops! A days ride in the rain saw me there an hour before anyone was in the office and I used that time, and about fifty wet wipes, to give Wheelfred a bath.





Here he is in his hotel socialising with other bikes. It's been a while since he's had someone to spoke to.

Actually before that I did have a complete day 15 blog written out in my notebook. That's right I draft these things. However it was all just me whining about campsites being closed and being forced down 'roads' that were more: just bits between fields where a tractor had already been. There was a nice part where I sat and had lunch next to a stream and I was messing about on my phone, staying still, for so long that fish and birds all came alive around me. That was nice. And a damsel fly landed on my lime green sleeve but was camera shy. Also a large zebra-headed fish gobbled down some bread I threw. I mean his head was stripey, not actually like a horse-head on a fish.

Here's some pictures from that day. Someone really loved Electric Light Orchestra.






I stayed in a campsite called l'ecluse after being disappointed by one in a town called Blére (the sound one makes when they don't like their food) and then the next day did a long straight but undulating road back to a campsite I knew was good. And it was good, because the logo was an owl. Then this.

So for the last four nights over been sleeping long hours in a conformable bed and binging on twix's, ravioli, and Netflix on my phone. Well that and French Malcolm in the Middle, oh and one episode of doctor who that had an English option. It's like being in uni halls again.







I didn't want to do much exploring as I hadn't fulfilled my usual quota of sitting around in my pants in a while, though this is usually when the housekeeping lady tried to come round.

I did go on a hunt for an English friendly bar with visions of making some friends but that didn't happen in the minute I was in there. It was an Irish bar complete with Dublin prices: €5 a pint. Pffft. However the bit of the town I did see was surprisingly nice. Modern shop fronts in buildings that were old and wonky and were leaning forward like a large man trying to see if his flies are undone. There were stark Tudor-esque lines against the pale homes as if this fat man were wearing braces, and oddly angled roofs completing the look like a bad hair day. Anyway.

I did go down to walk along where the river should have been one night and discovered a bat hunting ground. This kept my attention for ages and I even got a photo.



That is a bat, honest.

So that has been me up until now. Reveling in antisocialism and binging. But today us special. Helly is coming! And we're renting a car and going to the zoo and and eating probably and its going to be great and I'm very excited.