France - Friday

Millau. Brilliant day today featuring two three course meals and sight of one of the most beautiful structures in the world.
We caught a train from Bedarieux just before 10 and enjoyed a hour's trip through the beautiful Languedoc countryside. Arriving in Millau we went for a coffee and a wander through the market before sitting down for a fantastic lunch. The French really know how to do lunch - everything stops between 12 and 2, except waiters and chefs. I had carpaccio of salmon followed by grilled cuttlefish and finished off with orange and Cointreau sorbet.
After lunch we climbed the town belfry (200 steps, 80m) for a view of the amazing Millau Viaduc. If you've never seen this bridge then please stick the name into Google - it's spectacular; and designed by Sir Norman Foster (stick that one Froggies!).
The rest of the afternoon was spent checking out Millau before getting the train back just before six.
We had dinner at La Forge in Bedarieux. Three courses again (mousse de foie blond, cassoulet de pecheur and chocolate mousse) all for €16 - it would have been £30 at home.
I'm stuffed but the day has been a really memorable one - can't believe we're going home tomorrow.

France - Thursday

What a terrific day. Tim drove us to Roquebrun where we had a delicious lunch sat on a terrace overlooking the river valley. Then we drove down to the river and picked up canoes and all the gubbins and were transported 5km up-stream so we could paddle back. Obviously we stopped a couple of times for wine breaks along the way. After some initial scuffling that stopped just short of physical violence and/or divorce, K & I soon got the hang of it - although, if you include all the zig-zagging, I think we did about 8km! Great day though, just about to have dinner on the patio. Tomorrow we're doing the trip that I've really been looking forward to...

France - Wednesday

Lazy day :-)
We spent Wednesday hanging out with T&D in their garden. A lie-in was followed by a lazy breakfast. K & I then got stuck into our books for a couple of hours before lunch of homemade paella (left over from the night before). We all went in the pool after lunch and now we're getting ready to go out for dinner.

France - Tuesday

Another beautiful (i.e red hot!) day. Just finished a great lunch in Beziers after dropping off the hire car. Seems like a nice city; we're off to see the cathedral after our coffee.

France - Monday

As I write this, I'm laid on the grass in a park just off the Place de la Comedie, Montpellier. It's hot. Oh boy, oh boy, is it hot! We had plans to look round the city but, after a big lunch (steak frites) we just needed a lie down. So we did. We might move later but I'm promising nothing.

France - Sunday

T&D returned during the night and we met them for breakfast. It was great to discuss all the places that we might want to visit and pick out favourites.
After breakfast, we left T&D to unpack while we walked up into the mountains. It was blazing hot but there were some shady trees and a cool breeze to help us. It was a hard slog to the top but spectacular views greeted us at the end of our climb.
When we got back we were able to cool off in the pool before enjoying a stupendous barbecue for dinner. Then it was a couple of games of 'Articulate' (easily won by the boys) before bed.

French holiday - Saturday

After a curry in Luton on Friday night, we were up bright and early to get our taxi to the airport. It was very quiet at that time and there was a very short queue at check-in and none at all at security - brilliant!
Paying for priority boarding proved the right choice when we were able to nab the seats by the emergency exits with the extra legroom.
It was hot when we emerged onto the tarmac at Beziers. The airport is tiny but picking up our car was simple and we were even upgraded to a C3.
The drive to Lunas went without a hitch; the trouble started when we arrived in the village. I realised that I'd left Tim's address at home and my only sense of his house's location came from a vague recollection of looking at a Google aerial photo. Cue much wandering around the little streets looking for a house that matched the sketchy description. When we found one that fitted the bill we were foxed by the locked gate - we knew T&D were away but they knew we were coming. In the end we decided to climb the fence and see what happened. Luckily we'd got the right house and we found the key and let ourselves in. What a palaver!
We settled in and had a couple of well-earned cold drinks, and a snooze. Keren got challenged by the neighbour/guard but she was able to conjour up enough French to satisfy her that we were there legitimately.
Later on we strolled into the village and enjoyed a very nice meal at a somewhat odd restaurant but, all in all, it was a very good start to our holiday.

Ryanair are dirty robdogs - discuss.

K and I have just checked in for our flight to Beziers. £20 per kilo for overweight bags. My case's ticket was more than mine. Maybe it'll get better service.

On the bright side, we sailed through Security without a queue of any sort. Now sat in Starbucks in the departure 'lounge'. No queues + Keren booking taxi = long wait airside.

A Weekend with Friends and Family - that's the best kind isn't it?

K and I started the weekend with Dinner at Darren & Sarah's.  Sarah's a great cook and they're both terrific hosts so we enjoyed our evening no end.  Apologies to K for the extensive school day reminiscing - I'm afraid it's inevitable.

Saturday night was spent at Steve and Patricia's.  We had a look at their wedding video, which brought back great memories and drank way too much!  This was evidenced by Steve's decision to pull his pants up to his nipples and then sit on his wife.  We can't remember why.

Sunday lunch with the in-laws and then down to Martin and Charlotte's to spend some time with Evie.  Clint, Emma and Joel were there too and the adults all played pass the parcel with the baby - I ducked out of that game, I'm always a bit nervous with tiny babies, worried I might break them I guess.

Hello Evie!

Welcome to the world to Evangeline Grace Hickerton - my new niece.

She was born yesterday morning and weighs a very healthy 8lb 8oz.  I think you can tell from this photo that Dad is quite pleased with the new arrival.