Back at Lavausseau

I returned to Lavausseau on the 19th after a 6 hour journey from my friends (David & Catherine Marks) at Puymaurin, near Toulouse. I had stayed with them for a couple of days. They live in Nairobi from November to April each year, and the summer in France. They had only been back at Puymaurin for a few days when I arrived, but the beautiful house looked like it had been lived in without a break.

On the way from Moraira, I stopped in Barcelona for a night to break the long journey. The weather during the week in Moraira had been atrocious - cold, raining and very cloudy. The day I left, and ever since, has been glorious.

I called in at Valencia on the 16th, as it was the first day of the America's Cup elimination rounds. Unfortunately, I missed the entrance to the harbour and decided to move straight onto Barcelona.

I managed to stay at a superb hotel for the second time - the Hesperia del Port, which was designed by Richard Rogers, though a 3 star hotel.

Today we reopened the pool, and took greater care than last year in peeling off the plastic cover. The secret is to make sure all the water is emptied from the surface of the sheet before trying to remove it. Last year a lot of the dirty water escaped into the pool.

Regarding my diet, I'm down to 93.5kg today. I had to stop the diet for the last two weeks, in view of my hosts providing such lavish meals. Now that I have returned I have recommenced the diet to achieve my target of 87kgs as swiftly as possible. Already I am down to "M" size shirts from "XXL" versions that I had to wear only 2 months ago. So I'm very pleased with the progress, which is a weight off my mind, if not my stomach!

Climax at La Clinique

I've been told that I must have auxiliary oxygen for sleeping, and for exercise. So I will have to have a big cylinder in the garage, and a small one to wear on my back when cycling or walking (not pottering around the garden or mowing on the tractor). But I must resolve to walk or cycle strenuously at least 3 times each week.

Tomorrow, the 7th April, I drive down to Moraira in Spain. It is 600 kilometres, mostly on the motorway, thank goodness. I'll probably arrive at my Aunt's house at about 7pm, where I'll stay for at least a week.

Unfortunately, I won't have an internet connection in Moraira. As the journey back is so lengthy, I'll probably stay a night in Barcelona - where I should be back online.

Puygcerda

 

I had an afternoon off today, and went exploring the nearest town, which is only a couple of miles away. Here is a scene from the main shopping thoroughfare, which is for pedestrians only. It is high up on one of the mountains, and dates back many hundreds of years.

Yesterday I had a particularly tough walk. We went for a couple of miles, which included a climb up a path that was so steep that it had a rope fixed on the side for people to hold onto while they pulled themselves up.

I'm leaving here on Saturday the 7th, and I have to confess that it will be a welcome departure.

Second homes in Osseja

 

This is a typical home that a Spaniard from Barcelona would buy at a cost of, maybe, 800,000 Euros. There are so many of these here, and the fact that all the windows are covered indicates that it is a second home. In fact, most of the new houses in Osseja, and there are hundreds of them, are shuttered like this one.