The Number ONE........

Ok, so after much procrastinating; finding some free time and avoiding my apprehension to use this french key board... here i am to write my very first blog of my travels. I hope the one person who follows me on here appreciates this - simply because it's all for her!

Saying goodbyes aren't exactly my favorite thing. Having to say goodbye to my best friend and my dear Mum at the airport wasn't my idea of a great time but it had to be done. Tears were shed and after looking back 20 times, Jo and I walked through those big silver gates into, as my dear friend calls it... Limbo. The 20-something hour flight was made bearable with booze and laughs and the awesome selection of in-flight TV that i adore almost as much as the food!

Disclaimer: Ok, ok. I get it, everyone hates aeroplane food, but i'm more than proud to stand up and say that i freakin love the shit. If they are serving something like fish, which i love to hate, i tell them i'm allergic and i'm a winner every time!!

The first leg being the 'short' trip to Singapore. Once we got there it was a race to the nearest exit for a quick ciggie and then off to catch our flight through to London. A lovely fourteen hours and at least 10 episodes of 'Friends' later we landed in the city of Big Ben and our target was so close we could smell it!! (or maybe that smell was me??) Moving right along... Flying straight though to Lyon after what seemed a like a maze of grey walls and officers saying 'sorry, you can't av a fag 'ere'... We are FINALLY in beautiful France. Passport stamped and bags are ready to leave the city of Lyon and drive to the little country town of Les Avenieres.

Getting over the jet lag seems to take forever. But this place is utterly magical. It's honestly like stepping into another world and I have fallen head over heels for it. So much is the same, yet so much is different. The people are the same friendly neighbours that we all have back in Australia. Handing out a friendly, 'bonjour' as you walk down the street. But the homes are just completely different, charming would be the best way to describe them. They ooze charm and warmth with fences outlining each one, wooden shutters that close out the cold on every window and every door. Almost every second house looks like a farm. The Roosters are the size of average pet dogs... It's just crazy. It takes a good half an hour to reach town by foot and there are no footpaths in sight. Even getting used to looking out for traffic when crossing the road is a feat all in itself. If I could count the amount of times that Jo has pulled me back off the street by my jeans... God, I can only imagine what it'll be like driving a manual on the wrong side of the car and the wrong side of the road!!

Jandy - this entire place just reminds me of you. It's the perfect place for you... A place to have all the animals... The shops... The people. I think of you everyday and see you here everyday. We could totally run wild painting the whole 4 streets of town pink and drinking at the one bar that could hold 30 people... AND i'm being generous!!! Hahaha...

Getting me started on the language barrier would be a bad idea. I'm really trying my hardest. But when I have the choice of roaming the town, as opposed to sitting and studying the language - you know what I'd be choosing. Jos parents are making a huge effort speaking as much English as they can. But sometimes I get so transfixed in the sound of hearing them all talk together that just completely lose myself. Even buying a packet of ciggarettes is quite the experience. But whilst it's been trying; it's also been an amazing experience so far... I'm with an incredible man who I love very much and I'm only one whole month into the best time of my life!!.........