Glorious warm sunshine hit the tent around 8am as it climbed above the woods to the East. I’d started packing while Kez was in the shower block when the friendly camp attendant enquired where we were cycling to today.
‘Nontron’ I replied, a town twenty something miles South which seemed to suit our needs. ‘Is it hilly?’ I asked with the international hand sign for mountains.
‘Oui!’ He replied worryingly.
Kez reappeared and reported the cover had been removed from the pool and it looked lovely in the sun, empty loungers around it and the lake glistening just below. After a brief discussion I called the camp attendant as he walked past.
‘Nontron tomorrow’ I said.
‘OK!’ he said happily, ‘No problem’.
So we spent the day relaxing by the pool like real tourists, as lizards scampered around the sunny banks and a pretty little cat stalked butterflys in the grass. I watched a heron at the edge of the lake catching fish with its spear like bill and after a quick run to champion on the bike for more ale and a bottle of sangria for Kez, we spent the afternoon in the pool. Kez has never learnt to swim, and after an hour or so of my gentle tutelage and various threats, she managed to swim nearly a whole width unaided. Quite a big thing for her, it was wonderful to see her face as she achieved self powered bouyancy for the first time in her life. A fantastically lazy day, acting like real british holiday makers for a change, instead of sweaty gypsies like normal.