Part 27: Night Hikes and a Few Plans

Hey there, for the hat trick, I am tired whilst writing this. Its getting quite ridiculous my tiredness. I'm a tad over it. Even with the title of the blog, I am still sleepy.

Oh well. Yesterday was a nice day. I spent most of it just relaxing in my room and working on the project. I'm still not 100% on my Geneve, Switzerland trip yet either. I have been researching and I will get there, but the when is whats throwing me out. I dont know how but I am busy enough to not have a proper free day..sorta. Monday-Piano, Tuesday-English, Wednesday-ski(maybe) Thursday-uni Friday, Saturday and Sunday are free but usually something is happening. Oh well, eventually.

At around 3ish Carole went to Lumbin, a small town about 15 minutes from St-Marie d'Alloix. She was going to look at a school for Tim next year there and asked if I wanted to go as well. Considering I'd done ...nothing, I thought I probably should just to get out of the house. Lumbin is just under a well-known paragliding mountain thing and theres a field where there was a guy practicing, so I got dropped off at the field and Carole said she'd be half an hour. I watched the guy fiddle around for a bit then went for a quick ponder, knowing I couldnt stray to far. I got to the meeting point only to be called and hear Carole would be an extra half hour. I then toured around some more but the shops were closed and there was nothing really to do because Lumbin was quite petit so... I just walked around. When the half hour was up Carole rang saying should be another 15 minutes, so I just grabbed my iPod and listened to music until she came and picked me up.

Back home, I didnt do much apart from bum around until 7pm. Carole, Benoit and I were joining a rather largish group of other adults in the town (I think 22 all up) for a night hike over the alps (which turned out to be the ones over Lumbin, so I could look down on where I had been from where I was looking at earlier that day...) followed by dinner. We all met infront of the kiosk and then drove up to the mountains at St-Hilaire du Touvet. Here, we got out of the car and hiked in the freezing cold night. I chatted to a few people, which was one of the first times I felt confident enough in my french to speak it without too much hesitation. Mainly becuase it was dark and I had no idea who I was talking to. I knew they would know who I was, but it made me at least feel anonymous haha. Oh well, everyone understood me and I understood most of the time during the hike. The views were pretty specky too looking down on the lights of the surrounding towns. Quite pretty. I took photos, but honestly they're so bad I dont even think I'll keep them at all let alne post them here.

When the hike finished we all made our way to a restaurant for dinner. There were two choices for dinner: Cheese fondue or steak and chips. Carole had already put in my order and I was having the steak along with only two others. I sat with Anke, Fredericke another couple whose names I forget and, of course, Carole and Benoit. Most of my conversation was with Anke which was good to get to know her a little better. The food was pretty intense haha. We started off with some cracker things and white wine mixed with chestnut stuff, I am officially not a fan of chestnuts. Then another entree thing came which was toast with egg, tomato and pepper it was really nice. Then came the mains. I loved what I had, but I also tried some of the fondue. There were two types, blue cheese and cheese and mushroom. I tried both and actually, surprising even myself, found that I liked them. I ate a few more bits of that when I finished. After that, we had a huge bowl of chips come so that was eaten. Then after that, we had dessert which was out of a few different options, I got some chocolate thing because thats what everyone told me to get. It was good so that was safe. I also tried some of the person (who I am really sorry to have forgotten the name of) who was sitting next to me's dessert which was chestnut flavoured and thus not my favorite. I did forget to mention by this time, there had been a few rounds of alcohol too wine and such. I didnt drink all that much though at all. I did drink a local drink that is made by monks in the area (only two monks in the world know the secret recipe!) but, apparently you're not even meant to drink a tiny bit like a shot... I didnt know this though and it burnt a wee bit. Haha. Then after dessert they bought out teas and coffee which I avoided then they bought out another alcohol shot, but it was straight alcohol and just tasted... like alcohol something I would have to be drunk to drink. I did sip it and feel my throat burn a lot but it made everyone happy so all was well in the end. All in all, the dinner was really a lot better than I thought it would be. I really enjoyed it and although it was tricky, I really tried to speak as much french as I could and I could finally feel some improvement. Win. dinner went for 5 hours and we got home at 1. Then I went to bed.

Today is not much of a story. I woke up this morning at 8am randomly and stared out the ceiling for a while until I fell back asleep and re-awoke at 10.30 and had breakfast. Benoit and Bastien just got back from the dentist, Basiten is getting braces soon. Then Benoit went and played tennis with a friend. After breaky I went upstairs and worked a lot on the project. I dont know how its going. I like it sometimes and dont like it other times. I need to get opinions on it. Anyway...

Later was lunch, we had steak and chips (I was so tempted to point out that I was having food deja-vu but then I remembered the joke about the french not having a word for 'deja vu' then, feeling awkard, didnt say anything... haha) The tennis friend was here for lunch. His name I, too, forget but he lives in L.A and is visiting France... because he's french. Lunch was good to listen to but I didnt say very much at all. It was weird hearing the guy speak french because he had been in the US for so long that his french ahd beganto disentegrate a little and thus would use English words here and there. It was odd.

After lunch, more prject work. Then... what did I do? I dont know. days just go by, dont they? Oh! I texted one of the people from university asking if they want to go to Lyon with me and we're going for a weekend soon. We were going to go next weekend but the Beyliers have their ski trip thing which I am going on, so we have to make a new date, probs the weekend. Oh well, should be good. I cant wait to go to the art museum. They have like actual Picasso and Monet stuff there. I mean, haha, thats cool that I'll be able to say I've seen them haha. Also, the friend drives, so we're going to road trip there which could make it that little bit better I think. I dont know. I'll text her tomorrow and see what she wants to do. Also, if we dont make it this weekend, I will go to Switz on Tuesday I think. I'll just move English to Monday... I'll see. Always with the 'I'll see' I am ready for set plans.

Oh! And I cannot remember if I mentioned but someone who I went to primary school with is in Europe and thanks to facebook we have decided that early April (1st-?) we're going to catch up in Paris! Its not finalized yet dateswise (thus Carole, this is probably the first time you've heard of it...) I really hope it doesnt fall through! Because, I am going to hold out on Paris until then so its new for both of us! Much more exciting. If it falls through, I dont know how I'm ever going to find time to get there! Sighhhhh... I hate plans. I just want it to all be in action.

To end on a positive : As I said, I finally can feel my French improving. I still struggle, but I think my confidence is starting to creep in which most definetly helps.

Well, readers - I hope you enjoyed! Catchya's tomorrow - unless I skip out again (apologies for that, how ridiculous!)