Progress
Step one is completed. My travelling companions and I have all booked our flights. Ok, so that really isn't step one. Step one is daydreaming and preliminary planning, and wondering if the trip is ever really going to take place.
The trip to France is becoming more of a raality with each passing day, though, for me at least, it won't actually feel real until I am there.
Right now, I have so much to do before we leave, that the departure seems to be an eternity from now. Still, progress has been made. I finally booked my flight--the last of my group to do so. And our trek through the foothills of the Pyranees has been paid for.
I have made my preliminary packing list and tested my sleeping bag. It will do. I still wish I could have found a left handed bag, but for the price, I can deal with such a small inconvenience. Besides, it stuffs up so small that the compression caps I bought to decrease the packing size even more are far too large. Not to worry, I'll find another use for them.
The three of us have also begun to discuss our possible trip plans as a group for the week before the Cathar trek, and the week after.
We will all be flying into Toulouse. Since our group is split over two flights that are supposed to arrive within an hour of each other, we will most likely all meet at the airport and travel to the hotel together. The current thought, at least last I heard, is to spend two nights in Toulouse, then move on to Carcassonne where we will have two days to on our own and a third day with the trek group. I don't know if anyone has arranged for us to meet up with the group in Carcassone yet. The original meeting is supposed to be at Montpellier Airport, but at least we know the hotel the group will be staying at.
Then it's off on the trek for a little over a week, ending in Montpellier. And here is where we have more than one option.
a) Stay in Montpellier for a night or two, then rent a car and drive for approximately 5 hours to Rocamadour and Sarlat,
spend two nights there, say goodbye to one member of our three person group and then rush back to Montpellier
(another 5 hour drive) so that the remaining two can catch an early flight the next morning.
b) Base out of Montpellier and take day trips to the surrounding area by train or car. Some of the current suggestions are
Narbonne, Nimes and the Pont du Gard. And say goodbye to the same member of our group, perhaps a day earlier.
We all have our hearts set on a), but is it fair to ask anyone to do that much driving (especially when I can't contribute to the task)? And it seems like such a rushed trip with not enough time allowed to really investigate the sites. On the other hand, b) has just as much to see, though of a different nature, and would offer a much more leisurely and relaxed time.
Decisions, decisions....
Which one to choose???
It should all fall out in the next few days.
The trip to France is becoming more of a raality with each passing day, though, for me at least, it won't actually feel real until I am there.
Right now, I have so much to do before we leave, that the departure seems to be an eternity from now. Still, progress has been made. I finally booked my flight--the last of my group to do so. And our trek through the foothills of the Pyranees has been paid for.
I have made my preliminary packing list and tested my sleeping bag. It will do. I still wish I could have found a left handed bag, but for the price, I can deal with such a small inconvenience. Besides, it stuffs up so small that the compression caps I bought to decrease the packing size even more are far too large. Not to worry, I'll find another use for them.
The three of us have also begun to discuss our possible trip plans as a group for the week before the Cathar trek, and the week after.
We will all be flying into Toulouse. Since our group is split over two flights that are supposed to arrive within an hour of each other, we will most likely all meet at the airport and travel to the hotel together. The current thought, at least last I heard, is to spend two nights in Toulouse, then move on to Carcassonne where we will have two days to on our own and a third day with the trek group. I don't know if anyone has arranged for us to meet up with the group in Carcassone yet. The original meeting is supposed to be at Montpellier Airport, but at least we know the hotel the group will be staying at.
Then it's off on the trek for a little over a week, ending in Montpellier. And here is where we have more than one option.
a) Stay in Montpellier for a night or two, then rent a car and drive for approximately 5 hours to Rocamadour and Sarlat,
spend two nights there, say goodbye to one member of our three person group and then rush back to Montpellier
(another 5 hour drive) so that the remaining two can catch an early flight the next morning.
b) Base out of Montpellier and take day trips to the surrounding area by train or car. Some of the current suggestions are
Narbonne, Nimes and the Pont du Gard. And say goodbye to the same member of our group, perhaps a day earlier.
We all have our hearts set on a), but is it fair to ask anyone to do that much driving (especially when I can't contribute to the task)? And it seems like such a rushed trip with not enough time allowed to really investigate the sites. On the other hand, b) has just as much to see, though of a different nature, and would offer a much more leisurely and relaxed time.
Decisions, decisions....
Which one to choose???
It should all fall out in the next few days.
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