Enlightenment

When you are a student in a 'boring' town like Caen, you spend a lot of time in front of your computer. Everyone is complaining that there is nothing to do. So this afternoon, when they were all in class and I had a truckload of free time, I decided to become better acquainted with my bike.

I put my camera, jacket and bag in the very handy basket and practically flew down the hill into town, dodging roadworks and illegally parked cars at around 84km/h. I must have looked silly with my orange scarf clinging to my neck for dear life, but I wasn't the only one - the sun was out again and plenty of people had the same idea. Someone yelled out when the jacket fell out and was kind enough to pick it up for me while I screeched to a halt, turned around and walked the bike back up the hill.

I churned my breakfast milk to butter over the cobblestones but when the excitement of the ride was over, I leant the bike against a tree in the square and lay under the blossoms to contemplate enlightenment and/or the episode of Grey's Anatomy I watched last night.

This is what I saw:

You looked so pretty

I bought a bike.

It was 40 euros and I paid a little extra for a basket and lock, but I feel like I am getting so much more, bon rapport qualité-prix.

Maybe it was just the baguette in the basket but something felt very French about riding on the wrong side of the road, sans helmet. The brakes are average and the steering a little wobbly, but feeling the wind chill my bones and make my nose run as I roll along the street was a taste of adventures to come.

And speaking of physical activity, I also joined the gym - some 35 euros, paperwork, cartes and a photo later, I was enrolled in boxing, yoga and swimming. It's scheduled classes only (the French do love their control) and the bike ride there will be the perfect warm up. Now I just need to learn how to float like a papillon and sting like an abeille.