Sniff, sniff …

I’m writing this sneezing away and with every hole on the front of my face leaking moisture and my nose feels as though it has a feather duster stuck up both nostrils. It was like it all day yesterday, although better when I’m out in the fresh air. Honestly – I’m struggling to write this through a wall of tears. Bizarre. I don’t feel too bad, but my head is like an allergy-ridden monster. If I were a superhero I’d be called Headcold Man. Thankfully my chest, which often welcomes infections, has remained shtum. Long that may continue.

It does mean we’ve not been on the slopes – yesterday and we won’t go out today. But we walked on Wednesday, skied a full day on Thursday, I ran up into the hills on Friday and yesterday we decided to drive out in the mountains and see what’s what. Well we found a beautiful high col, with it own little ski area and then down into a valley and, by chance, discovered a damned lake and a major attraction: Gorge Dupont du Diable, a deep limestone gorge with a walkway stapled to the side of the mountain. Ordinarily it costs to go in, but we were the only ones there and whilst the main entrance was firmly shut, the return route was open. So we managed to do the trip the wrong way round. It was fabulous. We finished off with a picnic at the head of the dam. A great day.

That’s the thing about Chatel. The scenery encourages you outside. We have done something everyday, and will do something (not yet known) today, even though the apartment is perfectly placed to sit and gaze at the view. And my head is shouting ‘stay indoors and get some rest’.

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Lidl’s carpark, Evian, overlooking Lake Geneva

Oh, and we popped out for some shopping to the new Super U in Vinzier and into Evian to the best Lidl’s car park in Europe.

Other stuff? Well we’re binge watching Sense8 on Netflix, which is a bit like Orphan Black – in some ways better acted and more cinematic. I’m loving it. And I’ve finished the reread of Unsuspecting Hero and I am now halfway through On The Back Foot To Hell. I have also started up a conversation with an ex-pupil from Wells (where we used to work). She’s an actress and we’re having a discussion about her being the narrator for Unsuspecting Hero so I can stick it on Amazon’s Audible, which appears to be the future. We’ll see how that goes.

So, we’ve been busy. Now all I need to do is get rid of this cold and get my planks on. Let’s hope that happens soon.