Ste. Maxime-Hyeres

Bicycle speed is always steady, independent from traffic amount or load situation. But I think that the degree of fatigue depends on a very trivial feeling. When I find I loose my way, or when my bag is off from the carrier, I loose all my power to progress. When I am down hill and fortunately weather and panorama view are nice, or when an oncoming car giving voice support, I feel I can fly, actually I can go several kilometers with no fatigue.

In France, or almost everywhere except Japan, there is nothing between towns.(In Japan, there is no suburb. No end of resident area.) "Nothing" means nothing of human made structure except a road. I have lunchtime there. In addition to it, My water bottle becomes vacant. I don't often buy drink at bending machine in Japan (in Japan the machines are every 5m), but now I need one. It is about 10km up to the next town. I need only 30 minutes cycling.
The places between cities are fruit fields, farmland, marshlands, or riddle fields. It must be characteristic of each area. Interesting.


The impression which I receive from this photograph is it the need to urine and hunger.
My personal experience is a reason.

Now I am searching a gas cartridge for camping stove. But I can not find. Today I went to the shop next to campsite, some big home centers, but I can find only the one same as yesterday. I thought to buy not only cartridge but a camping stove itself, But one model is too big to bring, or another model seems very unusful. Camping stove is one of the best important items like tent or sleeping bag. Without it, My cooking items which passed many claims before boarding to airline will loose their meaning, and my action will be limited. I can not eat hot toast, tasty tea, and simple pasta. I think I did my best to get a gas cartridge. In pre research, I found it was available in mountainside like Switzerland. Or a gasoline moveable-cooking stove may be most reliable, but I don't choose. So I hope to find a cartridge in Marseilles.


Early morning

Today's French Lesson


Complet!

Complete in English. It means no vacancy. I got this word in every campsites I found this evening. The sun is setting. Getting darker and darker. There is likely to be at least a place which stretches my small tent. Shit! So I think it is the time to camp at anywhere out from campsite, but I can find my space in the last site.

A cookhouse, a shower, and a toilet are located in a campsite. It seems that almost all campers are coming by the car and have stayed for a long time.
Yesterday's site, I paid for set price including two parsons, one car and one tent even though I was alone. It cost 19 Euros, so it was more expensive than a dormitory's bed. But today's site is no set price, so I don't have to pay for ghost. It cost 7 Euros. There are some ranks in campsite. But staying only one night, Ranking of campsite is not so important.
The end of today, I got the word "complet" in the nice restaurant which suited the campsite side.


I don't dine out so often even in Japan. Dining out in foreign country is still harder. But now I don't use my camping stove, and everyday catering pizza don't give me enough power.
Today, I ordered menu at a seaside restaurant. I was satisfied with seafood salad, Mussel with white source, and the dessert.
Wine was very cheap and nice.

(2004 8/10)