playing the waiting game...(and some pictures)

Ok, so where was I? Oh yes, Sunday. I thought I might have updated on Sunday, but all the days merge into one, it took me quite a while yesterday to clarify that it was already Wednesday.

Day 4 - This was the first day I managed to dismantle my tent by myself! It was SO exciting! I had a quick look on the net to find somewhere to stay, wrote down two places in case one didn't exist or something like that. And headed off into Nîmes. Going by what had been happening up until that day, I was expecting to arrive about 2pm. But the campsite wasn't far away and it was gloriously sunny and hot and I was in a tent, so I got up quite early. And I wanted to spend most of the day in Nîmes. Surpsingly, I arrived at 11.17 in Nîmes (that's what it said on the carparking ticket) and as usual, I pretty much saw the entire town whilst trying to find the tourist office. But the big monuments I already had a ticket for (thank you combined ticket from the amphitheatre in Orange) so I went to the Maison Carrée first of all, which was being refurbished. Which was a shame, but they had a 3D film to show the history of Nîmes. Whilst I was waiting I got chatting to an English couple, who were lovely - it was really nice to have human contact in my mother tongue for a while! The film was about 22 minutes, very interesting, but a shame that we couldn't properly visit it (it was a Roman temple). Then I decided it was lunch time. I went past a pizzeria that was cheap and I decided I would stop there. I had a goat's cheese salad and the pizzas smelt so good that I had one of them as well. I didn't eat it all, but I thought I could save the half that I didn't eat for my dinner! So I put the half in the car (in the restaurant I was next to an American couple who were really struggling so I helped them out, nice person that I am) and scurried off to the Tour Magne, an observation tower in a park which overlooks the town. The park was lovely and Nîmes was that incredibly touristic, that I met yet some more Americans when I was climbing up to the tower. The sun was blaring down and it was BOILING. I then climbed up inside the tower, the stairs were set out that whilst climbing I had a mild case of vertigo. When I say mild, I do mean clinging to the walls kind of vertigo. After a slight pause at the top of the tower, I stumbled back down the stairs and crossed to the other side of town to Les Arènes. This amphitheatre/theatre of the Roman variety was much better than in Orange, I saw a lot more and, despite the fact that both were being restored/changed for the summer/whatever, it was really cool! So that having been done, and approximately five or six hours having been spent in Nîmes and a car park to pay, I headed off. The car park was a nightmare to find the exit and columns and pillars appeared out nowhere and there was a massive clunk. Luckily Gloria (at this point) was very resiliant and there was nothing there. So that was OK. And I headed off to find a campsite. I decided to camp just outside of Montpellier so I could sort out some parking (I had heard parking in the town centre would be very difficult). The first campsite didn't appear on my Sat Nav no matter how hard I tried, so I decided to go to the second one. I soon discovered that it was ideally located, under the airport and next to an A-road equivalent. Yaaay. But obviously, the noise only became a problem once I'd paid upfront. Having said to myself that I was going to be more careful when reversing, I reversed into a tree on my way to get some money out to pay for electricity and unlimited internet access! Gloria was resilient once, the second time not so much...I had to pull some tree out of the back bumper - sad times! But it was nice to have internet in the tent and I went to sleep about ten thirty ish, having found the possibility of parking the car at Montpellier airport.

Day 5 - I can't say a great amount of sleep was had, what with cars and aeroplanes, but I was on my way by about 10 ish. I had tried to phone the car parking people to find out if I had to reserve, but every time I called he hung up (due to lack of signal). So I just went. Having re-ordered things so I didn't have to take loads of bags with me. I turned up and there was plenty of space. Which was lucky. I told the guy I would be returning on Friday at about 10am. Of course, I did feel slightly guilty at the fact I was abusing the airport parking, but I "built a bridge and got over it". So then I went to find out about how to get into the town. It was about 10.43 when I got to the tourist information in the airport, only to see that the bus was leaving at 10.40. Oops. Bit late. So I slowly wandered out to the bus stop to orientate myself so I knew where I was going. Typically, me late = bus late as well. So as I was walking out the doors, the bus crossed my path. I should have run after it like a lunatic. Instead I decided to wait in a café in the airport. I discovered that Ryanair fly from Leeds to Montpellier. For those of you that this information may interest. Then I got on the bus and got to town, arrived at the guy chez qui I am staying, which is RIGHT in the centre and headed to watch the Netherlands play Denmark. On his advice, trying to get anything done at the university in the afternoon is impossible. So I didn't do anything. The bar was really nice, the people who were there working/not also nice. Wow, overuse of the word nice. I can't really remember what else happened that day, so I will stop there.

First leg of my mini road trip officially over. In Montpellier until Friday.

Tuesday morning involved a VERY early start. Based on the fact that the guy who I am staying with starts work at 5, so his alarm goes off at 3. Damn the light sleeper in me! Anyway, I was getting up at 7.30, which then of course was pushed back til 8 so that I could go to the university and sort out my masters application (which is why I'm here!). I was glad I pushed it back, because despite being marked on the door that the guy I needed to see would be there from 9, upon my arrival at 9.15, he had not yet arrived. Tsk. Typical. And again, typically, he told me normalement, vous êtes trop tard, mais je vous donnerai jusqu'à la fin de la semaine. So thus began the running around manically. I exaggerate. Because I had all the papers already aside the translations, it wasn't as manic as I had thought it would be. Except for one minor detail. The A levels that were maked as required on the form...OOPS. Forgot to look for them when I was at home. Cue a very very unhappy Mr. Kandel. And an apparently bruised Miss. Kandel. But they were emailed over and panic was over. (Thank you!) I couldn't find the translation office either, which annoyed me a bit. But if needs must I was willing to pay more. Plan for the lendemain. I also called Nottingham to get them to send over the module information of all the modules I had ever done. She wasn't a happy bunny as it's exam marking week etc, and the woman laughing her head off in the background at the workload I was throwing on this poor woman wouldn't have been so happy to find out that she had to help. But they did. Hence the waiting game (it's the only thing that I was waiting on, having received translation, when I wrote the title of this blog entry!).

Yesterday I thought I would go to the university to speak to the woman in charge of my course to find out what my chances were. Of course, I get there and no, I'm not allowed to see her in person I have to email. But of course, if I email I won't get a reply, so I asked a few questions whilst I was there to find out if there's lots of competition etc. Apparently it depends on my grades. So cue slight panic, and getting down to writing the covering letter for the application. Then I went on the internet, only to find out there have been terrible floods in the South of France, the part where I am supposed to be going come Saturday (eeeeek!). Cue more stress. Then I called the translation office, the woman was a complete cow, but I paid for it to be done. So goody. To arrive the next day. That was yesterday's work. I spoke to mum, who reminded me that I should cover my back. So I'm going to apply to Bordeaux as well. The deadline for that is a lot later than the Montpellier deadline, it's already the second session, so once this one is done and out the way, I will send an email to Bordeaux. Went out for a drink in the evening with a couple of the guys I met at the bar where I watched the football. (we went to the bar where we watched the football, it was nice!) always nice to get out!

This morning was not so difficult, as it was the first day I didn't have to go to the university and the alarm was reset for 3.45 and not 3am! So I woke up at 9am feeling relatively refreshed, showered, washed my hair etc. And went out about midday to visit the market. Then after having luncheoned I went to print off all my papers. (At this point I was still waiting for the stuff from Nottingham) The guy at the printing place was very nice, helpful (although it was expensive to print) and 95% of my stuff is now done, having also bought envelopes and stamps etc etc. I had a celebratory ice cream. And wandered round the town, came back and here I am, writing my blog. The Nottingham stuff, has, as said previously arrived, so that's all exciting times.

Now for some photos. I haven't yet figured out how to transfer photos from my phone to my computer. And I couldn't find my camera for 2 days what with all the junk in the car. So I used my phone to take pictures. But I'm apparently on my way out so I will put some photos up when I come back! Okay? Yes, good.
TTFN