Day 10. Back to Basel.

A long day. Primarily in the train. After coffee and a stop at my new favorite store the Monoprix, we packed up and headed to the train station in Nice. More than one hour early, we waited for our train that ended up to be late. Really great for us, because we had only 15 minutes to transfer trains in Marseille. And guess what? We missed it. So I had to wait in line with thirty other people who also needed to switch their tickets. Got it sorted out, but now we are running one hour behind schedule with no way to contact our pickup. Should be an interesting next stop in Dijon, trying to figure out that part!

The French countryside is beautiful. Have I said that yet? And it's also great scenery for mastering Plants vs. Zombies. Which I haven't mastered, but I'm getting REALLY good.

My only complaint about the French train system is 2 things:

They seem never to be on time. And my seat today smells like urine. But it could just be me. Literally. I have great reason to believe that we as a pair could peel wall paper from even the carpeted walls of the pink house (which has since been painted!) on Whidby. You're welcome for the shout out, Cheryl!

I will give props to the SNCF (French railway) because they bumped us to 1st class the whole way home. Even though the guy sitting across from me has all the leg room and I'm going backwards in the train...it's still first class, and the seats recline. Sort of.

So we have two more days in Basel with family Fritsche before we head back to Bothell. France gave me a run for my money. My wounds (fever blisters and mosquito bites and have turned into blisters) are healing albeit super painful and might I add, hideous. We decided that I should probably just start going by The Plague. First name The, last name Plague. It's pretty simple, and definitely easy to remember. Oh, and I have sunburn. I'm looking real good these days.

I am really looking forward to seeing my child. Now that I'm suffering from vacation exhaustion (I know, I know), I ready to squeeze that kid and kiss her face. But not until mine has cleared up from the facial plague, of course.

Keep your fingers crossed we arrive back to Basel without further delay!! Vive la France!

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Safe and sound back in Basel. First class all the way! A little wurst salat fresh from the Fritsche Kitchen, a hot shower and cold beer. Nice to be back in the climate of not southern France, lovely as it was!