Île de Ré and Back [Part 1]: Sunday 20 August 2017
14:55. Mixed emotions today. Beautiful get up and hop to the coast. Top breakfast again – as the sea discreetly reclaimed the shoreline. Great stretch. Some chat with some local dogs and local folk – and away we went!
Over the three-kilometre bridge linking mainland France with the Île de Ré. Pure exhilaration. Couldn’t get the smile off my face – don’t know what it is about crossing expanses of water on my bike, but I am usually so full of emotions that I have no idea how to express them.
And the island that awaited was – beautiful!
Maybe I was always going to flatten out a bit after that – I was still high, but didn’t know it in comparison to the earlier buzz.
And though this clearly isn’t lowest-common-denominator holidaying or breaking, it’s still entertainment-by-numbers: paths to be followed – although many you’re not strictly allowed to (?!), restaurants to be sat at, and donkeys with trousers (?!) to be ridden. Beautiful place, for sure, but devoid of heart, and designed only to part people from their hard-earned on things.
Spontaneity channelled down predictable tourist tunnels.
I can’t see the light!
I can’t see the light!
Even touring round the coast is mapped and therefore a little depressing, as I just feel like I’m on one of those farm trails – rather than one of my own design. For the first time since we set off at the end of June I feel a word rumbling to be used, one that I thought I’d kind of forgotten about: ‘bored.’
I felt bored.
I did find €10 though.
And leave the poor fucking donkeys alone!!!
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Tracing Horizons 