So up we (Kelly, Ted and I) were bright and early Monday the 17th of October to squeeze ourselves and enough clothing for a 3 month stay into our Toyota Avensis bound out to Dubrovnik, Split and Pula via fast expressway. I had figured it to be about 2000km one way, we were soon to find out it was more...Much more. Off to St. Amand and the A71 south to Lyon for a first nights stay in a local ETAP (Accor Hotel groups 35 dollar wonder of efficient design) just south of Lyon in the industrial sector...Large gas flames light up the night and daylight too! Full. Yes, full at 4pm in the afternoon. These wonderful hotels have an automated clerk, ATM-machine like that issues rooms, allows access etc. In a flash of feminine brilliance Kelly ordered up 2 Disabled Rooms! Shame on us but all the disabled spots were taken up by a Huge MAN Tour Bus! The room was specially built for the disabled, with a high potty, low sink and a bit more room around the bed. Room examined, bags strewn, we were off to explore a bit of Old Lyon. The drive thru the mid-day traffic was easy but finding it...finding Lyon while being IN Lyon is quite an amusing trick. No map, 2 rivers, bridges, few signs, poor memories all conspired to have us drive away into the hinterlands west, in the hills, and try from over there instead of the boring flatlands of new Lyon. Paths taken were not remembered (at all!) until at last a glimpse of a familiar wall below the Arena, then we knew Old Lyon was below us on the twistiest enlarged cowpath ever transversed by a automobile at 60 mph. Parking, a miracle! Then a walk thru the old sector and more photos, a hunger filled with a stop at a tiny Turkish fast food joint got us fed in fine style. More pictures, more walking and gawking and then back to the car to enjoy (!!!) the traffic to our little ETAP. Arriving, Ted tucked into his room, we into ours for a rest before heading to Vienne to the Brother's Cafe for dinner. At 7pm we once again piled into the car once again and drove thru the late day traffic to a traffic jam in Vienne fully 2 kilometers long! A single traffic signal causes this and is not to be avoided as it is the only access to the freeway south and the little town's ancient heart. Alas, after several laps we found the Brother's quite closed (a Monday...grrrr) and had to opt for a small chain restaurant that served up bowls of moules and fish in delicious proportions. A walk thru old Vienne after dinner and we had nearly done the day. Off to the trusty Avensis for the ride back to our hotel in Lyon about a half hour away. Ah, the Flame marks the spot as we flew past the offramp in the wrong lane into more speedy and dense urban traffic. Now what? Over a bridge to an offramp on the wrong side of the river, away from there to the west 2 km to the only offramp in a long, long ways and over the top and back onto the road heading back to where we started on this shunt. On the highway south again, back to the Flame and the offramp to the ETAP. Repeat this process many times in the next two weeks, time and time again either abbreviated signage, traffic conditions, or just plain ignorance led to adding many miles and loads of entertainment to this journey of ours. Tomorrow...To Milano!
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