Monday 27th November 2023

Living the dream.

I am in Amiens, north west France, for work. And staying here.

I could have stayed in the city centre, next to the main railway station and cathedral. But I have a car, and not good driving in a new city.

So, decided on this, beside the motorway, a short drive from the office each morning.

It has a bed, shower, TV and internet connection, and there are places a short walk away where to eat.

It'll do.

I wake early, but drift back off to sleep for forty minutes until I wake at twenty to seven with only 20 minutes before breakfast.

I quickly dress and am all ready at the door to reception at dead on seven, to find that there were just three guests, so there was no buffet, the guy on the desk would bring us what we wanted.

Only, I speak no French, he spoke no English, but I managed to get a bowl of fruit, which when I finished thought he asked if he could take my bowl away, to which I said yes, and in a flash he brought another bowl full of fruit.

And the coffee was good.

Always good.

It was an eight mile drive to the office, in the dark, but I had the address, even if the car's sat nav failed to recognise it, my phone did. So, holding the phone in one hand, I drive slowly along the motorway before turning off and into the trading estate.

The street was easy to find, but the numbers seemed to make no sense. Each street had four numbers, all even, pointing in four different directions. I found 24, but no sign of the office, then managed to get lost within 50m, the sat nav took me round the block, and on the second run I guess, correctly, that the number 24 was pointing down a drive round the back of the building, and sure enough, round the corner, there were several vans with the company logo on their sides.

I gird my loins, grab my work bag, and stride in like I knew what I was doing.

The day went well, and three o'clock quickly rolled round, and I was done for the day.

I decided to drive back to the hotel in the light, arriving back safe and sound in less than 10 minutes.

I think I should go for a walk, so go for a wander up the street past closed restaurants, shops and some open. I went for a walk because at the end of the street, on a roundabout, is a shunting locomotive, probably to mark what the area used to be used for.

It began to rain, so I hurried back to my room as dusk fell, and soon the rain began to fall as well.

I did not go out for dinner, instead had an early night.

More rock and roll.