level out

So I survived the sharks. Barely.

No... happily there were no sharks, and no jelly fish either (apparently jelly fish stings hurt pretty bad). An excert from my journal in regards to the sailing adventure reads:

" i love sailing. its the perfection of the in-between, the road amplified. Infinate direction and more leg-room. "

I think that sums it up pretty well.

After sailing I caught a bus to Barcelona and enjoyed a debaucherous week with Mary. Im suffering from a cold now, and I think it could be related to the incredible amount of fun that we had. Pictures will be posted once I get back to bonnie bonnie Scotland!

Next on the menu is a week at the Sivananda Yoga Ashram south of Paris. Following that, on to Amsterdam to meet up with... pretty much all of my favorite Canadian friends (except for you and you and you too of course). Claire, Jessica, Vikki, Kalin and Everette and I will be staying at an overpriced (but likely riotious) hostel in Amsterdam for 4 nights. Then Im catching a ferry back to Edinbugh to pick up my bag and quickly down to London to catch my flight home to Canada!

Ill be home on the 6th, in time to attend Jodi and Tims wedding. Im feeling pretty excited, and have started compiling a list of things to do while Im home. Tim Hortens, Garneau and camping are the highest priorities.

Many appologies for not keeping in close contact these days, my internet access is unpredictable and constantly with a frustrating french keyboard.

big love

kyla

reasons for the road

Where to start...

I've been staying in the tiny village Congenies (pop. 1200) in the south of France for the past 2 weeks, with a Quaker couple, Dennis and Francoise. I've been volunteering building a shed and working in the garden at the Maison Quaker, a historical meeting house in Congenies. That's the backbone of my story anyhow, and the lovely bits might take a while to write out because there are so many. So... I'll try to condense into some Highlights:

Weather: Hot. Sunshine. Perfect bathwater-warm nights.

Vegetation: So many wonderful trees! Pomegranet, cherry, apple, mirabelle, olive, cyprus, bay trees... Everything is so fragrant: there is lavender growing in gardens!

Good company: Kind people with inspiring stories and lives, this is why I like the Quakers.

Food: OK, this is serious: Fresh tomatoes. Olives. Grapes. Cheese. Wine (cheap!). Peaches. Bread from the Boulangerie first thing in the morning. It really doesn't get any better than this as far as I'm concerned.

Other wonderful things: Seeing the stars again (Scotland was cloudy constantly and I was in the city too often). Practicing yoga with dedication. Swimming outdoors. Practicing French... I can occasionally say things in the present or imperfect tense now! Surviving my first wasp sting: No tears even! Lizards crawling on the walls in the afternoon. There's an awful lot to say about this place, it's magic and I am incredibly happy.


I have been invited to go sailing for 3 days, starting tomorrow morning! For a prairie girl who's used to canoeing, this is pretty damn exciting. I'll update with stories of mediterranian sharks nibbling my toes when I get back...


so much love

xoxoxox
kyla