So, this is going to be a very short, and potentially boring blog, so dial back any expectations. I mostly want to get a message out there to those of you who cry in your Cheerios on those mornings where there is no post: save your tears for at least a week. We are going on our first trip as European residents. You got it….. Road Trip!!! Wahoo!
Now, you might sensibly be wondering what the hell we are thinking, with the notion to hit the road in the famously unreliable, ancient, and full-of-sticks-and-moss car we have been tooling around in for the last month. Well, getting stuck on the side (middle?) of a shoulder-less narrow road with the kids last month was eye opening for me (even though it did, thankfully, only last about 10 minutes). For Mark too, I think. I was actually quite pleasantly surprised at how easy it was for me to convince him that we needed to find a more alternative mode of transport while we are here.
So, after a fair amount of research, considering various options and doing some painful math, we pulled the trigger on a purchase-repurchase car here. It is an option that is rather like renting a car, but somewhat cheaper. You “buy” a new car for a set length of time (has to be less than 6 months, more than 3 weeks, and it is only offered to non-Europeans) and the company guarantees to re-purchase it from you at the end of the set term. It comes with FULL insurance, with no deductible and excellent road-side assistance (not that we would likely need it!) etc etc. This was ultimately much more attractive than the stress of buying-reselling-insuring etc.
Yesterday I went to Marseille to pick up our new Renault Grand Scenic. It is a (gasp) 7-seater, though does not look huge or handle huge. In fact, I don’t think its “foot print” is much bigger than our Prius. It’ll be great when we have folks visiting to be able to all pile in together. The trip to Marseille went without a hitch. Mark and the kids took me to the bus station in Brignoles (a 30 min drive from here) and dropped me off in the wee morning hours. I then bussed to Marseille via Aix train station. Anyhoo, it was shocking to me how blissfully easy it went. I even got an (undeserved I assure you) ego boost when the guy I got the car from complemented me on my French. It made me seriously wonder what sort of awful transactions he must have had in the past! I was just delighted I managed to get where I wanted to go, managed to leave with the car, and get home all without a hitch. Well, I did experience some embarrassment at the Petrol station, but I won’t pain you with those details.
So, tomorrow morning bright and early we will set off in our new car and put some much needed miles on it! I shudder a little bit at the thought of trying to pull some rusty Spanish out of my language drawer. Right now it is just too full of bad French to really contemplate. I hope that between English and French and a teeny tiny bit of Spanish we’ll get by. Rest assured we will come back with some stories and some blogs to amuse you when you tire of the relentless Olympics coverage.
Now, you might sensibly be wondering what the hell we are thinking, with the notion to hit the road in the famously unreliable, ancient, and full-of-sticks-and-moss car we have been tooling around in for the last month. Well, getting stuck on the side (middle?) of a shoulder-less narrow road with the kids last month was eye opening for me (even though it did, thankfully, only last about 10 minutes). For Mark too, I think. I was actually quite pleasantly surprised at how easy it was for me to convince him that we needed to find a more alternative mode of transport while we are here.
So, after a fair amount of research, considering various options and doing some painful math, we pulled the trigger on a purchase-repurchase car here. It is an option that is rather like renting a car, but somewhat cheaper. You “buy” a new car for a set length of time (has to be less than 6 months, more than 3 weeks, and it is only offered to non-Europeans) and the company guarantees to re-purchase it from you at the end of the set term. It comes with FULL insurance, with no deductible and excellent road-side assistance (not that we would likely need it!) etc etc. This was ultimately much more attractive than the stress of buying-reselling-insuring etc.
Yesterday I went to Marseille to pick up our new Renault Grand Scenic. It is a (gasp) 7-seater, though does not look huge or handle huge. In fact, I don’t think its “foot print” is much bigger than our Prius. It’ll be great when we have folks visiting to be able to all pile in together. The trip to Marseille went without a hitch. Mark and the kids took me to the bus station in Brignoles (a 30 min drive from here) and dropped me off in the wee morning hours. I then bussed to Marseille via Aix train station. Anyhoo, it was shocking to me how blissfully easy it went. I even got an (undeserved I assure you) ego boost when the guy I got the car from complemented me on my French. It made me seriously wonder what sort of awful transactions he must have had in the past! I was just delighted I managed to get where I wanted to go, managed to leave with the car, and get home all without a hitch. Well, I did experience some embarrassment at the Petrol station, but I won’t pain you with those details.
So, tomorrow morning bright and early we will set off in our new car and put some much needed miles on it! I shudder a little bit at the thought of trying to pull some rusty Spanish out of my language drawer. Right now it is just too full of bad French to really contemplate. I hope that between English and French and a teeny tiny bit of Spanish we’ll get by. Rest assured we will come back with some stories and some blogs to amuse you when you tire of the relentless Olympics coverage.
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