Au Revoir, Durfort mais je me reviens!

On this holiday Monday one year ago, I was heading home from France. Jennifer and I woke up just before 6 a.m. that morning, showered and packed up the car to drive to Toulouse. We had said goodbye to our remaining housemates Gwen, Carin and Sydney the night before, so they didn't have to wake up to see us off.

We returned the rental car with no problems and hung about in the airport for a little while until it was time for me to get on my plane. One thing that amazed me when I had arrived in Toulouse the week before was the pictures they had decorating the wall surrounding an area outside the airport which was under construction, which featured different sorts of police officers from around the world in their distinctive uniforms, like the London bobbie and of course, our beloved Canadian mountie. It was nice to see a little reminder of home, both when I arrived and as I was leaving.

I travelled back the way I had come, through Frankfurt, but this time with an extra stop in Ottawa, where I discovered that my luggage was missing. It arrived back in Toronto a couple of days later and luckily, all my flea market purchases and PMC creations were undamaged.

It occurs to me now that although we all shared that one week together in the same place, we each had very different experiences. We all made very different pieces of jewellery, no two were the same (except for the ones I copied from Kate, of course!) which is to be expected. But as I've been writing these blog entries, I've been realizing how much I was out and about in the area around Durfort, whereas some people spent most of their week inside La Cascade without seeing as much of the neighbouring area. Not that there is anything wrong with that, it is just something I am thinking about now, a year later as I look at my many photos and read through my travel journal.

To me, it was a very special week in a beautiful part of the world, filled with new experiences to delight all of my senses and wonderful people with whom to share the adventure. I am already looking forward to my next trip to Durfort in the summer of 2010. Kate has booked La Cascade for two weeks in August and is looking for people to share the house with her - check out her website if you think you might be interested. Adding to the excitement is a week in Paris first, and a week in Barcelona after our time in Durfort. Who can resist? Not me, I'm already half packed and counting down the days!!