I can see the Mediterranean!

First glimpse of the Mediterranean

Me after a particularly hot day.. note the growth of a salt crystal beard!

From Carcassonne the landscape quickly turns from lush green to dry scrubland. Olive groves mix with the vineyards here in Languedoc. I’ve now found the Mediterranean climate, but without the planned gradual acclimatisation its a dizzying shock to the system. One day gloves, jumpers and waterproofs and now to 36 in the shade (according to my digital thermometer). Things are hot to the touch even out of the sun. This means I’m consuming 10 litres of water to avoid headaches and having to take sort breaks when I start to feel dizzy. Its going to take 2 weeks to condition myself, but after that I hope to resume my normal pace.

There be Romans
Near Narbonne is the Amphora museum. Its like a giant spaceship landed on top of the archeology dig site. There are excavations of kilns that fired vessels for storing wine and oils. It didn’t explain why they are such an awkward shape for stacking, but interesting to see how the kilns were built and operated.

Even the footpaths were littered with pots

Its high season
Although much cheaper than the UK, camping in France has gone up considerably. The norm is 15 euros per night for me an the tent. Often manage to knock it down by quoting the minimum price.. “Its 15 euros for 2 adults and one car, how much is it for 1 adult and NO car?” Sometimes they point out 15 is the minimum price and often they knock the price down to 11. One site I was told its 18 euros minimum so I filled my bottles and camped in an overgrown vineyard, if anything more for the practice of wild camping than the cost. Had an outdoor shower, no tiny shower cubical with wet floor where I invariably drop my clothes. Nice grass patch instead of the usual gravel floor. No traffic noise from busy roads. No loud farting in the night from other campers. Bliss in fact.