Adventure is Out There!: Hostels are great! (And rollerblading, too)

So as always, my travels didn't go exactly as planned, but this time, it was actually great for the most part! Here are pictures to tell the story of my travels to Toulon, Ste Maxime, and Nice.

Packed up and ready to go from Chalais to Toulon.

The trains here are much nicer than planes!

And the view of the Côté D'Azur was gorgeous!

After 10 hours of train time, I was met at the gare by Amandine and her friend, Chloe. We walked by the port on the way to her car and looked at huge yachts on the way.

We stopped at this park on the way to her house. We were all too beat to really do anything. But I got in some soul grinds and a neg mistrial ;)

I forgot the name of her dog, but I'll call it fluffy instead. Who am I kidding, I'd call it fluffy even if I did know the name ;)

My bed for the night. I did not get a great sleep because of a two hour mosquito battle I had with ONE mosquito. It kept waiting until I was almost asleep and buzzed next to my ear and would land in my face. I kept thinking I killed it after hunting around the room with my phone as a flashlight, but he was always too fast. Finally, too exhausted to complete the murder, I wrapped my face in my sweater and ignored it. I thought I won the battle until I saw the next day that it feasted on my right foot all night, since it must have slipped out from under the blanket... 1-mosquito 0-Cass

Anyway, Amandine drove us to Sainte Maxime in the morning for the competition. It was a perfect, sunny day and the comp was a small and close knit group. Everyone watched and cheered, even if it was the kids or beginners. I loved the atmosphere! Day one was the miniramp contests. I couldn't figure out the mini and skates terribly :/ I'm not sure if it was because of my mosquito battle, or it was slippery, or I was nervous, but usually miniramps are my fav! And I couldn't land my safety tricks..but it was fun to try anyway!

The tragedy of my broken water bottle shouldn't have been quite as devastating as it was, but it was my trusty travel bottle and I took it everywhere! R.I.P bottle :(

Three of us stayed in this hotel for the night. My first French hotel and it was nice. The restrooms and showers were outside of the room but they were clean and had free soap so yeah!

Day two of the comp was the box battle on the most perfect, flawless box ever. I wish I had one just like it to learn box tricks! I landed top soul, top porn, and a couple swithups, I want to learn more on this very box!

Amandine was so great about giving me a place to stay and bringing me around! She also helped a ton with figuring out transportation. Her car is a little broken and I wish her the best of luck with getting that fixed! Drive safe, Amandine!

The first place beginner, everyone was so supportive. I never even see a kids comp in the states! If we even have a beginner section, were lucky.

The ladies! They rocked it! After the comp, Coralie drove me to a hostel. We realized earlier in the day that we couldn't make it to the gare in time for the last train to Puget Thenier and she said her place was too small for me to stay with her for the night (I'd sleep in the bath tub! Or the car! But I understand that she doesn't really know me so no big deal). She and her boyfriend called to set me up at the hostel and got me there safe and sound and for a really good price!

My first time at a hostel, it was SUPER nice! I had some doubts, I think there was a horror movie called Hostel or somethjng because for some reason I had a negative connotation about them ;) but this place was clean and friendly, with free wifi, complimentary breakfast (REALLY GOOD), and showers in the room. I only had a mom and her daughter in my room so it was nice. The only downside is that the daughter took a ten year shower and I had a fast cold shower after that. You'd be proud, I didn't even glare at her when I exited the shower ;)

This morning I packed my stuff and had my free breakfast. Then I checked my luggage into the free lockers they had and explored Nice for the day!

This giant mall was right across the street and I strolled through there pretending I might buy something (pfft, I know, right?). Then I took the tram to the gare and bought my ticket for later. That way I knew I was set to go and I knew how long it would take. (cough* genius cough*) then I took the tram and got off in Old Nice.

I strolled through some streets and looked at a cool church befor I over heard a tour guide speaking in English to his group. I heard him say they were going up 500 steps, something breath taking, waterfall, blah blah blah. 500 steps? Uh, yes please! So I stealth-moded my way into the group. (Stealth-moding consists of blatantly joining the group without making direct eye contact with the guide while always remaining within listening distance)

We begin the climb

My tour group ;)

The waterfall! I took some photos of people and told them it was because I was piggybacking off their tour.

Stealth mode paid off with this amazing view! I just wish it was as sunny as it was yesterday. The water is SO blue but you can't see it as much with the clouds.

Then I got some rhubarb icecream on my way back to the tram. I went back to the hostel and grabbed my stuff. I had enough time to FaceTime with the momsy and left to go the the gare with 20 minutes to spare.

Wait, 20 minutes? Or 2 hours and 20 minutes?...........

.........

.........soooo, I made a tiny mistake in that my train leaves at 16:55. Which is 4:55. Which I know! But then I had 4 stuck in my head, so then I started telling myself it was 14:55...so that's how I find myself sitting here on the floor of the Nice gare, wishing I could have explored more of Nice! But at least it gave my the time to update this blog! Because I don't know how much technology time I'll have at this next farm...

One last update, I will be returning to farm #1 in August because they're so GREAT! Barbara isn't telling the girls so I can surprise them ;) Which means I only have a little over a month left to plan in France, which I want to be near Paris. Time to start planning!

P.s I was just tagged in these pics from the Bordeaux comp last week