Un jour euphorique!

It is hard to decide weather to write in French or English. My English is so much better (naturally) and if I want to express myself properly with the kind of langauge I like (not correct English but creative/fluent...you start analysing these things when you are learning another language) then I have to write 'en angalis'. However, if I ever want to be able to write that way in French then I have to write in not-so-good-French and badly translate for all which takes a lot of time as the translation software is appaling and also actually means that I am not documenting properly in either language! And a day like today must be remembered and documented to the best of my ability because I never want to forget it. I don't know if I have ever had a day like it. Well here goes nothing:

ENGLISH:

Sunday, Oct. 23rd, 2005: Today was one of best the days of my life. One day incredible. One day euphoric. Night last, right before I slept (2:30 in the morning), I went to set my alarm clock on my mobile and I realized that I received a message or 'texo' as they say in French. The texto, sent by Jens (German exchnage student) asking if I would like to 'tour' the area of St Etienne. He has a car and has spoken to me in the past about going for a drive/tourist foray. Texto: Cara hello, do you want to make a southern tour of St Etienne tomorrow? One will leave has 8h. So yes, one needs telephoner to speak about the details! Jens.

I thought that it was a good idea (especially because this weekend I am free and not traveling) but Alisa (Canada) slept over and it seemed a little impossible to say to her at 8am in the morning` I am leaving but you saty here and sleep' thus I had to answer the texto that I am interested but speak to you in the morning. In the morning, Jens called (7:30am - Oh la la!), and asks whether I would like to come. I said ` No, not possible with Alisa staying at mine and she was sleeping'. 15 minutes later Alisa's alarm clock went off (a mistake, normally it for university during the week) and I have awoke. I decided that since Alisa was awake I would ask her about the trip. Normally, I don't think she too spontaneous and asked how many hours is the tour? I wrote the following reply to Jens: You left already? The girl awakes! How long is the tour? Can this girl come too? I'll ask demand? As I was speaking with Alisa about possibly going

Jens replied: Be there to get you in 15 mins! I thought Alisa would continues to debate but instead she said ` My Gosh, 15 mins!' and we began to move quickly! Throwing clothing on, run to the boulangeie/bakery to buy a baguette, scoff small lunch/breakfast, make the baguette- add tomatoes, cucumber and bree (cheese... of course... It's France!) in 2 seconds flat (lol, thats not a French expression) and run outside. The weather was rainy. Met Jens and his 2 German friends- Sebastian (a friend also on exchange in France) and Matise (his colocator/housemate). And we' re off. Everyone is very nice! Alisa and I in the back seat with Matise. First stop, small village. I am certain that we were the only people who did not live there. The weather started to fine up and some sun! Around this time, Cara and Alisa start to become euphoric. It was indescribable. The countryside so pretty and I am in France! In France! Really in France! No, really! Incredible. I am very happy that I have decide to come today. I fell in love with the countryside at that moment. I think it was one of the happiest moments during my life. Indescrible It was. My eyes drank in everything and I became intoxicated with the landscape. Gerogrous, fresh and raw. I was smiling uncontrollably and I felt that same feelings of being in love with someone. My soul was free. My soul was. My soul was euphoric. My soul was singing.

After that hiking on a hill/mountain. If I knew that hiking was a possibility I have would have chosen better shoes. But, 'sans soucci/no worries'. Hike, anyway! The view at the summit was incredible! Alsolutelyt! It was covered with ladybugs too. Then, a second more difficult hike at a mountaine/big rock thing called 'Saint Martial'. There were arrows spray painted on the stones of the montain and you follow the arrows up and another series down. There were ropes use to go up and decend. Nonie, you would have been ` Oh Honey-ing' all the way!

Next stop, a look out: Countryside and Mountains. Very very pretty. Drive through the stunning mountains with the leaves changing into the colours of autumn. Alsolutely amazing. I hae neer seen the colours of Autum like this. I think each person in the group said at different times that they now thought autum is best time to see this region. At this point we actually had to stop the car and get out to see the leaves. I do not know weather it was the time of dayor the the angle of the sun as it hit the leaves but it was breathtakingly beautiful. Lookout: Waterfalls. Lookout: nature/sceanry. Lookout: Another waterfall. Lookout: cute village. Amazing landscape. Alisa sleeps in the car. She is tired beacsue we were up late talking with my French friend Alexandra. Next stop: Lake and to see the Ardechoise mountain. U turn. Find a chart. Encounter a heard of cow. After that a dog tries to attack the car. Literally he threw himslef at the car... I said that he must hae thought we were a giant sheep beacause the car is ight in colour and 'Alisa added with lots of eyes', ery funny/cute except for the mark we found later on the car from the dog! Next stop: castle/fort on a rock mountain (really medieil looking). Cara's toilet experience...small iallge, weird toilet. Lets not go there. The last village by night. Also ery medeil looking. This area seems to be characterised by rocky outcrops but they go up into mountain like rocks instead of out! Amazing, really amazing.

Now, its 2am but it was important for document this extraordinary day. Good night.

P.S. I saw the photographs as I was posting this and and I am so happy. Should I say it again? Incredible!

FRENCH:
Dimanche, Oct 23^rd, 2005:

Aujourd hui etait une de le mieux jours de ma vie. Un jour incroyable. Un jour euphorique. La nuit dernière, juste avant j’ai dormi (2:30 au matin), je suis allé a set mon réveille-matin sur mon portable et j'ai réalisé que j’ai reçu un texo. Le texto a ecrit de Jens (etudient é é étrange d’Allemand) et ca demand ci je voudrais faire un tour de St Etienne. Texto: Salut Cara, as-tu envie de faire une tour sud de St. Etienne demain? On va partir a 8h. Si oui il faut telephoner pour parler des details! Jens. J’ai pense que c’est une une bonne idée (surtout parce que cet weekend je suis libre et pas voyager) mais Alisa (Canada) a reste avec moi cet soir et c’est un peu impossible pour dire à elle dans le matin à 8 heures ‘Je suis partir mais tu reste ici et dormir’ donc j’ai repondre à la texto et j’ai ecrit que je suis interesse mais parle au subject du tour dans le matin. Au matin, Jens a apelle moi, a 7:30 heures du matin (Oh la la!), et demande si je voudrais venir. J’ai dit que ‘Non, pas possible avec Alisa chez moi. Elle dort’. 15 minutes plus tard le réveille-matin de Alisa sonne (c’etait une error, normalment le sonne pour l’universite) et j’ai reve. J’ai decide que depuis Alisa etait reve, demande avec elle au subject du tour. Normalment, je pense que elle n’est pas spontaneous et elle demande combine heures est le tour? J’ecrit un texto a Jens: Tu a parti deja? La fille rever! Est ce que le tour est pour le jour? Peut etre cette fille viens aussi? Je luiu demand? As je parle avec Alisa au sujet de peut etre faire j’ai recu un response de Jens:Tres bien, nous serions la pour vous aller chercher dans 15 mins! J’ai pense que Alisa would continue to debat mais no, elle a dit ‘Mon Dieu, 15 mins!’ et nous commence bouger vite! Jetter les vetements sur ma corps, tenir les choses dans le firgo pour petit dejeuner, courir a la boulangeie et acheter un baguette, scoff/mange petit dejeuner, faire baguette- addjoutez moutard, tomatoes, concombre et bree (fromage…bien sur…C’est la France) dans 2 seconds plat (lol, pas un expression francais je suis sure) et courir dehors. Le temps ne fait pas beau, il fait pleuie. J’ai rencontre Jens et ses 2 ami d’Allamande- Sebastian (un ami aussi sur exchange en France) et Matise (son colocateur). And we’re off. Tu le monde sont tres syampa et nous conduire ensemble! Alisa et moi dans le siège arrière avec Matise.

Primere arête, petit village. Je suis certain que il n’a y pas any autres gens la sauf les gens qui habite dans la village. Le temps fait beau by this time, pas pluie…soeil! Arund this time, Cara et Alisa commence devenir euphorique. It was indescribable. Le campagne so joli et je suis en France! En France! Vraiment en France! Non, vraiment! Incroyable. Je suis tres heureuse que j’ai decide pour venir aujourd hui. I fell in love with the countryside at that moment. I think it was one of the happiest moments pendent my life. It was indescrible. My eyes drank in everything and I became intoxicated with the landscape. Gerogrous, fresh and raw. I was smiling uncontrollably and I felt that same feelings of being in love with someone. My soul was free. My soul was content. My soul was euphoric. My soul was singing.

Apres ca un randonne sur un colligne/mountaine. Si j’ai connu que randone est un possibilite j’ai would have choisir mieux chassures. Mais, sans soucci. Randone, anyway! La vue de la l’aiguille est incroyable! Alsolument! Il y aux coccinelles partout sur la terre.

Apres, un deuxieme randonne, plus difficile bien sur! Le nom de la mountaine/grand piere chose etais Saint Martial. Il y a les fleche spray painted sur les pierres du montainge et c’etait necessarie pour suivre les fleches pour montee et une autre série decendu. Il y les cordes aussi pour tenir et utliser pour monter et decendre. Nonie, you would have been ‘Oh Honey-ing’ all the way! Arrete a une petit point de surveillance. Les compangne et mountaines. Tres tres joli. Conduire vers/traverse stunning mountines avec l’abres ou les feuilles est changer les colours. Alsolutely amazing. J’ai jamais vu les colours d’Autum comme ca. Je pense chaque personne dans le group a dit que l’autume est le mieux temps pour voir cette region/endroit. At cette point we actuslly had to stop the car and get out to see the leaves. Je ne sais pas weather it was the time of day or the angle of the sun on the leaves but it was breath taking. Lookout: Cascade. Lookout: la natures/sceanry. Lookout: Cascade Lookout: mingnon village. Amazing paysage. Alisa dormer. Elle est fatigue. Lac et voir la montagne Ardechoise. U turn. Trouve une carte. Vache. Chien. Voir castle/fort. Cara’s toilet experience. Le deniere village.

Maintenant, c’est du matin mais c’etait important pour document cette jour extraordinaire. Bonne nuit.

P.S. J’ai vu (juste maintenant) les photos que j’ai prend heir et je suis heureuse.