Syonix in Gaul

In the little village of Villepot in faraway Gaul, Syonix and his tribe rented a hut (a very large hut with a pool, more often called a villa) for a week’s holiday. With him were Obelix, Cacofonix, Vitalstatistix…..

Well, no, actually, it was Daddy, Mommy, Grandad, Grandma, Uncle David, Aunty Louise and Cousin Eleanor who went to France with me. Our luggage did not contain a single winged helmet, harp, obelisk, or vial of invincibility potion but Daddy could have easily passed for Getafix the Druid with all the mistletoe-spotting he did on holiday!

It was a week of many firsts for me- my first holiday, first trip abroad, first ferry ride and first swim (the last two, fortunately, not related)! Our first day there was nice and warm so I got into my very first pair of swimming trunks (blue, rather than the red Mommy liked, to avoid the inevitable comparisons with David Hasselhoff), and jumped into the invitingly turquoise (Mommy says descriptions are a must in travelogues) pool in a floating thingie, with Daddy. I didn’t stay long; the water turned out to be absolutely freezing and I retired to the warmth of Mommy’s arms at the poolside very quickly. Mommy had earlier, very wisely, decided against going in, after the toe she dipped into the water turned blue! I shall throw my rubber duckies in before me the next time I try swimming; if they stay their usual pokerfaced selves, I’ll know it’s OK to go in!

We also spent a lovely day nosing about the market in Chateaubriant and returned to the villa weighed down with Gallic delicacies, which I got to taste too, in a roundabout way! The one mystery remained the contents of Doner’s dad’s market stall (‘Doner Kebap’ said the sign on the shack) which drew great numbers from amongst the market-goers. Mommy was very tickled when I asked her about this, but all I got by way of explanation was something about the same dish having slightly different names around the world!

All in all, a week full of new experiences for me; I have yet another and a very special first coming up at the end of September when I meet my Dida for the first time!