Day 249 25th March
5 miles (Nimes) Average speed 9.1mph Top speed 20 mph
Odd shaped balls.
Day started with brekkie at 9 of cereal and tea. The rain was heavy so I made some calls and charged my phone. I did some washing and finally washed the tent bag to free it of cat’s pee. It stopped raining at 11 but I’d already decided to stay in dorm so no tent again. I cycled to the supermarket for coffee and then to the station on the way to the bike shop, where I spotted the chance to hire a bike for 2 days and at 6€ it’s cheaper than taking buses. 200€ deposit secured me a purple dream machine.
Purple dream machine!
So with my temporary steed it was off to the rugby.
Rugby pitch
I entered for free through the sponsors entrance and bought my beer tokens.
Beer token
Lots of people seemed to be bringing bottles of wine in with them. Not sure how that would go down in the UK? Then I settled in to watch the crowd arriving and seeing hulking men doing the French hello seemed quite strange. The moules and frites was being prepared while I watched the teams warming up for the reserve team game at 5.30. The band was playing and the pre-match atmosphere was building . With beer for 2.50 a glass and vino only 1.25 I made the most of the hospitality!
Warming up
The first game was a good win for the home side but they nearly threw it away at the end. The second was a much easier affair with the home team going in 31-0 up at half time.
A much closer second half saw some big hits and a fight or two and it finished 31-14.
Final score
A party followed with a DJ and lots of celebrating. I left them to it and went to the Irish pub in town on my way back. In bed by midnight and I enjoyed my first pro rugby match.
Hostel 17€