Coustellet

Reunited with my luggage, I was ready for my next challenge: acquiring a French SIM card for my smartphone, and activating data service. The problem with knowing even a little bit of a foreign language is that you may have enough words to ask a question, but not to understand the answer. When the vocabulary is specialized ... well, good luck with that.

Having done my homework in advance, I visited a local Orange Boutique and muddled through the process. I needed to reassure them that the phone would work (unlocked, at the right frequency); they must have seen their fair share of unhappy foreign customers.

I was anxious about the French reputation for being rude to those who do not speak the language, or who do not speak it well. I was relieved (and pleased) to find little evidence of that. The Orange staff were patient and helpful. And, when I understood that my service was prepaid for un mois, they were clearly delighted.

The final challenge of the day: Reassemble the bicycle. For me, pulling the bike apart is easier than setting it up again. With the skies threatening (and delivering) some rain, I was not sorry to give up the chance for an afternoon ride.

Bonjour, Provence!