What is it with the mass amount of hobos that have gathered outside Les Halles, Pau recently? Sorry to be an awful snob, but it's not like they seem to be having a bad time. There's a massive gang of them that spend every day meeting up and getting plastered together. The equivalent of a Church coffee morning, but with Christians replaced by tramps, and coffee replaced by beer, and Church replaced by the road outside Les Halles. On arrival, I gathered that this lively market spot during the morning cum huge, empty basketball court for the rest of the time acts as the tramps' preferred place of residence. But throughout the term this colony of vagabonds have increased in number from about five to thirty five. Before, walking past the homeless crew simply involved a harmless, drunken demand for a beer. Nowadays, a simply dash to Spar is a terrifying adventure past the hairy, dirty mass of drunkards. I have experienced multiple shouts of abuse, dodged fights and nearly been vomitted on, all before midday and on numerous occasions, when all I wanted was some eggs and milk.

But where have they all come from? And why Pau? Do they perform some kind of opposite technique to hibernation in which they sleep under some bush throughout the summer then crawl out during the downpours of winter to hang out and get hammered in the rain together? Or do they migrate from Northern towns such as Paris and Lille to the South for the winter, to stay where it is warmest? Or is this just another dismal effect of the economic crisis? Were these stinking cavemen once high earning bankers whose drowning of their sorrows after being 'let go' have just gone a bit too far?

Dreadfully sorry, followers. I honestly don't know what happens to my days, weeks and semesters. Yes, semesters. I only have one week remaining in dear old Pau before scootering up to the bright lights of Gay Paris next saturday, to meet my beloved, squeal over the sights and get suitable sozzled over turning 22. Bleurgh. I'm not supposed to tell anyone my age at this point in life, the first sign of turning old, but sod it. I'll be at the top of the Eiffel Tower or similar. Then I'm heading back to London for the night, and to Antigua the following day. Smug, me? Yes, I almost hate myself. You're allowed.





Right, so what have I been up to? I climbed a mountain today, as you do. It was about 800 foot, and it was hard. The first hour I was so out of breath that my stomach was turning, my legs felt like jelly and there was a suspicious booming in my head. Bernard, 'le guide', was ridiculously over-enthusiastic and over-fit, and also over the idea of having any 'petite pauses' whatsoever. We pathetically scrambled up practically vertical slopes through woodland, desperately trying to keep up with him . When we escaped out of the woodland and into the fields things improved a little, mainly thanks to the wonderful views that made it all a bit more worthwhile. But everytime I thought we were at the summet, another summet appeared, and another, and another. And compared to the last hike, where we stayed at the top for an hour or two, sitting in the sun, drinking coffee and admiring the magnificent views, the actual summet was disappointing. It was small and grassy with rabbit poo everywhere. And it was flipping freezing. My cold sweat stuck to my back and turned to ice as the wind blasted it. I miserably ate my pasta, also cold and slimy. But it was all worth it for the descent. It was so much easier to admire the sublime mountainous scenery and lovely little Lord of The Rings-style valley below whilst not gasping for breath and shivering to death. The footing was slightly awkward but it only added a bit of adrenaline. So in the end, I stuck to my belief that I might as well have made the most of my last weekend in Pau. I could go out, get drunk and spend the next day hungover any time in Leeds, and although I nearly didn't manage it here, I couldn't climb a mountain in Leeds. Partly becuase there aren't any at a convenient distance, and partly because I wouldn't have the guts that I do here.