And then there was the driving to and from Bordeaux.

Toll-roads are a nuisance with a right-hand drive car (unless you happen to have a passenger, which I rarely do), so recently I bought a Liber-t "badge". It's a gizmo which is read by the toll-machine and then the appropriate amount comes straight out of your bank account. No fussing with money or card, just slow down until the barrier rises. There's a deposit for the gizmo and a charge of 2 euros for every month that it's used. I don't use toll roads frequently, so that's ok: it's worth it not to have to get out of the car, especially when driving back to England in winter.

I usually take the slow pretty route to Bordeaux; yesterday, of course, I had to test the new toy on the stretch of A10 between Mirambeau and Bordeaux. The instructions say that in case it doesn't work, take a ticket and hand both ticket and gizmo to the toll attendant at checkout. That's not likely to be helpful because the tollbooths are automated and don't usually have attendants. Anyway, it worked. (Note to self: close leftside window before approaching toll machine because the gleeful screech it emits by way of welcome is eardrum-ripping.)

The A10 was fast, so I arrived before the rush-hours had ended. 10km traffic jam. I know I wouldn't really have been there sooner if I'd set off later, but it felt like that. The driving around Bordeaux is oddly similar to driving in southern England: crowded and full of car-drivers who don't know which lane is what.

There was an unplanned tour of the Lac area (saw one road three times) until, finally, I found the shops.

On the way home at 10pm it was much quieter, but I had a strange experience. A member of the Middle Lane Owners' Club, driving a big RHD 4x4, slowed down while overtaking me and the pottering car in front. I thought he might have wanted to take the exit we were about to pass, so I slowed down to give him room. He pulled ahead, and then, just after the exit, piled on the brakes. I warily passed him on the inside (not much choice really). Then I overtook dodderer-in-front and pulled away from both of them. A little while later, the 4x4 roared up behind me: MLOClubber flashed his lights three or four times. I didn't like this, so decided to leave the motorway at the exit coming up, and take the slow route. He swerved across to follow me. Oh dear, I thought; though perhaps it was someone I knew? But I didn't recognise the car. At the roundabout I went right round and he stayed with me. I went round again, and he turned off the second time.

Phew.