On the Edges
Of course, to get the best views you have to go up high. I know this. I love being up high. I just don't like edges.
My balance isn't great and if I'm on an edge I just think I'll sway forwards and become part of the view. The crumpled-heap part, many hundreds of feet below.
But then again, to get the views you need the heights - - so off we went through a gorge in the Luberon, Provence, South of France, on our way to Mount Ventoux.
People have lived along the gorge for a long time - this cave-room was a kind of extension to a little stone cottage. They had wonderful views, all right, and I don't think they can have been scared of heights.
Here's the kind of thing they could see: (you can click to make the picture larger and the gorge even more deep)
And here's the road we drove along. Now, honestly, do you see my point about the edges?
No, I didn't do the driving, for all sorts of reasons, of which one of the main ones is that it's best to keep your eyes open at all times on roads like this.
We passed quite a few cyclists - -
We also passed a floral tribute where one had gone over the edge. It didn't add to my confidence.
Stephen drove, well and carefully, for quite a while. He loves views too, but he doesn't even like heights, let alone edges, so I think actually this road was a bit of a triumph for him.
Then Silverback took over and cheerfully and accurately did the rest of the driving.
Of course, we stopped many times and took lots of photos. Here's Silverback taking one:
and here he is at another place, taking a photo of another stunning view of the gorge:
Is he scared of heights, or edges? I think I'll let you be the judge of that.
My balance isn't great and if I'm on an edge I just think I'll sway forwards and become part of the view. The crumpled-heap part, many hundreds of feet below.
But then again, to get the views you need the heights - - so off we went through a gorge in the Luberon, Provence, South of France, on our way to Mount Ventoux.
People have lived along the gorge for a long time - this cave-room was a kind of extension to a little stone cottage. They had wonderful views, all right, and I don't think they can have been scared of heights.
Here's the kind of thing they could see: (you can click to make the picture larger and the gorge even more deep)
And here's the road we drove along. Now, honestly, do you see my point about the edges?
No, I didn't do the driving, for all sorts of reasons, of which one of the main ones is that it's best to keep your eyes open at all times on roads like this.We passed quite a few cyclists - -
We also passed a floral tribute where one had gone over the edge. It didn't add to my confidence.
Stephen drove, well and carefully, for quite a while. He loves views too, but he doesn't even like heights, let alone edges, so I think actually this road was a bit of a triumph for him.
Then Silverback took over and cheerfully and accurately did the rest of the driving.
Of course, we stopped many times and took lots of photos. Here's Silverback taking one:
and here he is at another place, taking a photo of another stunning view of the gorge:
Is he scared of heights, or edges? I think I'll let you be the judge of that.
posted by Daphne at 6:08 pm
4 Comments:
Breathtaking shots, so I can imagine what it was in person. I once drove a large portion of the coastal highway up from San Francisco, in California. I went up to just north of Mendocino (which looks a lot like a village in the South of France). The car rental place said to take a nice, BIG car and I said, "No. I want a little one for all the curves." I'm glad I did. The highway shots reminded me of some of the curves! Hats off to Stephen! I envy you that trip. It's the edges, for me, too.
Oh great, I get to replace my mental picture of the dead dog in the box with ones from an awful highway. It makes me dizzy just looking at them, you were very brave.
I'm not scared of heights; could care less about edges; but I'm terrified of wedgies !!
I don't know....but it looks like he's got his butt puckered pretty tight!
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