I’m in Cannes, South France. I’d love to say I was invited out here by the festival jury for an award nominated screenplay but that wouldn’t be true in the slightest.
No, whilst I won’t go into manic detail as to how I have found myself writing this in the backroom of a nightclub waiting for shenanigans to begin later tonight, I will tell you that the highlight of the evening will be a great view at a small, intimate gig by none-other than Debbie Harry!
That I cannot wait for!
Anyway, this has been my first expedition into Europe since I began my cashless endeavour. I’ve been to the US a number of times but simply hopping on the EuroStar at St. Panc’ simply hasn’t happened.
Whilst my original year was based on a bet that prevented me from using anything with the Queen’s profile on to buy or sell anything; this year seems to have evolved and now it looks like I just live without cash – period.
If I was here a year ago I wouldn’t have had any problem at all, I could have used Euros to buy whatever I needed and, in fact, my daily existence might have actually proved easier than being in London. This year, however, I’ve found myself hidden in my hotel room for the best part of today, afraid to really venture out.
It isn’t so much that I don’t want to discover Cannes, sightsee and/or ‘sleb watch’, it is more than I’ve suddenly suffered a massive shyness. I don’t know how accepting the French are to electronic payments, the systems they use, the language surrounding currency and transactions – instead of finding out the hard way I have inadvertently chosen to avoid the situation entirely.
I’ve been here for the best part of a day and I thoroughly regret my decision so far. Catching a taxi into town with a woman from the same hotel showed me just what I have missed out on today. And for what? Saving my skin from a few momentary bouts of awkwardness? Frustrating a local with the typically British language barrier? It isn’t as if one or two awry experiences would do the English reputation a huge injustice – I think, in some parts of Southern France, ‘we’ have very little left to lose!
I can remember doing this exact same thing when I first started LosingFace, I found myself taking the easier, less experiential, options when it came to stepping outside of my comfort zone. It took months to overcome and the longer I left it; the worse it became.
Worse still – the less I would have to write about!
I fly home tomorrow afternoon. I don’t have months to get over this; I have hours if not minutes! I hereby declare that; tomorrow I must wake up, check out of my room and not look back. Mediterranean France is wonderful and I must make the most of my time here.
Obviously, if tonight goes the way I expect it will and tomorrow arrives with a throbbing head and without waking up, the above declaration is void.
2 Comments
May 17, 2009 at 8:25 pm
electronic money is the way of the future.:)
May 27, 2009 at 12:05 am
I believe so.