Flying from one country to another on cut rate airlines such as easyjet and Ryan Air can cost as little as $25. The only thing you must be mindful of is where the airports associated with each major city are actually located. 

“Are you aware that London Stansted is actually 90 minutes out of central London?” said our cab driver when we arrived.

Sheepishly we shook our heads no. It was the one detail we had overlooked. Hearing a story about how one customer’s taxi fair was over $150 was discouraging too, but fortunately our journey to the airport was no problem at all.  We took the Underground to an express train to the airport and although the total time was 90 minutes, it only cost $30 and was very easy. We would use this airport again.

Our flight to Bordeaux, France on Ryan Air had incredible views of the English and French countryside. Flying over the English Channel it was so clear we could see container ships and wind turbines off the coast.  The only downside was the couple behind me had a toddler who stood only inches away from me and shrieked in my right ear for 90 minutes. No one is a winner in this situation. The mother was mortified.

In Bordeaux we picked up our rental car. It’s a Toyota Yaris which is a hybrid. The built in GPS displayed the map for two minutes and then went blank. We could not figure out how to get it to reappear and the directions were in French. We could hear the English audio though so without a map we trusted it on a 2.5 hour journey through the Dordogne region of France to our hotel in Sarlat and miraculously it took us right to the front door.  My mobile phone is unlocked so tomorrow I am going to buy a local sims card for it so we can also use it for a GPS. 

We arrived in Sarlat around 7:00 and it is a beautiful small town with all stone houses. Our hotel was recommended by Karen Pettyjohn, our librarian, who stayed here last year in the same room.

We ate dinner at an outside cafe in a pedestrian only area with a street performer behind us juggling to the delight of a huge crowd. We will explore more tomorrow, but for now enjoy some evening photos of this wonderful place.