There’s a place in the Camargue that I’d like to visit, but am having a spot of bother finding. This isn’t it – just contextualising with a snap of a Camarguaise pony. I’m not giving the name of the place because folk will just look it up and say, ‘oh, that place is easy to find’, from the comfort of their armchair. I mean, people around here, who don’t even own an armchair, are saying, ‘I don’t understand why you can’t find it’.

My friend Eleanor and I, neither of whom I feel are especially dumb, went looking the other week and got in a dreadful state. Irritable doesn’t come into it. In the end, we gave up, vowing never to come this way again. We found a sign to a place we recognised and, yet again, were forced to have lunch.

You’ve seen this photo before but I’m showing you again for two reasons: a) because he looks so supercilious and b) because I don’t like giving into being unable to locate a place – hence ending up here on the second attempt, which is also in the Camargue.

After swimming, I go into St Remy and have my coffee at Cafe Grand Riche. (I didn’t take this photo and can’t find a credit so sorry). The waitress there knows me now. When she spots me, she gives a ‘thumbs up’ sign, to which I answer likewise, and my double expresso magically arrives. The two old men and the elderly lady say Bonjour now instead of looking upset at the intruder. It’s a little thing but I love it: it makes me feel accepted for a while. Anyway, this morning, they were shut! I don’t know why and I felt a bit offended so the first unexpected destination of the day was some other joint across the road where I actually had to tell them what I wanted. And their coffee was bitter and arrived without the complimentary mini biscuit. Further, I’ve got something suspect on the end of my finger which has been annoying me. At yesterday’s book club, the ladies had a look at the video my builder has sent of the renovations before discussing various treatments my finger could receive. It looks a bit fierce this morning. Sulking in the sun, I yet again retrieved my ‘Birding Paradise’ brochure and planned another route to THAT place.

I’m going to be honest – I didn’t find it. However, with some perseverance, and a great deal of fortitude in travelling down a road that disappeared into a lane that fell into a track, I found this place; another unexpected destination. And when I got out of my car and unwittingly startled a stork that immediately flew away before I’d retrieved my camera, I thought there might be worse places.

Apparently, I was in the Reserve Naturelle Coussouls by the Lake Aulnes. It’s just the most peaceful place ever. It’s one of those places that you go to and a smile appears.

The sun was shining and the birds were minding their own business. There was a lot of rustling going on in the reeds and I wished I brought my walking boots. (I changed cars yesterday and nothing’s where it should be).

All the big birds were out of range of my camera but it didn’t matter. The world was at peace with itself – at least in this small corner.

I ate half my cheese and ham sandwich because, let’s face it, who can manage a whole one. Then my reverie was insulted by the bloody throbbing finger. Better get back and sort it out.

Which leads me to the final unexpected destination of the day. It’s like Plat du Jour but not as tasty. Monsieur le docteur is a jolly sort even though he’s wielding a large pair of blue pincers and a razor blade. It’s an abscess. ‘Can I drink a little wine’, I ask tentatively? ‘On the contrary’, he responds, ‘drink a lot. Which colour do you prefer?’

I’m only mentioning this as I have form: my lovely hostess who takes me to Avignon for ‘surgery’, and subsequently collects me, says it wouldn’t be the real thing without a visit to the hospital. ‘You can leave your antibiotics behind for the next time’. Thanks pal.

And later, as I’m stood on a patch of waste ground outside the hospital, munching the other half of my sandwich while I wait for her to arrive, I watch an endless convoy of flashing lights as the ambulances arrive, and two emergency helicopters dropping the damaged and distressed, and think the day wasn’t too bad.