Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Woke up to discover that Jackie’s throbbing finger had turned even more green. After a bit of umming & ahhing we decided our first stop of the day would be the local hospital, just a 0.8 walk away.

After packing up, we checked out & discovered the key fob I had got us into the car park. We dumped our bags & marched up to the Centre Hospitalier Métropole Savoie. We walked into the virtually empty emergency department & Jackie showed them her manky finger & most importantly her European Health card. Details were taken by the receptionist & no more than 15 minutes later, Jackie was called by the Doctor. This was too easy!

And of course it was. A couple of minutes later, Jackie was back out & sat with me waiting to be called........we think. I writing this live time & literally 2 minutes later, Jackie was taken away by another Doctor. Impressive.

Over an hour later Jackie returned to inform me that the Doctors had cut all the green pus out of her finger. Apparently it was just very badly infected, but if she hadn’t sought treatment, it may have required surgery. It was not the original pharmacy diagnosis of Whitlow Finger, which came as a massive relief which was herpetic and incurable. Jackie said the Doctors were so helpful & pleasant. They filled the now large hole in her finger, then bandaged it & sent her packing with a list of items she needed to get from a pharmacy. Thank god that it was all free because we are still in the EU. Which idiots voted us out?

Jackie was on a high when we left the hospital, possibly due to the anaesthetic. We had a coronation chicken roll & coffee in a boulangerie, then toured the towns pharmacies, collecting her required medical items. She got everything, except the packing for her wound. One pharmacy quoted her €98 for 4 large sheets of the stuff. No thank you.

Gone midday & still without the packing, we returned to our car, got out of the car park, dumped off the fob, then hit the road for Italy. We fuelled up out of town, because it is cheaper in France than Italy allegedly. We then followed a scenic route up the Cottian Alps to Modane. It was here we discovered the we had no choice but to go through the Frejus Road Tunnel that links France with Italy. This was ok until we arrived at the pay kiosk & were informed that the fee for one way was JUST €46.

We had no choice but to pay, then drove the 13km under the Col du Frejus & into Italy. After a volley of text messages from Vodafone & EE, we passed through Bardonecchia in Italy, then Susa & into Bussoleno. By now, Jackie had translated her prescription into Italian & she jumped out at the 1st pharmacy to get her missing wound packing. Apparently it didn’t go well, the pharmacist insisted on trying to sell her Gaviscon.

We continued to the next pharmacy down the road & Jackie eventually came away with some antiseptic gel to insert into the wound. Finally, Jackie was happy, so we went to the supermarket next door & bought 4 bottles of wine, 4 large beers & some food for the princely sum of €33. Bargain!

Sixty miles later & around 6.30pm, we arrived at Agriturismo da Mamma in Magliano in the Province of Cuneo. It is a very rural location about 4 miles from the nearest town of Alba. Upon arrival we were greeted by Mamma Maria & her son who checked us in. We have a modern spacious room with a terrace all for less than £50 which includes breakfast.

Mamma Maria informed me that they have made their money from farming hazelnuts that they sell to Ferrero Rocher that originally began production in Alba. They are clearly doing well from their hazelnuts.

We spent the evening on our terrace eating & drinking & planning our onward journey.

Song of the Day : Infected by The The

Bonus Songs : Emergency by 999
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