The Rallye du Canal du Midi: The salad is being served

This event in southern France is so much more than a rowing expedition, or so we eventually figured out. It was equally a water-based opportunity to explore the thing that the southern French care most about – food, and wine.

But after various faux pas and misunderstandings, the organisers eventually realised that we weren't deliberately trying to be rude; rather, it was just that we were British and didn't understand. 

It was very, very HOT.