Shopping with Emma

It has been stupidly hot over the last few weeks. Not really got a great deal done outside due to the heat and I had a spell of 4 or 5 days ill with fever, shivers and a massive headache. Last Summer I had about the same thing, just a worse headache, after traveling down to the Dordogne on the TGV.
We've had a few cooler days, so before it got too hot, I decided to take Emma shopping in Mennecy on the local bus. During the day it is every hour, so I didn't want us to have to hang around waiting for a bus back.

We left at 10.15am, a bit later than intended. When the bus arrived the driver asked if we wanted to get on or stay there. Which was puzzling, to which I said "n'importe" (whichever). He was desperate to go for a pee, apparently. Our local stop is the terminus, situated next to a small spinney (it was larger until they built the housing estate next to it).
So off he went to answer the call of nature.

Meanwhile my card didn't validate properly on the machine next to the drivers cab. Or so I thought. Anyway when he came back he asked if the card had validated. I said yes (but I wasn't sure). So I said "Ca va mieux"?  (Feeling better now?) He then went to explain that he is on that route all day and there are no facilities. I explained that I worked for a bus company in the UK. I wasn't a driver, but I knew drivers that carried an empty coke bottle with them...
He thought that was hilarious...

So in 15 minutes we arrived at the Intermarché Hypermarché. Just a big shopping mall. The bus stop is conveniently next to the entrance. Then over the road there are other shops, including an ACTION. French discount store that my daughter likes, they are good for beauty products and cosmetics etc. Oh and electric gadgets.
In the end she didn't buy anything there, but we did a bit of shopping in Intermarché and bought a few bits for lunch. She found some hair products she wanted. I think getting out, after being stuck inside due to the heat did me some good.
We were back home for 12.15pm.

The prices have changed on the buses and trains now, there is now a flat fare irrespective of distance. So our jaunt was 2 euros each way. But if we'd carried on and traveled the 15km into Evry then it would've been the same price.
RER and métro tickets are now a flat 2,50 euros. A trip into Paris used to be 10 euros return. So now it is just 5.