We left De Montreal campsite and headed for Parcverger campsite which is where we stopped on the way down south. Prefer it going that way to be honest. We are now getting really close to coming home. Three nights at Parkverger and the weather was just like a spring day. When we left there we headed north to another aire in the town of Pamproux, when I say town I should have put the ghost in front. The aire was on the edge of the town and it was a beautiful spring day again so we wandered into the ghost town. Lots of loverly old buildings again and a fantastic old covered market building. I think we saw two peaple all the time we were walking around. 

The story’s that building must be able to tell. We only stayed on the aire one night. You can’t have to much excitement in a ghost town.

We decided to make some ground and get further north so set off early and headed out on the motorway (peage)that’s a motorway you pay for. For us if we want to get somewhere it’s worth it, the road was empty, not as empty as Pamproux but very quiet and they are in good condition. To do the same sort of distance on other roads would have been a lot longer. As it was we were on the road for five hours, including a fuel stop for the camper and both of us.The aire was right beside the river L’Orne in a town called Pont d’ouilly. we had a front row spot and no one else there. Again another spring like day, and as we are just chilling out and looking out at the river I spot something on the bank the other side. Like a rat on steroids. Turns out it was a coypu, never seen one before and here in front of us are four playing in the river and then getting out and feeding on the field. Apparently they are a real pest and farmers shoot them because they do so much damage to the riverbanks etc. 

After checking out the weather we decided to move on the next day, forecast for rain and we wanted to get to North Normandy to go to the American war graves. So we set off again through some real bad weather, wind and heavy rain, lots of spray on the roads etc. Got to the aire and set up. The last few miles were very rural roads. The camper is now the dirtiest I have ever seen it, but no point washing it as there is more rain forecast, and we have to leave on the same roads. I must admit it is bugging me though. 

Today we went to the Normandy American war cemetery and museum. The reason we drove all them miles just so we would have the time to visit them. A bit of history for you. The battle of Normandy, also known as D Day started on June 6th 1944.The D stands for day. The cemetery is on the site of the temporary American St Laurent cemetery established by the US first  army on June 8th 1944. The first American cemetery on European soil in World War Two.It covers 172.5 acres and has 9386 graves of military dead. Most of which lost their lives in the D Day landings. On the walls of the missing, a huge semicircular wall are 1557 names. Rosettes mark the names of those since recovered and identified. 

The cemetery is so clean and regimental. All the crosses are millimetre perfectly in line what ever way you look at them. The grounds are perfect and you can see the  Omaha beach below which is where they would have landed in there boats etc. This was one of five beaches they landed on. All along this stretch of coast are differant museums and monuments.You can’t imagine what it would have been like to be there. So many young life’s lost. The museum is very good and a short film really brings a lump to your throat with relatives of the dead telling about the letters they received etc. 

So in two sleeps time we get on the ferry from Cherbourg to Poole and head off back to Devon. Thursday our last day we intend to get up near the ferry about an hour from here and visit a aquarium, a submarine and a Titanic museum just to pass the day. I would like to wash the camper also. 

We left Benicarlo, deciding to take the motorway and start to head north as our time is running out. The time seems to have gone fast this trip, so we will have to do another trip next year and compare. The weather was forecast to be sunny at Benicarlo for a few days and we did think about staying, but then how long do you stay. The longer you stay the less time you have to get back to the ferry. Which means you to rush, I don’t like rushing. I much prefer shorter drives so I can see more things. So after saying goodbye to some nice peaple we met on the site we were off. 

We were heading for another site called Albera at Capmany, it’s in a cork oak tree forest. The whole area was engulfed in a big forest fire five years ago which was made worse by the strong winds. We were soon on the motorway. The motorways in Spain and France are good and the toll ones have good surfaces and hardly any traffic except around the big cities. Spanish ones are cheaper than France.you get a ticket at the toll booth, the barrier goes up and you’re on your way, wherever you get off you put your ticket in the machine and it tells you how much you owe. You can use your credit card or cash, or regular users have a tag. You have different classes for different vehicles depending on size, height etc. We were in a line of three cars when the car infront of us decided to tailgate the one in front of him. Big mistake. Within a second the alarms had sounded and the machine had closed down. No idea why he would have done that because the cameras are everywhere and you can’t get off the motorway without going through a toll booth so he would have a nice big fine to pay. The machine reset and we payed our money and went on our way. A bit of excitement. We stopped for fuel and lunch along the way. 

This was a big drive day for me but all going well. Then off the motorway onto the smaller roads. Good ol sat nav tells us to turn into the village, we had allready gone past a sign with the campsite restaurant name on it, but thought no way can we get down there. This next turning was worse. The road started to get narrower the houses on either side closer and closer together. On with the brakes and into reverse. Lucky nothing was behind as I reversed about 500 yards back. I say I reversed because Nikki had stopped breathing and was looking worried. Back on the other road and follow the signs for the restaurant. Here we go again the roads getting narrower but I know I can get through, but I don’t know what’s round the corner. Let’s go for it I say. Nikki stops breathing again. It was tight and took us into a little village square with two ways out, a one way and another which I knew I would not get down, so the one way street it was. Oh yea this was also the wrong street to the campsite. By now my Yin and Yang are getting out of balance. To anyone reading this that does not know we are in a 30 ft five ton motorhome. The street we went down. 

We find the right road next and the campsite. Forgot to say all the trees we saw were all black from the fire and this was five years on. Checked in at reception by the owner who, a Dutch guy who obviously had forgot to put a happy head on in the morning. The site was expensive but we just wanted to get parked up, eat and bed and chill the next day. The pitches were a mixture of sand, mud and grass and it had started to rain. The toilet block was like a fridge, no loo roll, no soap, only good thing the showers had good water pressure.The next day it’s still raining on and off but we need to stretch our legs, so we head off down to the village on foot this time. We had allready seen it from the motorhome. Loverly little village, looked more French than Spanish but we are only about 15 minutes from the border so maybe they moved the border or could only get French builders that day. 

Next stop was to be an aire in a town called Grisolle in France. The aire was in a car park of a community centre, next to a canal. We parked up and had a walk found the small town. Again some loverly old buildings and a wonderful old market building. We do like French houses. I must add it was a beautiful sunny day. 

Next stop another campsite called La Montreal. We were recommended this site by a couple in Benicarlo. It also has a Dutch owner. We checked it out on the internet and on street veiw etc and I emailed the owner to see if they had room for us. All good. Some more narrow streets through the village after coming off the main roads but no problem, I think even Nikki managed to keep breathing this time, well most of the time. We were greeted by the owner (Hans) wife with a lovely smile and good English, she told us where to park and even gave us a choice of places. We chose to go up the top of the site so we are all alone but have fantastic views and get the sun from when it comes up until it goes down. A good ten hours of sunshine and it’s warm. Hans himself came up to see us when he got back from where ever he had been. He is a star and straight away we were having a laugh and joke. The site overlooks a lake and hills. The toilets are spotless, there is loo roll and soap and you are made to feel welcome. Completely differant to the last campsite.( Yin and Yang.) 

We had a walk around the lake and up into the village yesterday to get some bread and a little French cake. Everybody was smiling and happy, the sun was shining, birds were singing. I was trying my French out by saying bonjour to everyone. Nikki was trying to disown me.

Yes I drove through there. I love the old house and shops with the shutters and big open windows when the shutters are open. We will proberly stay here until Tuesday then move on to Parc verger which is a campsite we stayed on when we coming down through France. Weather permitting I want to go to the Normandy beaches before we get on the ferry and visit the American cemetery and museum. It’s somewhere I have wanted to visit for a long time. 

Not a lot has happened since we went to Peniscola apart from the weather. We have had hot days, cold days, mild days, windy days, foggy days, oh yes and even rainy days. When I say cold days I don’t mean as bad as being in the uk in January. Th e couple of foggy days were only mornings really and that soon cleared to reveal blue sunny sky’s. Now the wind is a different story. The first weekend we got wind I thought the whole campsite was going to be covered in awnings in the morning, but I think there were only two that got trashed. Then the weather settled down again. We did our usual trek to the shop every other day or so to get supplies ( beer, wine, food) It’s a twenty minute walk along the sea front to the supermarket. I don’t know how Nikki is going to cope when we get home having to drive to Tesco park right outside, drive home. I think my back will prefer it and my arms think they have been stretched carrying the bags back.

We keep an eye on the weather so we get warning. We knew again we were in for some wind. The clues were there, peaple talking about it, some peaple even left because of it, others were taking down their awnings to save them. We also made plans. We got enough food and drink in so if it got so bad we could not get out at least we could eat and drink. The winds came and were gusting to 60 mph for two days and nights, so we never went far. Good planning you see, others had to go out shopping. It’s all back to normal now with blue sky’s and sunshine. 

Yesterday we strolled into town, I needed a hair cut. The lady on reception told us about a barber in town and marked it on the map for us. Does he speak English I asked No but he is good. Ok so he does not speak English, I do not speak Spanish, this could be interesting, you may not recognise me when I come back. we found the barbers, a empty chair waiting. After a bit of English/ Spanish and some hand movements and finger waving and pointing to his stubble etc. I sat down and let the scissors  and clippers start. The end result, one of the best haircuts I have ever had. 

The morning sunrise

We understand in the uk there is a shortage of lettuce etc because of the bad weather over here this winter. So here is a reminder of what it look like for you. Spanish gold.

While we have breakfast and when we sit outside in the sun just watching the world go by it’s always interesting. The regulars that are on the site from before we arrived. We have names for them all. We also do this back home. At the end of the row is triangle man, a Dutch guy and his wife who have funny fold up bikes that are…. you guessed it square, no they are triangle shape. Then we have the weebles, remember them weebles wobble but they don’t fall down. A French couple but the biggest rounded shape you have ever seen. Next a elderly lady with a deaf husband. He’s got it sussed, only hears what he wants to hear. Next a couple from Portsmouth. He used to be in the navy, a top chef and always has a story to tell and can chat for England like me, his wife often has to drag him away or signal him from the camper. Really nice couple. Next Blondie a petite blond lady with her husband. You only see them going from the caravan to the toilet block, she is allways immaculately dressed and in something different every day. When they were packing up to go they even loaded a washing machine into the car they had been using in their awning . we have another Dutch couple beside us, the chair lady. All she does is sit in her chair outside, if it’s cold she still sits out there but with about three coats on. The dogs on his blanket while the man is running around doing this and that and can’t shut a door quietly. Lastly there the RV ‘ ers, I don’t know what peaple think when they see a RV and the driver or what they expect to think. When we had ours and used to roll up we allways got some looks as if to say how did they get that. This guy has the same. He is about six feet tall and covered in tattoos all around his neck etc, but the nicest guy guy you could meet. we were having a laugh yesterday about the RV image some peaple expect. But like we said we buy them for ourselves not anyone else. Most peaple are just a little green. 

We leave here next week on Tuesday and start heading north towards the ferry port. A slow two weeks up through France, not got much of a plan on route yet but it will be a couple of days here and there. Just hope the weathers better and not too much snow over the Pyrenees mountains. We are going back a different way this year. North from here towards the French border then left towards Toulouse, Limoges etc. Will keep you informed. The six nations rugby has started now so I am happy about that. I will miss it one weekend while we are in France, but you never know. I have it covered here. We have TV on the pitch and Guinness in the fridge, the bar on site has three TVs and Guinness, so all angles covered. England just have to do their bit now.