We stayed two nights on our first aire in Normandy, why I don’t really know but it was forcast to rain much of the next day and we could not decide where to go next. Before we left the UK I wanted to go around Brittany, before heading south, but being so close to England it is often the same weather as UK. We want sunshine. So the day was spent looking at a map, and then another map, and even a third map. Don’t know how that affects the weather but it passes the day, especially the folding up of the map. One nearly went in the bin until Nikki came to the rescue and folded it. We did manage to get out for a nice walk along the seafront in between showers and Marvell at the loverly houses along the front. Who lives in a house like that we thought. Rich French, that’s who. 

Sunday morning the sun was out so it was time to move on and the decision was made to do Brittany. We needed fuel, I never like to lt it get to less than half a tank, that’s my rules as you never know when your likely to be able to get fuel. Same with filling our water tank, allways get water when you can. 

This aire we were staying on had a water point so I pulled round to that and proceeded to plug the conector in and got soaked. Yes it had good pressure. Luckily the sun was out so I could dry out on the journey. Sorry I mentioned that sun word gain. Never mind you will get used to it. We head out on the highway looking for fuel on the way. First one we see in a closed supermarket car park and very tight for us but we pull up to the pump and it’s card only payment. First card…declined, second card…..declined, third card,….declined, no fuel here then. Back out on the road. Fuel leval dropping , another garage, closed. By now I really want fuel but no I can get to the next aire. Aha a garage, great a another card machine. Nikki has a brain wave, she’s not blonde all the time. She try’s here card and YES it works, we have fuel. 

The aire we were aiming for then throws up a problem, as in the roads closed and the diversion is down a narrow little road, ok if your in a car but we are in a 30 ft motorhome. We mange to pull over and re think. Off to another aire about half hour away, but not before we go down some cobbled streets and have three shunts to get round a mini roundabout. We eventually get out the small town and on the open road. 

We get to our aire in a town called Treguier. The aire is right next to a tidal river, the sun is out so we decide on a walk into the town. Only a small town but some of the buildings date back to Tudor period and are so nice and all dominated by a huge big church in the main square, all very nice looking. 

The aire from the river bridge.

The beautiful buildings.

Today we had a walk around the town again and decided to stay another night as it’s so nice. We head out on the highway tomorrow to a place called Brest, just because it makes me laugh. 

Arrived in Cherbourg at 1.45pm or the boat parked at 1.45 as Nikki said. I did point out to her that boats don’t park they dock. No hassles getting off ferry and straight out onto the open French roads. Drove for an hour and half to the first aire called Coudville plage. Parked up and had a stroll to the sea which was only five minutes away. A lot of peaple about being a bank holiday in France for armistice day. The sun is shining but rain is forcast for tomorrow so not happy about that. We may stay here again tomorrow or we may move on into Brittany. It feels great to be out on the road again. 

Sat here looking out the window thinking this time next week we will be in France. Don’t know where but we will be on the road again and that’s all that matters. Between now and then Nikki will have three more days work, I will proberly polish the camper every day and then get annoyed when it rains and gets dirty. We will be leaving Devon on the Tuesday to head for Dorset to visit a freind to catch up. Then onto south lychett manor campsite for a couple of days. Another good reason to go there is that within walking distance is a great pub where we will meet my dad for a birthday meal. From there it’s only a ten minute drive early on Friday morning to the ferry port and sail to Cherbourg, that’s in France you know. Which is where I started this post because that will be a week away. So that’s it until we get to France and get some Internet  so I can keep you all updated to what we are doing and where we are. Good bye for now. 

It’s been a long time since I posted on here. Why’s that I hear you all cry. Because we have been working. Why have you been working I hear you cry. So we can go away again in the winter so I can keep you all updated to where we are and why we are there and most important of all if the sun is shining, although I promise not to mention that word to much.

So on the 11th of November 2016 we board the ferry from Poole to Cherbourg once again in search of the sun (sorry) and the land of cheap wine and beer. Not that we like them we just have to try them to see if we like them or not. So that’s it for now, will keep you posted nearer the time.

Cheers for now. Mike

The last three nights in France were spent on three different Aires, and no one else turned up which was nice. One rural, one in a small village and one next to a lake. All very different but all nice in there own way. England really should have Aires.  

 
  
We left the last Aire , or went to leave on Monday morning. The camper was reluctant to go, it started but not as normal, was it a sign, should we be staying. I voted yes. The problem I think is the battery because normally we are on hook up with the electric so the battery is always topped up. The last night and most of the day we weren’t. Anyway it started so we went off to the super market to get the last few bits. Wasted some time hanging around in the supermarket carpark eating our lunch etc, not wanting to leave for the port, which was only forty minutes away. 

Get to the port and only one other camper in front of us. We were three hours early. Had a chat with the owners who had been away for two months, swapped story’s etc. Really interesting couple. A Romanian guy walked up to the camper and asked us to take his dog on board as you can’t board as a foot passenger with a dog. Yea right mate do I look like I was born yesterday. No is the answer and that is my final decision goodbye. Dogs have to be chipped and have passports and be checked by vets before leaving Europe and their passports stamped. We saw the guy on board the ferry so I expect someone had been conned into doing it. 

So as the ferry left the port I went up on deck to wave goodbye to France and even our camper was looking back at France. I wonder if he was also thinking the same as me. See you again France. Ours is the one in the middle of the picture, think the roof is quiet clean.  

 
So that’s it the winter trip is over and we have had a great time. I have really enjoyed doing the blog and I hope you have enjoyed reading it and following our trip. Some facts about our trip. We have travelled 3430 miles, spent £525 on diesel  stayed on 16 campsites, two in France, eleven in Spain and two in Portugal and stopped on 10 Aires in France. I have taken 534 photos, don’t worry I won’t make you look at them. Will we go again, you bet, peaple that know us will know we do like to travel. To those that don’t travel, get out there, it’s a big open world and your only here once and there’s so much to see. Thanks again and here’s to the next trip and blog. Cheers. 

We left Soustons yesterday. We we really liked it there, being parked up in amongst the pine trees with the beach just a short walk away, but would not want to be there in the summer because it would get really busy.  

 
  
And so our drive North continues. There are not many campsites open in France this time of year but we managed to find one just south of Poitiers. There are plenty of Aires but most of them do not have electric so we would have to use are gas for heating and the fridge. Not sure how much gas we have left so opted for one last campsite. Didn’t have a lot of choice really as it was the only one open on our route.Its just outside a town called Ruffec. A rural campsite next to a river.Theres a really nice looking restaurant next to the river also, shame we can’t afford to eat in there. I should think in the summer it would be beautiful sat outside with a cold beer and a burger watching the kayakers playing on the weir. 

The temputure has dropped today (Thursday) I even had to put a jumper on to go for a walk to get some pictures and fresh air. Proberly doing us good, getting us ready for when we land back in the UK. Have you noticed I have not mentioned the sun word in this post so I don’t upset you all out there. That’s because it has not come out yet today. And it rained all night.Tomorrow we head out on the highway again heading further North to a aire by a city called Angers.womder what sort of peaple live there. We will spend one night there and then we have two more stops before getting the ferry.(starts to cry). Only four more sleeps in Euope.  

We left Valencia on Friday to start our journey north homeward. Heading for Zaragoza in the middle of Spain on the A23. Our freind Steve (stent) was there already as he was on his way home. We eventually found the campsite after going round and round to try and find the right turn off, and through the middle of some roundabouts. Parked up and the sun was out. I do apologise for keep using that word sun, but I do like it and as we are heading north now we need as much of it as possible. The night was cold though and we woke to a frost, only -1 but still a frost. There does that make you feel better, see we are suffering also. By 9am frost gone and yes you guessed it that loverly orange ball in the sky was back out and very warm, I did have to put a T shirt on. This site was only a stopover, thankfully as it was not too good.

Out with the maps to plan our route from here to Soustons, a really nice aire we stopped at on the way down. I had looked at the map loads of times and had a route I wanted to go, well two actually. I wanted to go through the Somport tunnel, into France, but apparently there were snow ploughs either side so not a good idea. The othe route was from Zaragoza to Pamplona then onto the 121 and cross the border near Irun which is where we came in. Now the sat nav was not having any of it for some reason. I think it also does not want to go back to the uk. I wanted to avoid the tolls if possible. They don’t cost a lot but the other routes are a bit more scenic. 

So off we go, its sat nav on and map on the navigators lap. We head out on the non toll roads but after a hour end up on the toll one, no major drama as it’s quicker and it’s going to be a long day anyway. We head towards to Pamplona and sat nav takes us off to the left, not to the route I wanted but a different way. Lots of *###**#*#*# words and threat of throwing the sat nav out the window. Once the red mist had settled and my map reader has looked at said no problem it’s just a bit of a loop. Spoke to soon, the next minute we are on the toll A8 no problem there but we are heading the wrong way, the sea is on my right and should be on my left. O be honest it was a really nice route with snow capped mountains to look at and we even had snow on the roadside as we were very high at this point. About 10k later we come off say hello to the lady in the toll booth, go round a roundabout and come to the other ide of the toll booth and say hello to her again. We are now on the right road and sat nav has picked up and we are on track. Yipppeeee.

We get to Soustons at about 2pm after leaving Zaragoza at 9am. Luckily it’s another sunny day. The area is really busy because it’s the weekend and we get the last spot with electric. Chairs out, lunch and chill. We can hear the sea and see the lake from the lounge window, so life’s good. Here for a couple of nights then moving on further north. Proberly back to twin lakes for a couple of nights, then from there a different route. We only have a week left now as next Monday we catch the ferry back. Please make sure it’s sunny. Au revoir.

We left camping Ole on Tuesday after spending a week there. We thought we better leave because if the trees grew much more we would never get off the pitch. Decided to take the smaller road the 332 instead of the motorway as we had plenty of time and it would be more scenic passing through some small towns. We saw some ladies on there chairs, you know the ones. Although one did look well passed her use by date. Further along we saw a guy stood on the edge of the orange fields in just his pants and shirt, a empty chair not far away. I don’t think he was working for Del Monte.

Our next destination was a campsite called Valencia camper park. We chose it because we wanted to go into Valencia but not be in it if that makes sense. We knew we could get the Metro from near the site. Really nice small site, leval and clean with a small restaurant and bar. We parked up, plugged in and chilled in the sun, grabbing every bit of sun because we know when we leave here we start heading north and it will be getting colder. 

Yesterday( Wednesday ) we got our metro tickets from the campsite reception and headed off for the metro station about 300 metres down the road.only a small station and a real dodgy looking area, all graffiti on the walls and broken glass on top the walls to stop peaple getting over them. And then we spotted some peaple waiting on the platform, about five or six. Now if you have ever seen the film the zombies, I know where it was filmed. Nikki grabs my hand at this moment. They stare at us, one is playing loud music on his cassette tape machine the others just staring. I look up the track to see if I can see the train. The one playing the loud music shouts to us Seven minutes. Is that for the train or how long we have to live. Now because it’s only a small station the train will not stop if no one is there so you have to wave it down like a bus. I for got to mention you have to pass your ticket over a scanner on the platform which we never new until one of the Zombies pointed it out, with her tongue hanging out her mouth. All of a sudden she shouts Metro and they all start waving at the train, we are the only ones not waving, does that mean we can’t get on the train. We get aboard and sit down, Nikki very close still gripping my hand and as the train heads for Valencia and stops at more stations and normal peaple get on she slowly releases the grip and the blood starts to flow back into my hand. The train takes about 25 minutes to reach the bright lights big city of Valencia.

Wow what a contrast to where we have been, I don’t really do city’s or big towns but it’s nice to go in knowing you are coming out again.The old part is what we are looking for so head that way. Amongst all the big high buildings are the old ones, churches, cathedrals etc and a lot of old Art Deco buildings. Small little streets go off in every direction. One of the buildings now houses the food market. Not your knickers and slippers in this one. It’s huge and full of every kind of food and so well presented. At one of the fish stalls the guy is getting eels out a tank and cutting it into sections while it is still alive. Can’t say it’s not fresh. Octopus, sea urchins, squid, you name it they have it. The meat stalls have so much choice and the fruit and veg is so colourful. We wandered round in there for a while, with our tongues hanging out, bit like the zombies. 

Out of the market and in search of other old buildings. Not long before we find another and another. Like all big city’s there are lots of tour guides going round and beggars on every corner. A great mix of peaple and there were plenty of police about. Some one told us later a gang had shot someone not far away so they could have been on alert in the city for them. We actually wandered round for almost ten kilometres from end to end side to side. We saw some great buildings, the  main line station, a bull ring, etc.  

 
  
Knackered and hungry we head back to the metro for the trip home. We have to press the button on the train to stop at our station, being only a small one. We get off at the right station, no Zombies about so stroll back to site. We had decided to eat in the restaurant and had ordered a paella for six o’clock, as someone had said they were really good, and Nikki said all through Spain she wanted one. They are cooked the traditional way over a wood fire. You can have meat, fish or vegetarian. We chose to have the fish. Strolled up the bar about five o’clock  for couple of beers and wine. You can watch your food being cooked on the fires and the smell of the wood etc is fantastic. Three beers, three very large glasses of wine, bread with olive oil and garlic butter, and the best paella we have ever had. The bill for all of the about £26. Off to bed. Adios for now. Sweet dreams and watch out for the zombies, there out there.  

Hi everyone, we left our luxurious site camping Marjal yesterday, because we wanted to move on. My feet were itching and it was nothing to do with the soap I was using. Yes I do wash now and then. Our friends Bill and June were fantastic neighbours while we were  there. Before we left we went down the bar for a couple of beers like you do, sat out side in the sun then the sun went in so we went inside also, yes I know that couple of beers turned into one or three. While we were inside some food came out for someone sat opposite, that was it I was dribbling so we ordered food also. Nikki was happy because she didn’t have to cook. The weekend the six nations started, that’s rugby to those who don’t know, a game played with a odd shaped ball and so much better than football. Rugby men are men and football they are actors. That is my opinion of course. It was so strange sat in our camper watching it all them miles from home but still being at home if that makes sence. Good ol England did well. 

We had done some research on a couple of sites and emailed them to see if we would fit and all came back positive so off we went, heading out on the highway. So sure that would make a good song title. LOL. We chose to take the AP7 which is a motorway toll, on it for a good hour and half cost us about a fiver. The scenery was fantastic, up through the mountains with the sea to our left. Awesome.  We past Benidorm from a distance, the best way I think. If I was twenty then it would be OK, but to be honest if I was twenty and in Benidorm I would proberly only see it from a barred window. 

We came off the AP7 for the last twenty minutes or so and passed through a town or two on a A road looking at the sites. Now the sites include the ladies of the night, or in Spain the ladies of the day and night. Yes you got it prostitutes on the roadside and sat on red plastic chairs. I will never be able to keep a straight face next time I see someone sat on a red plastic garden chair. Please don’t tell me you have one. LOL

We get to the first campsite. Rubbish that’s what we thought about it, no pitches big enough for us and it was a tip. Now I am getting hungry, and we all no what that means. There’s a other site ten minutes away so we head for that one. Success we find a pitch we can fit on. Just and I mean just. I think this site was built when campers were the size of matchboxes. But at least we are here. The site is called Ole, it’s near Oliva. The beach is at the end of the site which we like and it’s a big beach. We will proberly be here for a week before we start heading North for our trek home. Hope you have all survived the storms in the UK. 

We are still at camping Marjal, because we are still worth it. We have been lucky in the fact that our neighbours have taken us out 2/3 times in the car. I needed a hair cut, Nikki has allready done it once with the clippers, and it gets to the stage I really need it cut and if I do it with the clippers it is back to the bone and I look like a peanut head so Nikki says. I allways reply with it will grow. There is a hairdressers on site so I thought, let’s go and see if they understand English and can do me a haircut. Hello my name is Mike and I need a haircut do you speak English. A little he says. Ok this could be a interesting haircut. I explain what I want and he shows me the chair, better than showing me the door. Nikki sits down and watches the show. He doesn’t say a word just cuts my hair, trims my ear hair after evicting the sparrows that were nesting in there and even trimmed my eyebrows. A very good cut was done. 

So it’s out in the car with our neighbours, Bill and June to Torrevieja. It’s a big town by the sea. All  High rise and bars and restaurants. A great place to go and stroll along the prom, seeing all the different folks and hear all the languages. We found a really nice restaurant right by the sea with nice comfy sofas and settled down for a beer or two. Watching the world go by on one side and the sea on the other. And as the sun went down it was time to go back to site. 

   

There is a natural park near us called El Fondo so we decided to get off site for a walk and head out there to have a look around. To be honest there was not a lot to look at, I think all the birds must have took flight when they see us coming. It is set out nice with walkways and am sure that in the summer when the birds return would be great. We had a good walk anyhow, about 10kms.