I could be in dog prison now – and would my Vet care ?

This is an extra entry on Star Ship Priscilla log.

You know when a days going to be s***, and our last day on this adventure was just one of these days.

The wind had not gone away, and we had to do the Pont de Normandy, the wonderful huge bridge over the Seine, at Honfleur. We left early as the forecast, was said to get worse as the day went on. But at 8.30am we were blown from side to side, and Guy was not happy. Alan struggled to keep us on the road, not made easy when he had to swerve to pass a motorcyclist who had been blown over. So when we got over the second bridge, we all took a deep breath and opened our eyes. The rest of the journey, was less eventful, if you discount the fact that a major viaduct on the A16 (just outside Boulogne) was closed to all vehicles over 3.5 tonne and that’s us, so off through Boulogne, to miss high winds. Just added a little to our journey time, we had spare, so now worry,

We get to the Euro-tunnel terminal, and off we all go to the “Paws” pet centre so I can get checked in. I am over excited, and get told off for causing to much noise in the reception. Now its our turn and the world stops……..

SORRY LEOPOLD CANNOT RETURN TO THE UK !!!!

What! we all go cold, and the very nice French lady at reception tries to explain the problem. This is the same passport that I re-entered England last year.
She had spotted that according to the entries I had been chipped after my rabies jabs. This is illegal and made my return to the UK a problem.

What are we going to do, am I going to be separated from my dads, will we all have to stay in France for 6 months (an idea we had all be thinking would be nice, but not this way), we just stare at the lady. The reception staff last year had missed the problem. Is there any thing that can be done? Well if its an error the Vet who issued the passport can state the dates put in the passport were wrong, maybe something can be done.

Alan gets on to my new vet, who issued the passport. I used to go to a brilliant doctors in Nottingham, Alan Hickling, who Alan had used for all his pets for over 20 years. He moved on and we decided it was not worth travelling 30 miles to see a doctor, so we got a local one just 8 miles away. The vets in Nottingham chipped and jabbed me, but the passport was issued my the new vet (complicated isn’t it ?). Nothing was noticed when the document was issued, the new vet receiving a fax with all the details. What we did not see was that they put wrong dates in the boxes, and now because of this I cannot return home.

Anyway dad got on to the new vets, who said it was difficult because she would have to go the filing cabinet to get the information !! (some people have such stressful jobs –going to the filing cabinet!*!*!) Dad kept his cool – nearly – and got them to phone back. Not much use, as the girl found it difficult to read the notes and deliver a logical answer to a question that was beyond her. So he called the old vet, they had to get the archives out as they had stored all the details of Mr Hickling files

We have been here nearly and hour, and all we need is for a vet to fax a legal note to DEFRA, giving the correct dates for my treatment. They will then fax the French Office to allow me to travel home. We wait. We wait. We wait. The French lady tries to make us feel little better by telling us a funny story, but we are still waiting.

The old vet finally comes through, gets the fax to DEFRA, and the fax machine in front of us comes to life. The French lady smiles and says your free to go……….
You could not see our ars** for dust as we run to Priscilla, and try to check in. Check in on a day when the ports are closed due to the bad weather, and the tunnel is the only crossing open. BUSY, and we are late for our check in. Guy puts the details into the check in machine and gets told we are to late………..but we can just get on the next train in 30mins………just get us out of here !!

Straight trough to the holding bays, our luck changes, this year we are not stopped and searched by French customs, we are smiled at by UK customs and we get to board on time. On arrival in England the same problem with ports closed, the whole of the M20 southbound is closed, and used to park up thousands of lorries in miles of lorries parked up on the motorway. The only thing that is said was it was a good job we were not setting off today !

Not sure if I will be visiting the new vet ever again, not sure if they will be alive when Alan takes the passport back to them to sort, I hope they take me I would like to show them the size of my teeth ! they could take cover in the filing cabinets if they could be bothered !

The moral of the story - NEVER trust your documents are OK, Check that idiots have not entered the wrong information. If we could not have got the info sorted, six months would have been the consequences………

So we are back home and all wishing we were in the blue skies and sun and warmth of the Mediterranean ..one day.

One other piece of information you may be interest in, is the total tolls paid on our trip - €283 nearly all in France.

Leopold.

All good things come to an end

Samur was a good stop again, it was just the weather that took the edge off. Lots of wind and rain, so we stayed in catching up with nothing in particular, waiting for a dry patch. By the time we had had lunch things were getting brighter. The humans got the coats out, pocketed a CD thing they had done with my blog, and into town to find an Internet café. Just when we got to the most exposed part of the route, the heavens opened, and we got a bit wet. Then the sun came out and things calmed down, all the streets in the town were investigated. But for once, not one café found, we think the town is too posh to have one. But ever resourceful, either their keen eyes or sensitive noses found a wifi BAR, now isn’t that interesting, a bar on a leisurely Sunday afternoon !. Houston we have another problem – Have CD in pocket, laptop back in Priscilla….

Our complete route 5546km and it was great.

Even better I get two walks, cus know they have to go back and get the PC. Quick turnaround, we are on our way back (I have this inkling that’s it may be the bar calling more than logging on !) but hey its sunny, Sunday and were on holiday AND I can join them in a café/bar, so lets get there. It was quite busy, we sat undercover in the outside area,(were every one was cus they all like to watch the people go by). Spoilt to start with by an English women with a French man, who I think must have been deaf, or her volume control was stuck on full. Worse was the fact the conversation sounded like a soap opera script, one were you just want to slash your paws, its so depressing. Thank heavens she left, I was about to do some acting and show her my teeth and growl, to see if I could save everyone in the café the agony.

In Samur they even put signs in the gutter to show me where to cock my leg. Attention to detail !

We sat quite some time (surprise that in’it) they said the connection was slow, and the pics weren’t go up. Anyway I got admired, and enjoyed sitting in a bar. On route back we stopped at a really fancy patisserie, and got some French Tarts – sorry little cakes for afternoon tea. When your in a posh town you have to do high tea !

We enjoyed the dramatic sky as sun set, and settled for our evening at home.

Dad had ordered fresh croissant from reception, so the day started well. And we were soon off, back on the road. Our navigator seemed to have had a good night too, as he got it all right, if only he could have told us we needed a mortgage to pay the toll again €37, no wonder it seemed like we were the only ones on the road.

They had decided that, because Honfleur, (as you may recall from the beginning of the blog) does not do electric/water on the Aire in winter to stay elsewhere. That being Camping le Bruyere, about 10km south. Again a big site for the summer, but there was only us and one other Dutch guest. In season there is an inside and outside pool, bars, market, and entertainment. The pitches were grass, and having parked up decided to get permission to pitch up on the roadway. The forecast was for severe storms, Alan was concerned we may not get off a grass pitch if it got any wetter. The owner understood and we got sorted. It was windy as well; we could not watch TV for a lot of the night as the dish was trying to be a Frisbee.

They were telling me that when they came over with their friends Chris and Laurent, on the motorbikes (I think they call them Harleys) they stayed at a guesthouse about 1km away. In fact when we left we went by it, they were saying they could not see the donkey who lived in the field who had broken the foot of the guesthouse owner by standing on him. Hope it was revenge. Then they passed by the supermarket where they had the “shopping experience” something they said Laurent would understand!

We survived another stormy night and are now in Honfleur, I have been to see my lady doctor and am legal to return home.

As its “bubbles” time for them its jumbone time for me, and I must thank my mate Debbie. She trawled the shops for my chews at discount price and got me 4 dozen large ones, which has meant I have enjoyed one every evening of our adventure, how kind of her was that?

So this is it, I’ve been round town, they have been looking at which restaurant to go to tonight (I’m staying in, going to be busy day tomorrow. Guy is hoping the wind is not too bad in the morning cus we have to go over those 2 really high bridges, before we get on route to Calais. They say we are on a train at 2pm, and then we just have to get through the bad forecast weather in UK to get home.

How many times do I have to tell them I cannot use a French Keyboard

So that its friends. Another winter adventure over again. Hope you have enjoyed my blog, and that either it was informative, if your planning to do something similar. Or, if not, you may have had a smile or two at our antics.

Its good buy from me, and its good buy from them

Leopold
Bellissimo
Bonito




Distance today : 520 km
Total do date : 5271 km
Planned tomorrow 275km

TOTAL TRIP 5546km (last year 5485km)

Tolls : € 37.00
Best diesel price: € 1.34Lt
LPG € 0.80 lt

At last all the pictures are up to date

We have connection to the big world wide web, so we are getting up to date with my blog. All the pictures are on now, apart from the statue that dads thought my be nice in the front garden. Its about 10 ft tall, but we think our mates Lynne and Iain may not be so keen !

We are in Honfleur, and I have been to see the nice lady doctor, who has stamped my passport, so we can return (we all say pity !)

Its raining and raining, but we are hoping to get a walk around town and down to the estuary.

I will write up on our last day and ipload it this evening, as we are off to Calais in the morning.

Help me out please

Big up-load today (we must have internet!) So there are 4 postings for you to read to be up to date.

During my visit to Marseillan, I had some photos taken for my portfolio. Now I cannot make up my mind which one I should use for the main picture on the next blog. So I would like you, my friends to help me decide. Humans and mates alike please feel free to make opinion. As usual if you click on the pic you will get a full size picture, to view.

A

B

C

D

E

F

Please click the e.mail ink and vote on your favourite pic, just say which number pic you like best. I like them all but you decide for me, I will be forever grateful,

mailto:leopoldonholiday@btinternet.com

A big wet lick in thanks

Leopold

In the clouds – we join the mile high club

Well, I’ve said this before – What a day makes –


Our hosts had been up early, as they had the plumber arriving at 8am, we were a little later in rising. Robert had been out again and picked up the croissants, so we started our day as I like. We all had things to do today, they had the tradesmen to sort out, we had some rubber to burn.

After our “au revoirs”, we went down to the car park, and activated Priscilla’s controls, stashed all the stuff we had taken with us, and left the guys waiting for the plumber (now over 1 hour late – in fact he turned up late morning and left almost as soon as he had arrived, to return another day – well its France !)

Our navigator is taken from his cupboard and woken up had given our destination instruction. Today “Chateau de Grange Fort” campsite a little south of Clermont Ferrand, which is the far end of the Dordogne region. He does his best job yet, (no really) he took us around Beziers instead of through it to get to the motorway A75 The route takes us through the spectacular Massif Central with is breathtaking scenery. None more so than the biggest bridge in the world “ The Millau viaduct” its amazing, what made it even better was we had perfect weather (we had been expecting cloud) Even Guy was impressed and took the pictures, (he hates heights and usually closes his eyes), and I think you will agree his pictures are as good as the ones we took from the web. What a morning, and not a toll in sight, well apart from the €8.20 to cross the bridge, but you would pay twice that for such a brilliant sight (it is more expensive on summer tariffs). The road had very little traffic and even fewer lorries, which is the opposite of using the A10 up the west coast (and all the tolls on that road). So just the bridge toll on 340km of new great road, not a bump to my bits all way !.
The fantastic Millau bridge. The first 4 pics dad took





















And the next 3 pictures I got the web











However you do go up, and we joined (re-joined) the mile high club, as we got to 1121m , and we had snow for scenery, and to beat that I got to put my paws in it when we pulled into a large Aire. Just what my paws were made for, but dad was a bit more eager to get inside and get warm, and get stuck into lunch. Lunch, then yes lets get back, I’m always a bit peckish.



Well I was ok, snows in my jeans, but by the look on dads face I dont think its in his !



Not quite high enough as we did get to 1121 m, but the camera was off !




What goes up must come down, so we start our descent. Its still cloudy and drizzling, so after set up I get a sort recon walk, and the views would be great but for the weather. Just four units on the site, which is in the grounds of a fort, with a moat. The only problem (yes there seems always a problem) the son was away and dad could not give a stuff. Sign on reception door said sign book in courtyard to order bread – no book. No one in reception you could ring a buzzer and hope he came out the home in the fort. Wifi, don’t know (and could note care – French raised shoulders) None of the pitch lights were turned on, during night, and when we left, there was a controtant. We used our ACSI card, €14 for night all-inclusive. €15 presented, no change when challenged oh its was due to a local tax, (not the fact he could be bothered), so we wont bother him again, there’s always another site who may be interested in a customer. There was no receipt either. So let’s consider this as 1 Euro publicity!


Smart camping site, pity about the service





Pity is was overcast, the vies from the Fort were great


This of course set Alan off, not the fact of €1, but the fact so many sites do not provide any type of professional service to its customers – take it or leave it. He says if it was a hotel it would go bust. This was has so much potential, large swimming pool in the summer, brilliant spot, in grounds of fort, BUT.

You can imagine the mood when we left was not good. It was not helped by the fact that the boiler decided to play up and not generate any hot water. Sacrebleu! We need a plumber! They fiddled for ages and managed to coax it to work on gas only, but it takes forever to warm the water. Showers are now on ration until our return to blighty, but we do have central heating.

Rain more rain and more rain, as we return to the motorway. Once we get north of Clermont we have to pay toll again, but the road is good. There is more descent, until we reach the plains of France, and back to the wine country, together with very green farming land. Beautiful countryside that many English men have moved here for.

We are going to a site just a little way from Tours, Camping Le Tournefeuille, which is in the middle of a small town. Well that did not go well, its just before 2.pm and a sign on the gate says weekend entry is only between 5-7pm, and you have to walk through the stadium where a football match is taking place to get access. The site looks unwelcoming, and loads of local men with the jackets loose over their shoulders at parking outside the gate and walking down the site spitting as they go (get the picture?) we did, so reluctantly we decide to skip and go straight to Saumur tomorrow’s plannedstop (the one we did last year) so another 180km. Alan’s not to happy about doing 530km (6 hours) in one day, but lets get from this site.

We are using a brand new motorway, that Tom Tom does not know about so he’s given the boot and turned off, no one can stand the stuttering for the next 180km. It’s a on the cheap motorway, as, when there is a bridge or viaduct it goes from 2 lanes each way to 1 to save on cost. However it’s great to be able to get from east to west France so easy, but with toll cost. For one days travel we have paid €47.

The weather has brightened, and we are now in Saumur, but only just, there is only one fuel station on the new motorway, and we did not use it, Alan said we arrived at pitch running on vapour. We have used to backup diesel in the boot, to get us off site in a couple of days – phew! that what you call running close to the edge.

No internet gain (they’ll have it next month – when it will work - echo echo echo ), so tomorrow were going into town to find an internet café, so I can update al my friends.
Lets hope were successful.

Site was busy last year (we were here on the 13th march) to night we eat and sleep below the big Châteaux sharing the site with just one other motorhome (UK)

It will get better before their tans fade they say!


Distance today : 520 km
Total do date : 4751 km
Tolls : € 47.00
Best diesel price: € 1.32Lt (worst €1.43)
LPG € 0.79 lt

Burgers BUT not just any Burger !

After the late night we awoke to a surprise – fresh baked croissant from the bakery – my favourite – yum-yum! We had to wait for some building supplies to be delivered, then off we went. Robert & Geoff had been very considerate and hired a 7-seater car, four seats for the humans and three for me, I have them well trained. It was still a bit gusty, but sunny. We headed off to Marseillan, where we visited last year and they do the splendid burgers. All the way down in the car I kept them focussed through my telepathic powers, think burger, think burger. While here I go some new pictures taken, see my special request posting .

As soon as we arrived at the quaint little port we went straight to the café where they serve the fabulous burgers – I tell you Darren Brown has nothing on me. Cheeseburger, Baconburger, Cheesburger. Robert said he would have a salad, yes a salad Cheeseburger! I must point out that we had not travelled to the South of France for just any burgers. These are hand made beef pates, and taste delicious, really (beats macadoos anyday!) We sat in the sun. It was heaven (see pic). Then we went for a walk around town. We spotted some promotional material for an upcoming concert at the local theatre, and I thought I recognized the sponsor from London, who knows if its true ! (only Mark can tell us )
Mark is this true just a few tickets left ?

Next stop was Peveres, an historic old town full of patisseries in little tiny streets and quite a number of art and antique shops . As usual I was fussed ever so much. One dear old lady asked what “make” I was – I asked you – Geoff suggested a Fiat Cinquecento – just wait Geoff – my powers are increasing! (I feel a shortage on your plumbing order coming on – what’s a tap between friends – a nods as good as a lick!) everybody knows I am a Porsche!

I met a couple of really cute puppies, but forgot to take a picture. You will just have to trust me they were cute, and that’s from a dog who is not into puppies!

Then it looked like we may never return home again. It seemed they had set up a business each, and we would live happy ever after in the Med sun. What else than an Estate Agent for Guy (wheeler dealer!) and the foodie with a Pizza restaurant (well maybe not – just a shabby van – no comment !)
Guy has an estate agency

And Alan a little "mobile" business

Then we noticed the winds had dropped and it was great walking round town. There was a statue in a fountain, they said perhaps one like it would look good in our front garden (well have to ask Lynne and Iain when we get back (but I think I know the answer !)
Val bet you wish you were here ?

On our way back home we went through some great countryside, with lots of fields if fruit trees all in blossom, The late afternoon sun, is Alan’s favourite and I see why, it was so yellow and mellow, with the fields of trees and vines, the châteaux, (two were up for sale, the best €2m, so we wont be living there any time yet ). We will have to see it with leaves and grapes one day, we only see it in the spring, and the wild flowers.

Dinner was great again, but just the 5 of us tonight, well 4½ cus I am drifting off, its all that fresh air. The evening ends a bit earlier than last night, cus we are all a bit battered.

Its been a fabulous couple of days again, (they now how to enjoy life in the South of France, and that was without our mate Val being there (just look what you missed Val, a shop full of shoes and handbags – even one pair of shoes, shoes, heals everything clear as glass – must be Cinders !)

I know Alan has enjoyed hanging his driving gloves up for a couple of days,.

Thanks Guys , see you back home

Allo Allo my petite cherubs

It is I in “la France”, and having a great time thanks for asking .

However, every pleasure has a price and for Alan it was driving from L’Estartit to Aigne, in some of the strongest winds you can imagine.. To give you an indication, when we pulled in for diesel on the Spanish border, Guy had to hang on to the wing mirror while fuelling to prevent being blown over the forecourt. The Spanish lorry drivers had no problem hurtling at full speed along the motorway, even if many of them had the fabric sides hanging and blowing down the sides. So they would pull over fix, and hurtle off again. Alan said it was one of the hardest drives he had done.

Priscilla was being blown in all directions and at nearly 4 tonne, he said it was difficult to hold on. The worst was the local roads to the motorway, with oncoming lorries (at full speed, and we are being blown into the centre of the road, but I think it was only Alan who noticed because me and Guy had our eyes closed and were humming loudly most of the way.

Just before we left the site we noticed that Jodrell Bank had gone, packed away, and nearly all the tents on site had been taken down. Why, cus the winds just blew everything around, including us, we were rocked the whole night through. We made a pact that we would not mention the navigators directional error, it did mean we had a VERY scenic journey to the motorway, at one point the road between the two houses on opposite sides of the road was about a foot wider than Priscilla, we all breathed in and this time Alan closed his eyes.

The petrol stop, was longer than usual this time because every one was buying goods at the border, 10 kg oranges for €7.30, Sangria, we do not know what price cus they said they would not drink it if they were in a desert and the oasis was dry. And other items that are only sold in Spain. Then we crossed the border (slowly as there are a number of viaducts and the wind was still blasting us side on !) to find diesel was €0.22 dearer after 10 km, good idea filling up then!

Then the tolls jump too, but the humans say they have a way to beat the French charging so much (they are going to use a new motorway in a day or two, see where they go). Then the temperature drops and we all feel it, (don’t need the zip anymore!) we all want to turn round and zoom back to the sun and heat, but we can’t always have what we wont, we are down to about 10-12 deg with wind chill.

All this is of nothing to me as I have one thought in mind, France means I can get my delights inside a restaurant instead of being banned as in Spain and Blighty. So I’ll be putting the pressure on them to get me out into town for some tasty bites.
Canal du Midi in the spring, but it was a bit blustery

But first its time to meet up with my mates, our neighbours from London, who are doing up a nice house in the Languedoc-Roussillon area in the South of France (last years blog gives detail). We got our navigator to take us to Aigne (got it almost right – no comment) and arrived at their home. Lots of work has been done since we were here last year. More to do, but they’re happy with the progress, and so are we cus we can stay with them instead of going to the camp site. We go out for lunch and I JOIN them, yippee, its great, not gourmet, but who cares.
I have a real thing about wind blowing up my rear, it makes me so MAD!

Off to the Canal du Midi to walk off lunch. A bit windy and a tad cool, but so nice. Then we found a family of Coypu, which are known as Ragondin in France. Apparently they used to be used for ladies fur accessories, and some got (or was it went) wild and now the French Government poison them when found (they damage there river banks) so no one would mention they knew they wee around. Really friendly babies kept coming up to us.

The family of Ragondin that made friends with us, and we won't tell the French police they are there !!

Back home and some of Robert and Geoff’s neighbours joined us for dinner, Imogene & Joe, very nice people who helped make a really great night which went on to after 1200pm, I was kna*****, (I think everyone else was would not say so!).

However, it did end reluctantly for all of us, but I got a midnight walk and Imogene and Joe got a look at Priscilla, so they could see what a real motorhome looked like (they have one but I think it was a bit different from ours!)

I know I will sleep tonight, but may end up dreaming of an A-la-carte meal in a restaurant with all my friends around the table (a bit like Saturday evening back home!)

Night Night


Distance today : 160 km
Total do date : 4231 km
Tolls : € 19.00
Best diesel price: € 1.13Lt
LPG € lt

Shake, rattle & roll – babe

Well what a night – again, but not the humans this time. No this time a touch of mother nature. Wind (no not the sort that sets of the alarm!) lots of it, and by this morning we were nearly all looking for the sick bags - Priscilla, rolled and rocked and shook, and groaned in winds that blasted all night. Not cold, still 11deg, just gusty, and at daybreak blue sky and sun. It felt like we had been on the overnight ferry.

I at least had made friends with my Dutch mate next door. He was a little dog, and when we first meet, growled and showed me his teeth (yes clean and white, what did he want me to say?). But at last he realises I don’t want his humans, so we were friends. However, he did remind us of something very serious we had forgotten about. Furry caterpillars, the ones that live in Pine trees, in silk cocoons, and walk in long lines (we had encountered them last year while in Nice). They are very dangerous to humans and us dogs, they can even kill us. We had heard horrible stories of dogs having to have parts of their noses or tongues cut away, after encountering them. My mate had done that a couple of weeks ago, and ended up having to stay in hospital overnight. He was lucky he just ended up with a blue patch on his tongue. They are everywhere in the Med and Europe, so a message to all mates reading this, and going on walks in Europe, never go near a line of caterpillars, and never sniff them or even stand on them, horrid critters.

We packed up and were on our way in no time, sorry to leave such a nice location, but we had stayed 2 nights. Now a little apprehensive about how much we were going to be blown around on the motorway. By the time we got out of town, the winds had dropped to just strong, and our journey was very pleasant, in the sun and blue sky. Alan slipped cruise control on, and for over 200km, we just glided along (it’s a big day today 280km, to get us past Barcelona, to our last overnight in Spain.
Talking of Barcelona, the traffic was mad as usual, but as we were staying on the AP7, we did not have to do “the drive to hell” through the centre as we did last year.

So our last full day in Espania, a lot of memories, of 5 weeks of very differing experiences and sights. I have made a map of our journey, and put it here for your viewing. With my travels maybe instead of a writer I will try Geography teaching!

The route we have done so far

The one overriding memory will be “wont it be nice when they finish building” . Today we had miles and miles of the AP7 being upgraded while they build yet another motorway right alongside.

As I was saying all was well as we cruised north, that was until be got to the Costa Brava, and Gerona. Ahead, over the mountains clouds were building, and they were dark. Our junction approached and we turned off the autoroute and paid our toll. A few more km and there were spots of rain, then it went black and we got snow & rain together. Now I now it rains in Spain, but I was not expecting snow on the Costa Brava, and it went cold. When we got to site there was a thermometer on the reception wall saying it was 10 deg. See a fur coat is useful!

We are in L’Estartit, we have the usual amenities, including a heated indoor swimming pool. They smile; it’s the old rules NO swimming, in shorts or without a rubber hat on. So I expect I may have a problem with my fur (have to get a wetsuit), but then I don’t like paddling or swimming, silly me. We’ve been a walk into town (mostly shut up waiting for summer) but the dozens of inmobiliarias (estate agents to you and me) were open all trying to sell windows full of all sorts of properties. The humans said that although there is stacks on the market prices are still high, reason properties are on the market for years.We have returned, just as the sun is showing through. And I am at the table ready, I saw them put the kettle on, so I know there’ll be a biscuit or two coming my way.

A web pic of L'Estartit

Just about to take a bite of the first one and there back, the gusty winds, we are rocking again. 5pm Just the time our friends Robert and Geoff land in Perpignan, I hope they are not in need of sick bags as well!.

Were all looking out of the window at a GB tugger pitch, just in front of us. He has a satellite dish the size of Jodrell Bank, with rope tying off in every direction. He has been out 2-3 times to re-align it as the wind is turning it into a kite. Every time he goes back in it blows round again. He’s not been out for half hour, we think he has settled down to the fact he has to watch Russian TV tonight!

If you want to see where we are the link is: http://www.campinglesmedes.com/

I’ll ask them when we meet up with them tomorrow, when we get to the Marseillan/Sete area of France.

So its -Hasta Luego, Espania, and Bonjour, la France

Not sure if I will get wifi access over the next couple of days – or If they’ll be in a fit state to use it if we do, so keep watching for the latest instalment!!- theres still a week to go………..

Distance today : 280 km
Total do date : 4071 km
Tolls : € 16.00
Best diesel price: € 1.10Lt LPG

Is there a down side to being a dog ?

More Pictures and captions later

I have at last come to a decision on the important question of “is there any downside to being a dog” - do I want to come back as a human?.

With my help and control, I get the walks I need, they open and close the doors (sometimes dozens of times when I am restless) for me. I get the food I want (they know I will go on hunger strike if they buy new stuff I don’t like) always a big portion of what they eat. I get my cheese fix and jumbone every day, and a big bowl of water (but for their entertainment I usually decide to drink from my bucket on the terrace – keep um guessing I say !). I have my own space, they have special covers for me, so I can lounge and sleep on the settees if I feel inclined. I join them on the bed most morning to have a cuddle, and have so many mates, dogs and humans.






Just pretending – I have to let them think I do doggy things, but its fun to see them do and say stupid things !



But there is one downside, just one. Why didn’t we get a zip in our fur coats?
It was 34 deg in the sun today, 23 deg in shade, and my thick curly black fur got me hot and bothered. If only I could have slipped out of it for a cool down. Well they are always saying not everything is perfect in the world, and you cannot change that, so I’ll just have to put up with air-conditioning !

The sun, blue skies and crystal clear seas, are having an effect of dads, (I am trying not to show opinion) but they could be starting a downer!. Alan said on the drive today that in less than a week we will be leaving the Mediterranean on route back home – then it went quiet. Still I try to make them positive we still have 10 days left, so lets enjoy it, and it worked cus we had a great day.
You turn from the beach and it’s a lake





A walk on a summers day !

How’s this for seascape

We drove a short hop today 140km up the coast to the start of the Costa Dorada. The journey took us through castle country, or so it seamed, with lots of large a small castles, and paradors on the hills we passed by. The vista has now changed from vivid orange to subtle olive, as the area now covered in groves. Just past the beautiful area of the Ebro Delta, is the small town of L’Ametlla de Mar, and our campsite is about 2km past the village, and is less than 400 m from the sea.
Our beach for a couple of days

Its just so perfect

What a difference a day makes (I think I have used that line before, but its true again). This site is open all year, but unlike yesterdays, had only 4 units set up, and even by early evening, probably 10 pitches used. Its just great, apart from there is only one mate, and his humans don’t seem to want him to meet me – hey you cannot win them all –his loss !. Admittedly the site is not running any of its extensive programme, that only starts in the summer, including what look like a fabulous restaurant, but for us its PERFECT. Pitched up under small olive trees, Guy was all beaming smiles; we were back in the land of the “BBC”. And for the icing on the cake cheapish wifi that works (nearly).
The new restaurant that’s not yet open – pity they say

We went to the beach, just look at the pics to see that this is a great place, I found myself bounding about (being a bit of a puppy – well its what an adventures for!). We continued over the headland path (5 mins walk, to the next bay, a natural lake or two, and wooded cliffs dappled in the late afternoon sun ( think my literary skills are improving – may see what job opportunities there are for Bernese writers !).
Our return to site was past groves of olive trees, which were being pruned by a group of humans.
An old Spanish windmill at the end of our walk

Now we can settle to a nice Sunday dinner, Alan at the controls as I write, the other has just lifted the chilled bubbles from the fridge, and I have my jumbone.

Life don’t get much better than this !




Distance today : 140 km
Total do date : 3791 km
Tolls : € 9.00
Best diesel price: € 1.10Lt
LPG € lt