NCC Pertisau Holiday 19/07/2025

Maurach-am-Achense, Tyrol, Austria

We didn't hang about this morning, as we wanted to get here early, and were away by 09:30 - with the result that the SW asked whether it was time to stop for lunch when it was only 11:30!

We had hoped to go the familiar way down as far as Fussen, but the Satnav told us there was a 30 minute holdup just out of Ulm, and we had do better to go via Munich, which we did. And there were a fair amount of holdups there, too, but nothing very major.  And then there was that lovely moment when the motorway swept round a corner and the view opened up - and there, at last, were the Alps!  And, not too long later, the first signs to the Achensee.  We came in from the Northern end, via Achenkirch, and arrived at our campsite at about 13:15 (having stopped for a coffee en route).  Checkin was quick and easy - they recognised us from last time - and apart from a few queries like where do we plug in our electricity, and when were they going to email us our visitor cards, we got settled in very quickly and had a lunch sitting out of doors in the shade - the WoMo was unbearably hot!

After lunch, we pottered for a bit and then headed to the bus stop to catch the bus to Pertisau, where we had a lovely walk pretty much along the lake up to the boat place, where we met up with some of our friends before heading to the Hotel Christina for Kaffee und Kuchen (in my case, tea and an ice-cream!) and meeting the other book club members who were there.  We have not yet got our holiday cards, and are rather annoyed that, had we known it, they are available from the Achensee Atoll Welcome Centre, just a couple of hundred metres away!  We can get them in the morning and perhaps get the boat over to Pertisau tomorrow.  Actually, we couldn't have gone on the boat trip some of the others were going on, even had we had our holiday cards by then, as it wasn't going to Buchau, which is our stop, and we would probably have missed the last bus.

As it was, we had about 20 minutes to wait for the bus - the penultimate one of the day - but it came, and the change at Maurach was as quick and easy as ever.  We got off at the Atoll, as the bus goes in there and one doesn't have to cross the very busy road, as you would at Buchau, and got home just before the rain started!  There is now a massive thunderstorm going on, which is lovely!

NCC Pertisau holiday, 18 July 2025

Neu-Ulm, Bavaria, Germany

It was so lovely this morning eating breakfast out of doors - I thought at first we wouldn't be warm enough, but it was actually warmer outside the WoMo than inside, probably because we had had the shutters closed and the skylights open all night.  So we sat out and enjoyed our fried eggs, fruit juice, toast and pains au chocolat, and by the time we had got "redd up", as my Irish in-laws say, it was already past 11:0 am.

We could have gone via Stuttgart and the motorway, but it is the A8, which is be-roadworked to the hilt, and we didn't fancy spending most of the day in traffic jams, so we told it to go a different route. This was slower (except for the traffic jams), but absolutely lovely, going first through the Black Forest and then the Schwabian Alps.  Small roads, and a few hairpins, but nothing to really worry about - lots of little villages and speed restrictions, though.  But all in all, we agreed, an enjoyable drive, and the Satnav tells us we saved 30 minutes going that way!

When we got to Neu-Ulm, we thought at first it would be a bust. The actual aire was jam-packed solid, as was the one on the other side of the road, and the car park said firmly No Motor homes Beyond This Point. However, a fair few motorhomes had gone beyond that point, so we did, too - but then a very kind man came up and said that he had a space that was far too big for him, and could easily make room for us in it!  So we said Thank You Very Much and moved here - which was slightly more expensive than the main car park, but which has electricity and at least some services (we will be able to empty the loo, anyway, although I'm not sure about the grey tank).  And now we are about to eat the second half of the chicken and rice casserole!

NCC Pertisau Holiday, 17 July 2025

Saverne, Alsace

The funfair finally quietened down at midnight - technically it closed at 23:00, but music went on thumping out until about midnight.  Not too awful, though, and we will certainly return to that aire again - it has far more spaces than the one we usually use, and they won't have funfairs all the time!

The Swan Whisperer went to get croissants in the morning, and we were ready to head on at about 10:00, stopping first for a quick visit to a supermarket.  This was a mistake, as the shop in question was going to be closed tomorrow for stocktaking, and it had obviously not had any deliveries that day, so there were quite a lot of gaps on the shelves.  Still, I got most of what I wanted.

It was a lovely drive today; although we decided not to pay motorway tolls, the route we went was nearly all either non-toll motorway or dual carriageway.  Not very well maintained, mind - you can see the difference between roads one pays to use and roads one doesn't!  The drive took us past many of our favourite places in Northern France - Chalons-en-Champagne, Vitry-le-François, Bar-le-Duc, etc, and also past many places where we have stopped for a night - Toul, Pont-au-Mousson, etc.  We stopped for lunch at the Aire de Toul - not the eponymous motorhome parking, where we have been a couple of times, but this was just a motorway services.  We didn't stop again until we got to this very nice campsite in Alsace, where we are parked up for the night.

After a cup of tea, the Swan Whisperer went for a walk and I read and crocheted until it was time to start getting supper, which was a sort of hash with lardons, potatoes, onions, mushrooms and tomatoes, topped with grated cheese!  Delicious!  Followed by yoghurt with peach compôte.

It is a lovely evening, and many people are still sitting out, although it has cooled down now.  We did eat supper outside, but have come in now, as it really wasn't quite warm enough.  

NCC Pertisau Holiday, 16 July 2025

Reims, Grand-Est

A rather dull day.  We could have arrived here in Reims really quite early, but there really wasn't much else to do ,so we decided to go non-toll, which was going to take longer.  By the time we had had breakfast (the Swan Whisperer went out to get croissants and then, as I wasn't quite ready, went to look at where other motor homes that we could see had been parked up - basically the nearest P&R!  But they seemed happy enough to let people stay overnight, so we might do that on the way back.  We'll see.

Anyway, by the time he came back and we had had breakfast, cleared up, and used the services, it was gone 10:00 by the time we set off.  We stopped near Lens for the Swan Whisperer to have coffee and I meant to just nip in to the Carrefour, but the whole shopping centre was so vast that it took longer than I intended.  All I really needed were some new pool sliders to replace mine that demised this morning (they were ancient), and the SW was low on milk, so I got some of that, and some chicken thighs to make a casserole for supper.  Which was very good, although perhaps would have been nicer with some mushrooms in it?  And the pool sliders were only €3.99!  

Anyway, we then headed on, and had planned to stop somewhere near St-Quentin for lunch, but it got later and later, so eventually we stopped in a random layby somewhere.  We then decided, since it was going to take 45 minutes less to get here if we went on the toll motorway than if we didn't, that we would remove the SatNav's prohibition on going on toll motorways, and arrived in Reims about 16:00.  This isn't where we usually stop, but another random aire I found.  No services, but plenty of room.  The only snag is that there is a funfair the other side of the car park, and we fear it may render the night hideous!  Still, it can't go on all night (can it?), and tomorrow is another rather dull driving day.

NCC Pertisau Holiday, 15 July 2025

Calais, Hauts-de-France

This holiday is basically why we couldn't go to Oberstdorf this year, as either we would have had to have set off again within a couple of days of arriving home, or we would have had to have had a six-week holiday in the motor home - which, while do-able and probably very enjoyable, wouldn't quite do as we both have responsibilities we couldn't have left for so long.

So yesterday we spent the morning packing, and in the afternoon we visited the Inspirations exhibition celebrating 200 years of passenger rail services; it was most enjoyable, despite being mostly aimed and children and despite our arriving rather later than the time stated on our tickets, due to my having failed to check where the exhibition actially was!  We then had a quick drink with the Daughter, who was just leaving work, before we headed off home again to finish packing.

This morning we got up early and had a quick breakfast before filling the car and doing all the last bits.  We left London shortly after 09:00, and despite having to stop to check the tyre pressures, arrived at the motor home at about 11:00 or shortly after.  We transferred the stuff from the car to the WoMo (getting stung by nettles in the process; at least, I did!), and then drove down to No 6 and got as much sorted out as we could before and early lunch with my mother, my sister and her partner.  Which was cold roast venison with salad and new potatoes, followed by fruit salad and cake, and cheese and biscuits if anybody wanted, which we didn't.  They had had a dinner party a couple of days earlier, so we got the leftovers - and a boxful of cold venison to have for lunch over the next few days.  Lush!

But we couldn't linger, especially as the others wanted to go fishing, and after finishing the tidying-up that needed to be done before we could set off (things in the fridge; groceries put away), we set off about 14:00 and, after a very smooth journey (I slept through most of it) arrived at Folkestone at 15:45, hoping to be offered a crossing earlier than our booked 17:16.  Unfortunately I think there had been some disruption earlier, and our booked crossing was the only option offered.  So we parked up and did things like unpacking and making the bed, and I nipped into the AA Shop to buy a new pair of seabands (why are new ones always so tight?) as one of mine had demised as we set off.  I was delighted to find they were about half what they cost in Boots!

The crossing was as straightforward as ever, except that we were delayed getting off by a couple of cars that wouldn't start and had to be towed, but once we were off we went straight to Cité Europe where I bought some money (we will probably need cash in Austria) and did some shopping, and then drove to the Camping-Car Park where we usually stay - there seems to be a rival facility across the road, which may need investigating - and had supper.  Having not slept well last night, I don't think I'll be late to bed this evening, despite having slept en route!

Going out out, 20 June 2025

We do not often go "out out"; usually evening expeditions, if any, are to various meetings of one kind or another. The last time I went out "on pleasure bent" was to see a film screening at Brixton Library with my tai chi friends, and I don't remember when the last time the Swan Whisperer and I went to the theatre together - it was at The Landor theatre and was on black plastic ice (friends of ours were skating in it).  But how long ago was that? Also the ABBA experience a few years ago, but nothing since! 

However, this evening we went all the way to Chelsea to see a production of "Swallows and Armenians" at the Chelsea Theatre.  I had bought the tickets some weeks ago, but was not very sure what to expect.  Actually, I thoroughly enjoyed it.  The play - it's more of a musical, really - details the relationship between Arthur Ransome and the Altounyan family, on whom he based the original "Swallows" when he wrote Swallows and Amazons.  It didn't end well, with the relationship between Ernest Altounyan and Arthur Ransome going totally pear-shaped (not helped by the fact that he would have liked to have married Altounyan's wife, back in the day), and the children left wondering whether their school friends really wanted to know them for themselves, or as their characters in the books.  My main criticism was that the music was a bit overwhelming in a small space, but I took out my hearing aids for the second half, and that was much better!  The musicians were brilliant, although they occasionally missed the note when they sang.  But the range of instruments they all played was amazing.

After the performance, we could have joined in a circle dance in the square outside, but can you see the Swan Whisperer doing that?  No, me neither!  Had it been on ice.... But it was on concrete, so we came away to find a restaurant, and ended up in a very nice Persian one called Abib.  I ordered lamb chops

(I did not expect five of them - that would have done the Swan Whisperer and me at least twice at home!), and the Swan Whisperer ordered a chicken and lamb skewer.  The waitress strongly suggested we had a starter, as the main dishes would take at least twenty minutes, so we had hummus with garlic bread, and very good it was, too.  I ordered my lamb with garlic bread - the choices were that, or saffron rice or chips, but I find rice difficult to eat when I'm out as it gets under my false teeth!  So I ordered the bread, and then fell free to leave it, but I did, greedily, eat all the meat and salad! 

When we had finished, we found we could go home a different way - we had come on a 317 bus, changing at Sloane Square to an 11, but going home we took a 345 from Beaufort Street, changing at Clapham Common on to a 37. 

All in all, a most enjoyable date night!

Early summer holiday, 13 June 2025

Brixton, London, UK

I was too tired to blog last night, so to catch up on the final day of our holiday: we were able to heat water for our showers using electricity, although cups of tea made with it were disgusting! Once we were both showered and dressed, we made our way over to Auchan, where we knew we could buy gas, only to find that it wasn't yet open - sales are between 09:00 and 13:00.  Fortunately by then it was 08:55, and by the time we had bought diesel, the kiosk operator was there.

So we drove to the car-park of the main superstore and had breakfast, and, once I had finished I did a Last Shop in France, and then we drove over to the Shuttle terminus, where we got on a train half an hour earlier than our booking, which was good.  We stopped at Clackett Lane Services to eat our lunch, including belated Pentecost cheesecake/last day patisseries

and then went straight to No 6, where my mother was pleased to see us.

It is baby-pigeon season, and the results were all too obvious on our car, so the Swan Whisperer had to wash it before he did anything else! We eventually got it loaded and headed back to London about 18:00, getting home just on 20:00.  I'd bought a ready-meal for supper which we had as soon as we'd unloaded the fridge stuff, and then it was a matter of unpacking the basics, plus making overnight oats for the family, who were coming next morning to parkrun and then coming here to shower, breakfast and celebrate my birthday! It was lovely to see them.  And so ends another trip; we will be off again in about a month!