The last dregs of summer, 5 October 2022

This morning, for some reason, I fell asleep again after taking my tablet and didn't wake up until well gone 09:00. I really had trouble getting out of bed and showering, too! However, once I had, I was fairly all right, and we spent the first hour after breakfast doing necessary chores like boiling the washing-up cloths to sterilise them, and changing the tea-towel, while the Swan Whisperer washed the outside windows and windscreens. 

When we were ready to move on, though, and we had a bit of a fright, as when I pressed my card to the exit barrier, nothing happened! I realised there were no lights on the barrier, and the Swan Whisperer said it was the same on the entry barrier. So I rang them up, and first the woman I spoke to - who didn't speak nearly as good English as the one I spoke to the other night - asked me to try a code, but of course that didn't work, and then she said we could lift the barrier manually. So we did that. Unfortunately, the power cut, or whatever it was, also applied to the services - which were outside the actual enclosure - so we had to come away without using them. 

Our first port of call was Arles. We thought at first it would be impossible to park, since all the ar parks we could see were full, but just as we were going sadly away, we came across an absolutely enormous, empty car park that was so new the entrance barriers and card readers, etc, hadn't been set up yet. So parking was free. There were two other, older, car parks on the site which were now locked out of use, whether permanently or just in the low season I couldn't say. 

A shuttle bus ran us into town and, indeed, out the other side to the Roman race-track. We had confused this with the arena and theatre, but there was a good museum there and we enjoyed wandering around seeing the various bits and bobs they used in daily life, although I, for one, was less than enthused by the enormous hunks of stone that formed much of the display. Of more interest was a huge wooden boat that had apparently sunk in the harbour some 2,000 years ago and had been raised. It had been carrying stone, among other cargo. There were also a great many sarcophagi - frankly, if you've seen one Roman sarcophagus, you've seen them all - and I do hope they reburied the original inhabitants with all due reverence. 

When we had finished with the museum, we decided to walk back into town - a lovely path which took us past the Roman-style garden that the museum had created. It was full of schoolchildren and others eating packed lunches, so we didn't go in, but walked up alongside the Rhône,

and then through the mediaeval streets until we got back to the main drag where we had lunch. Then we walked a bit further until we got to the old arena.

I was flagging by then, but nothing a delicious ice-cream

couldn't cure! We tried to get a sight of the Roman theatre, too, but were somehow the wrong side of it. 

We walked back to the main drag through a small but steep (fortunately downhill!) public park, and didn't have to wait too long for a bus back to the car park. 

We then drove on, via a supermarket, to this France Passion farm at Montcalm, in the Camargue, where we were warmly welcomed. The woman in the shop seemed both surprised and pleased that we had bothered to come and say hello - I have to wonder how many people don't bother. Or who stop here without being members of France Passion. Actually, looking at the map, it is possible that the France Passion place is the other side of the road, but this place takes motorhomes to, so.... 

The last dregs of summer, 4 October 2022

It appears to be summer between the hours of 10:00 and 19:00 or thereabouts. Before and after, it can be very cold, and this morning it was very foggy. 

However, after breakfast we set off to the highlight of today, the Cirque de Navacelles, which my brother-in-law said was well worth seeing. The fog had lifted en route, and he was not wrong!

The photos simply don't do it justice. I found I could only look over for a few seconds at a time, or I got very dizzy, and the Swan Whisperer didn't help by practically climbing the retaining wall (he says he was perfectly safe, but then he would say that, wouldn't he?) to see if he could see the others, who had decided to walk down! Sooner them than me, and the SW wasn't able for a long walk today as he had had two in recent days and done his tendon a lot of no good. 

We had a drink in the Café there, but that was a bit of a failure as we ordered the very special home-made lemonade. The SW ordered plain and I ordered lemon/lavender, but honestly, all you could taste was sugar! It was appallingly sweet, quite revolting. At least it meant we weren't hungry, so we decided to drive on towards Bellegarde, where we are spending the night. 

It was awful, the first two hours of the drive. Firstly we drove down and down, hairpin after hairpin, horribly scary and sick-making, and when! we had gone about 20 km, the road turned out to be blocked, so we had to turn round. The Satnav did suggest a fairly sensible-looking diversion but the SW said he didn't like the look of it, so we had to go up a different set of hairpins, horrendously narrow, much worse than the first! I was so terrified I regret to say I screamed most of the way up and was thankful I'd had no lunch! I And as soon as we got to the top, we the SW said should we stop and have lunch?! It was a good 30 minutes before I could even think of eating anything...

However, after that it was a very pleasant drive along the D999 and then past Nîmes to this Camping-car park in Bellegard. Which is by a marina, rather nice! We don't think we'll meet up with the others again but you never know! 

The last dregs of summer, 3 October 2022

This evening finds us still at Nant. We had been going to move on, but it didn't happen!

This morning, the SW and the others went for a walk up to Le Roc de Nant.

Sooner them than me, is all I will say about that! I, meanwhile, had a glorious morning doing absolutely nothing!

When the others got home, it was lunch time and past, so we had our lunch and then sat around chatting and putting the world to rights. It was a lovely summer afternoon - I do wish I'd packed shorts - and by about 16:00, we all decided it was too late, and we were too comfortable, to move! 

I had had no exercise, so the SW kindly accompanied me into the town for a brief wander round the Old Town and then a beer in the old market halls. Tomorrow is market day here and the men were putting up barriers to do people parking in the Square. 

Then back to the WoMo and eventually I cooked a cauliflower cheese which was lovely.  And we will have to move on tomorrow! 

The last dregs of summer, 2 October 2022

It was much milder this morning, and I don't think the heating needed to come on at all. The SW went into the village to buy bread, and after breakfast we used the services before heading on. 

Today's drive was down the A75, such a lovely road, as far as Millau.

We listened to our church service en route which was a bit surreal! At Millau, we came off the motorway and drove cross country through the Gorges de la Tarn and past La Cavalerie - there was a French Foreign Legion barracks and also a military firing range, and like Salisbury Plain - to this little village called Nant, where we met up with the SW's brother and his wife. 

We had lunch sitting outside, because it was so lovely. The SW changed into shorts, but I haven't packed any. After lunch, the others all went for some long, healthy uphill walk to some chapel or other - local beauty spot, anyway - and I went for a potter around the mediaeval old town centre, complete with resident ginger monster! I wonder whether all mediaeval French towns have ginger cats.... 

Back at the WoMo, I read until it was time to get supper, and then fed everybody on chicken and vegetable stew with couscous and Moroccan seasonings. And very good it was, too - a pleasant evening in good company. 

The last dregs of summer, 1 October 2022

It was exactly 7 years ago that we set off in our then motor home on our first ever motorhome adventure, the Eleanor of Aquitaine tour. We have learnt a lot since then!

Meanwhile, it was not so cold this morning, although the heating still came on. There was an artisan bakery just around the corner from the campsite, and the SW popped up there for a baguette and croissants for breakfast. I had had another bad night, although my cold is very definitely almost over, and fell fast asleep after breakfast, but when I woke up, we went back to the bakery for some patisseries for lunch pudding!

Then we went into Nevers; we had hoped to park up by the Loire and have a quick look at the Cathedral but the parking was a bit full and not really suitable for motor homes, so we came away and I did a massive shop at an Intermarché and now won't need to get anything other than bread, and possibly milk, before Tuesday!

Then a very pleasant drive down the N7, A71, A79 and A75 to this Camping-car park at a place called Brassac-les-Mines. I did book, but it wasn't necessary

as I think there is only one other motor home there. The Swan Whisperer went out for a leg-stretch, and I watched videos, and now he is cooking our Saturday night sausages! 

The last dregs of summer, 30 September 2022

Stupid, stupid, stupid me! I forgot that the "nighttime" decongestant tablets really don't suit me, and took them. The net result was that I lay awake most of the night with a mouth so dry it merited its own hosepipe ban, and very restless. Dozed a bit, but woke every hour on the hour, so felt like chewed string this morning. No walks for me today, although I did pop into a supermarket for some necessities.

We had a very pleasant drive once we got away from the Paris area, mostly down the A77 (we decided it was worth paying tolls) to Nevers, where we have parked up in a small, free aire in a suburb called Marzy. Nice view, but I really didn't feel up to a walk, so read and dozed while the SW explored.  I did cook supper, which was mushroom omelettes. No photos today, so here is one from yestetday. 

The last dregs of summer, 29 September 2022

I slept really well last night, the first good night's sleep I have had since starting this cold! But we awoke to the sound of rain on the roof, and it was cold enough that we needed to turn the heating on while we dressed. The rain was away before we were, though, and we only met one brief, although sharp, shower en route. 

We told the Satnav that we didn't want to pay tolls as far as Abbéville, where I visited a Super U, but forgot to buy tea, which must be remedied tomorrow. By which time, the Swan Whisperer decided he liked the look of the non-toll route and it was, he said, only half an hour longer, so we went via Rouen and Evreux here to Sceaux. We are parked in the free car park for the Chateau de Sceaux (which the Satnav amused us by pronouncing it "Skucks"), and after a cup of tea we went for a rather slow walk around the Parc de Sceaux, which was absolutely gorgeous! More photos on Facebook, of course.

By the way, if you want a map of our travels and stops, do follow me on Polarsteps. Link on Facebook. 

The last dregs of summer, 28 September 2022

Back at the end of February, we went off down to the South of France to try to find the spring. This time we are going to try to salvage the last dregs of summer.. Although we don't know exactly where we are going after the first few days as we plan to meet up with the Swan Whisperer brother and his wife, who are touring in their motor home. 

My mother and sister have been on a cruise to the Norwegian fjords, and they returned today, so we all met up at no 6, we arrived about 5 minutes before they did. They unpacked their stuff while we loaded the van, and then they went to pick up the dog, who was staying with my sister's partner, and we headed off. 

Uneventful drive and crossing, and then a further hour to this Camping-Car park where we are spending the night. Supper was a German ready-meal that was edible, although not as nice as it looks on the packet!

 

Summer Holiday, 30 August 2022

 And so we came home.  First of all, though, we woke up in Bray-Dunes, and after breakfast took ourselves on a leg-stretch to the beach and back.

  Then we used the services for the final time, and set off down the A16 towards Calais.  We had hoped to stop at the big Auchan in the Grande Synthe commercial centre, but there was a traffic jam and we missed our exit, so went straight to Cité Europe and I did a Last Shop in France there.  We had a slightly early lunch, and eventually headed to the Eurotunnel terminus.

We had booked on the 15:20 crossing, and I had hoped we'd get on an earlier one, but even though the traffic wasn't as horrendous as it would have been the previous day, it was still pretty busy, so we had to be on our booked crossing, which was slightly late.  This meant we arrived at No 6 at about 17:15 local time, and then, of course, there was a busy half an hour or so packing up stuff that hadn't already been packed - we had done the bedroom and bathroom stuff earlier.

We had arranged to have supper with my mother - I provided the stew and potatoes, and she provided plum crumble.  And very good it was, too.  But of course we didn't get back to London until nearly 10, which is one reason I didn't blog yesterday.  We only did a bare minimum of unpacking - the stuff to go in the fridge and overnight stuff, basically - and I, for one, was glad to seek my bed.

However, this morning after breakfast I reached for my computer - and there it wasn't! We had totally forgotten that just before leaving for this holiday I'd led a Zoom service from No 6, and had left my computer there.  The Swan Whisperer went totally above and beyond and drove me down to pick it up, and while we were there, we looked in the motor home for a dozen eggs that had unaccountably gone missing.  The supermarket in Belgium had, improbably, had eggs on a BOGOF, so I had bought two dozen, but could find only one of them.  Anyway, no joy - and we did take the opportunity to open the sink cover, which we had forgotten to do.  We did find the eggs when we got back to London - they were hiding in plain sight!

Because the SW had been so kind, I took him out to lunch at the Chalk Restaurant at the Wiston Estate Winery.  This was delicious, if rather expensive - but probably cost less than a return train fare with taxis each way! 

I should explain that normally my mother would have given us lunch, or we would have taken her out to lunch, but it was the one day she had guests, so we literally just grabbed my computer (tidily in a briefcase) and ran!  So it was near on 17:00 when we got back to London, and of course we had missed a whole day of catching up.  Oh well.... I then had to go to the dentist and then there was a flat owners' meeting, but I have left the Swan Whisperer to deal with all that while I catch up.  

Summer Holiday, 29 August 2022

Do not, repeat not, drink Polish linden tea before going to bed! It appears to be an incredibly strong diuretic, and I was up at least five times in the night instead of my usual two or three! I was not impressed! 

We had a fearful fright this morning. The Swan Whisperer was cleaning his teeth when the pump suddenly started running and wouldn't stop! The SW tried switching it off and on again - which he said wouldn't work as it had no intelligent components. He looked under the van to see whether we had sprung a leak somewhere, and finally we found that the shower in the boot - the one meant for hosing off muddy dogs and boots - was turned on. He turned it off - blissful silence, and I could have my shower! We realised that there had been a jackhammer going full blast first thing, and It was probably that had loosened it. It has now been firmly wrapped in an elastic band to stop its working itself loose again! 

After that, we could have breakfast, and then we decided to go for a walk down to the boat lift and back

- we could have gone on to avoid coming back the way we went, but decided not to. We did see a boat being lifted, though, but we couldn't see where it said no overnight parking, and people obviously had! All the same, I think I do prefer the place by the old canal - the duck path, they call it! 

We decided we had better go somewhere there were services for our last night, so have ended up in this Camper Contact place at Bray Dunes, just in France. The telephone can't make up its mind where we are, which does not make for a good signal. 

Our first port of call, however, was a supermarket

where I bought the wherewithal to make couscous for supper, only I forgot to buy chickpeas, so had to go down to a convenience store about 500 metres away to buy some. And they didn't have small tins - only big ones and enormous ones! So I bought a big one and we'll have to save half of it. 

An uneventful journey to Bray-Dunes, except that we rather wish we had gone across country - that motorway from Lille is very dull! Every other car seemed to be British, probably heading home, which is why we decided not to cross today! There are at least two other British motorhomes here which may or may not have decided the same thing.... 

Summer Holiday, 28 August 2022

This morning we were in Düren, but of course it is Sunday, so all the shops are shut. We didn't head on very early, but used the services, and the SW went for a leg-stretch while I read and did puzzles on my tablet. 

It was always going to be a driving day, as we are on the way home. We started off cross-country, a mixture of extremely nice roads and really rather awful ones, much too narrow for the WoMo really. Fortunately there was not much traffic. 

We joined the motorway just before the Belgian border. It would appear that the secret to Belgian motorways is to go on a Sunday lunchtime - very little traffic and no hold-ups! 

Our original plan had been to stop at the car park for the Ronquières inclined plane, but for some reason neither of us was keen. I remember it as dark and gloomy, but that was in December a few years ago! 

So anyway, I found that a car park on the outskirts of Mons was recommended, but when we got there, it was a bit full, and we felt as though we were intruding. Also no shade, and it is hot again! So a bit of detective work finds us parked up at this lovely canal bridge

(even though the cars make a noise going over it) with a view of the Strépy-Thieu canal lift,

which we love. We would have gone there, but they have stopped overnight parking, alas. This place, however, is almost nicer. 

As I had barely been out of the WoMo - just to buy rolls in a random convenience store at a petrol station - we decided to go for a walk along the canal bank to the old lift

(one of the ones the big Strépy-Thieu lift replaced) and back the other side. It was a lovely walk, although you had to walk down to the roadway to cross the canal, and then back up the other side up a 19% slope! But we took it slowly and I managed, although I know I've taken exercise. Now cooking a big casserole and enjoying a lovely evening. 

Summer Holiday, 27 August 2022

Yesterday may have been a rest day as far as I was concerned; today certainly wasn't! 

The airport, thankfully, closed down shortly after 11:00 pm and flights didn't resume until about 06:00.

I wish the same could have been said of some of the campers. There really were an inordinate number of motor homes - you have simply never, ever seen so many in one place! 

Anyway, the Salon didn't open until 10:00, so we didn' t need to hurry. About ten to we went to the shuttle bus stop, and caught the bus up to the Messe. The bus appeared to go all round the houses to get there, but we arrived in the end and, of course, had to queue to get in. 

Like most people who are not in the market for a new motor home, we headed for Hall 3, which was full of gadgets and advertisements to come and camp in our area, or use our app, or... We did make a point of telling Park4Night how much we used their app, and we called at the BritStops stand (shared with France Passion and the various equivalents in other countries), but they weren't there, only a very nice Norwegian selling his country's version. 

One thing I wanted to buy was a folding table for eating out of doors in fine weather, as our picnic table is pretty much demised now. We found a very nice one for €44, which came in its own carrying case, so useful.

What we couldn't find, though, was coffee in any shape or form! There were numerous bars selling soft drinks or beer, and a couple of "Stehcafés", but nowhere to sit down and have a coffee. Unless you were a member of one of their posh clubs.... 

Anyway, when we had finished pottering round Hall 3, we headed to Hall 5 to drool over the luxury motor homes, but you know what? I don't think I really would like any of them! Too big, too - well, it sounds stupid, but too luxurious. Our Pilote is as much luxury as we need or can cope with. 

I wanted to go to Halls 13 and 14, right up the other end of the site (bloody miles!) to see some of the modern technology - how are motor homes going to cope when diesel vehicles are banned in ten years' time? But most of it seemed to be things like generators so you could charge your e-bike or scooter while on the road. I didn't see anything about using biogas for fuel, or anything like that. 

We did note that you can get reversing cameras for motor homes (we have a rear view camera, but not a reversing one); we noted one or two other things on our travels, too; the annoying thing is that all the exhibitors have links to their German websites (not surprising, really!). 

Anyway, by then I was exhausted, so we came away and waited for the next bus back to the car park, which seemed to go an even longer way round to get to our stop, but we got there in the end, and had lunch out of doors to christen our new table. 

After lunch we headed on to Düren, where we have been many times before; we stopped at an Edeka on the way so that I could do a Last Shop in Germany, only it wasn't, because I couldn't get mince and forgot the Schwabian Maultaschen, so went to Lidl as well. Still plenty of room in the aire when we arrived, and I hope I don't have to move again today! It is Saturday, so the Swan Whisperer will get supper - oh yes, when I was in Edeka we needed potatoes, and I had to buy these ones, didn't I?! 

Summer Holiday, 26 August 2022l

From my point of view, today has been very much a rest day. I doubt that the Swan Whisperer would agree with me, though as he had to drive well over 200 km on horrendously busy motorways, with endless road works and hold-up. Actually, the second half of the journey wasn't so bad - we stopped for a cup of tea half-way. 

This morning, though, was lovely and lazy for both of us. The SW did go for a leg-stretch, but I just sat in the shade outside the van and read. It was gone noon before we set off, having used the services, and our first port of call was a ReWe.

However, I didn't go in at first as there was a concession stand in the car park that was selling Currywurst and Bratwurst and so on, so we bought our lunch. Then we realised we hadn't enough ice-cream, so I did go into ReWe after all and also bought some wine and some coloured eggs. 

Then we headed on along the afore-mentioned motorways, and eventually, at about 18:30 arrived at the campsite for the Düsseldorf Caravan Salon, which we have tickets for in the morning. It is absolutely enormous - you have never seen so many motorhomes all in one place!

Not unpleasant, though. Most people are sitting out, but the SW doesn't want to. It is also very noisy, as under the flight path from Düsseldorf Airport,

only a couple of kilometres away. I went for a leg-stretch to find out where you get the free shuttle buses from in the morning, and have stewed some rather tasteless mirabelle plums I bought a couple of days ago, and made risotto, which we are about to eat. 

Summer Holiday, 25 August 2022

So this morning was All About Lübeck. After breakfast we set out to walk round the Old Town, which is seriously lovely. The Swan Whisperer wanted me to see the "Holy Spirit Hospital",

so we looked at that, and then we had a slight difference of opinion, as I wanted to walk down one street, and he had walked down it last night so, not unnaturally, wanted to walk down another! So we split up and agreed to meet outside the Petrikirche in about 15 minutes. 

I really enjoyed my walk down through the main shopping drag, but also the lovely Rathaus,

so not just shops!

And I walked down through the market square to the Petrikirche,

but no Swan Whisperer. Just then, he telephoned me, and after some confusion we worked out that while I had gone to the Petrikirche, he had confused it with the Mariakirche,

and gone there! So we met up again in the market, by the fruit and vegetable stall, and I bought some lovely fresh garlic. 

After that, I settled the SW in a café while I went into the department store that had both a DM and an Edeka in its base, and I bought some of my moisturiser in DM, and groceries in Edeka and, to my delight, I found my favourite 4711 shower gel in the department store, so bought some of that, and an ice cologne dab-on. So I don't need to go to a Müller now to find them. 

I rejoined the SW, who had had coffee and a cake, and was seriously tempted by some of the delicious-looking ice creams on offer; however, it wold have spoiled my lunch and not good for me, so I just had a freshly-squeezed orange juice, which was lovely. 

Then we walked back to the WoMo via the main gate,

and it was time to head on. We decided to go via the A1, and stopped at the first service area for lunch. But there had been an accident, and although our Satnav was able to steer us round it, so did everybody else's, and it was a slow old journey. 

This aire is at a place called Wildenhausen, and although there's nothing wrong with it, it took forever to find out how you paid to get in, and how you paid for electricity! But we did it at last, and as it is a lovely evening, we not only sat out, but ate out, too. We have decided we probably need a new picnic table, as this one dates back to our tenting days and is very wobbly now. We'll see what we can find on Saturday. 

Summer Holiday, 24 August 2022

The Mollibahn isn't just another heritage railway - in fact, it's not even a heritage railway, even though it is a narrow-gauge steam railway; it is apparently used by commuters and schoolchildren, as well as tourists. Although there weren't many of anybody on the train we caught into Bad Doberan at 08:43 this morning. 

No, the Mollibahn's USP is that it runs through the streets of Bad Doberan, and cars and pedestrians have to get out of its way! 

We stayed on the train until its final stop, at the main station, and then walked back up to the third of the three town stations to catch it on its way back. I wish, in a way, I that we hadn't, as there seems to be a lot more to the town that we missed. Still, there is always next year! And we enjoyed the walk - it was not too hot at that time in the morning. 

It doesn't just run through streets, of course; there is lots of open country, too. Mostly arable, it would seem. 

We got back to the camp site with an hour to spare before we had to leave, so we sat outside while the SW had his coffee, and then we got ready to go,, but had to wait ages for the services to be free. Still, they came free in the end, so we emptied and filled the relevant bits, and then drove up to the next town where I visited Lidl while the SW programmed the SatNav to take us back to Lubeck cross-country. 

He found a very nice aire where we stopped for lunch, but we had to leave in a hurry when they wanted to charge us €10 for parking there. Fine for overnight, but not for just an hour or so. So we came away and drove back to Lubeck - some of the roads lovely, others twisty and poorly-surfaced. But we got here in the end. 

I didn't want any more exercise today, so have been reading and knitting, but the SW went for a walk. I hope to do so tomorrow. 

Summer Holiday, 23 August 2022

It's been a long day today! We started off at this swimming lake place (which didn't open until 13:00, so we couldn't have swum even if we had wanted to).

My tummy went slightly back on me, and probably after yesterday, and when we stopped at a huge ReWe to shop, I very nearly came over all unnecessary, and had to speak very severely to myself - the Swan Whisperer would not have been pleased if I had had to phone him to come and rescue me while he was drinking his coffee. I had previously gone to the Tedi on the same site and got another pair of shorts (yes, I know I'm too old and fat to wear shorts, but tough!) another short (1 metre) charging cable and, what pleased me almost most of all, a far more sturdy pill-organiser than any I have seen in the UK - the one I brought with me is so flimsy I had to put a rubber band round it to hold it together. This is a massively better design. 

I did get through the shopping all right, and back to the van, and we set off for Lubeck. I was feeling much better by the time we arrived. They have wonderful provision for motor homes there - two huge car parks, right in the city centre, no services, but only €6 for 24 hours, and and less for shorter periods.

We think that, in a slight change of plan, we will go back there tomorrow night and can have a good explore, as it's ages since we have been there. 

Then we didn't want to dawdle as we wanted to arrive here, at Wittenbeck, on the Baltic. A huge, huge aire, obviously a seaside resort and also for visiting the Mollibahn, which we plan to do tomorrow. We are supposed to leave by 11, but the very nice young man who booked us in said that they turned a blind eye to half an hour or so over, so we are going to get up early and catch the 08:43 into Bad Doberan.... 

However, before then we did want to see the train, so went down to watch it go through,

and then down to the beach

and back to watch the train going the other way.

And then I got supper, and it has cooled down a great deal.

Summer Holiday, 22 August 2022

So we thought we would visit the leisure baths this morning sine we had a €5 coupon. We They were cheaper than the ones at Amnéville, but not as nice - the currents weren't as strong and there weren't the massage points. What there were, though, were a variety of water slides, and I, stupidly, decided to go down one where you sat in an inner tube. Big mistake! 

I am far too fat for this to have been in any way, shape or form a plan. The current just lifted my legs (which presumably weigh a great deal less than the rest of me) and hefted me out of the tube, sending me down the slide battered, and gasping for air as the waters broke over my head. The absolute worst was that there was a pause half-way down and simply no way of getting out other than going down. 

That was the end of any swimming for me; I sat in a chair, gasping for breath, heart going far faster than it likes, wobbling and hoping I wasn't going to be sick. I wasn't, thankfully, but my neck hurt and my back is still a bit achey this evening. Never, ever again! 

So once we had changed, we went back to the WoMo and I lay down for half an hour with a couple of paracetamol while the SW used the services and we got ready to leave. I had to pull myself together then, as we had no bread and if we were to have lunch, this needed to be rectified ASAP. So we went to the nearest Edeka and I was pleased to find some fresh chillies, which I had been looking for for some days. 

After lunch, we set off and drove here to a town with the lovely name of Bad Fallingbostel, where we are parked up in an aire by an open-water swimming pool. Warm welcome from the woman on duty - did we want electricity, if so she would go and get the cables, etc. All found for €12, except there is nowhere to empty the loo. However, we did that this morning, so not a problem. 

Summer Holiday, 21 August 2022

Despite having slept a lot of yesterday, we slept well last night, and although I woke up at about 06:30 and took my tablet, I then went back to sleep and didn't stir until the alarm went off at its usual Sunday time of 08:00.

After a rather belated breakfast we went for a stroll around Königswinter, down to the river,

along it, and back along the Hauptstraße, where several shops were, surprisingly, open. We kept wondering whether to stop for coffee and/or an ice cream, but it was a bit soon after breakfast for that. We ended up going slightly all round the houses back to the WoMo,

as we came up one road too soon and had to go quite a long way back on ourselves before we got to the level crossing. Which was closed. We waited and waited, and eventually what came along was a single locomotive, all by itself! Such an anti-climax. 

So anyway, we set off fairly soon after that, but the place where we had hoped to stop for lunch, by a lake, didn't seem to be there so we ended up in a motorway services, very dull. Then I went to sleep as the rest of the journey was also very dull, motorway all the way. And the traffic was incredible for a summer Sunday! Heaven knows what it must be like in a weekday rush hour, with all the lorries that don't run on Sundays!

Anyway, we got here in the end. "Here" is Osnabrück, where we are parked up in a small aire that is part of a large car park. There is a huge swimming complex, including a leisure bath (more lazy rivers), and we get a €5 discount as we are parked up, so we will probably have a swim in the morning, we shall see. 

Summer Holiday, 20 August 2022

I didn't blog yesterday, as we were at a family wedding. It was a very happy day, and lovely to see so much of the Swan Whisperer's family, but, of course, not suitable for blogging about. 

We staggered into bed about 11:30 pm - not being party animals, we didn't stay to the end. Slept very well, but came awake before I meant. I do get a very dry mouth at night, and have a spray that helps. Unfortunately, last night I also had a spray bottle of Cologne on my nightstand - and, yes, the inevitable happened! So I leapt out of bed and rinsed my mouth out very thoroughly, and was awake for, if not the day, then at least the first part of the morning. 

Once we had redd up after breakfast, we decided there was no reason to hang about, so drove round the corner to the hotel where the rest of the family were staying (we were certainly not the only wedding guests on the campsite, though) and spent a very happy hour with them before they had to check out. We then headed on and went to a local Edeka where I shopped, and then we headed north. 

I knew nothing of the first part of the journey, but slept very soundly and didn't rouse up until we stopped for lunch, which I didn't really want. I then went back to sleep again until the SW woke me to be aware we were crossing the high bridge over the Moselle! I did stay awake after that as we left the motorways and drove to Königswinter along the Rhine. We decided that the Drachenfels has been rather spoilt by the modern café; it looks better from on top than from below! 

We were worried that the aire would be full, but there was room for us. The SW went out for a walk, and I caught up on YouTube etc - the signal here is brilliant; it was very poor at Altrip. I am still very tired, and plan an early night! And my cologne will not be on my nightstand! 

Summer Holiday, 18 August 2022

As had been being forecast since forever, it was a wet night and a wet morning. Not nearly enough rain, of course, but it is a start. We were in no rush to get up, and lingered over our breakfast before heading off to the local Edeka where there was also a Kik and a Tedi. There may have been some accidental buyage of shorts, but at €4 each, why wouldn't you? 

In Edeka, as well as the usual bits and bobs for lunch, there were huge crates of the local brew, called Karlsberg, 20 bottles for the princely sum of €8, so rude not to, really. It's actually extremely drinkable! 

The SW programmed the Satnav to take us on a scenic route. I do wish he hadn't, as it was very twisty and parts of it in very poor condition, mostly on the edge of a steep slope and unfenced. It was scary, and rather sick-making. Not my idea of a pleasant drive! 

However, we did stop in a very nice lay-by for lunch,

and we got here in the end. "Here" is Altrip, on the outskirts of Mannheim, and we are here to attend the wedding of the SW's niece tomorrow, which is why we are on holiday in August, which is unusual for us. We usually wait until the children are back at school. 

The campsite is next door to the hotel, and I sincerely hope the hotel is nicer! We had reserved, or rather, L had done it for us, and no problem finding us. It is a very cheap campsite, very basic, and I am not sure how useable the services are going to be, as the taps have no tops on them! I think we may be able to borrow one from Reception, at least, I hope so! As the SW said, the kids - who are legion - would probably leave them running the whole time, else. 

There is a lakeside beach, you borrow a key to the gate from Reception, with a deposit of €20. I did have a wander, and later on the SW sat on the beach and read, as being nicer than the camp site. The sanitaires are very small for the numbers of people using them, I thought. 

Summer Holiday, 17 August 2022

It did rain a bit in the night - enough to wet the windows, but not really enough to wet the ground or anything. The By the time we were up and dressed the sun was out.

The USP of Amnéville, where we spent the night, is a huge leisure area with all the attractions one's heart, could wish, from an indoor snow centre and skating rink (I am fairly sure we know people who skate there) to a zoo, via a casino, adventure centre, a plethora of hotels and restaurants, and, most relevant, the "Thermapolis" which is a huge leisure pool complex with various whirlpool baths, Jacuzzis and lazy rivers.

So after breakfast we used the series and drove the kilometer or so to the baths. Which were absolute heaven! As you can see from my records,

you couldn't really swim, but you were whirled round (it was actually quite difficult to get out of the stream when I wanted to get out to spend a penny!) and there were places you could sit and the jets of water would massage your feet and ankles, and loads of places where the jets massaged your knees, thighs, bum and lower back, basically in that order. And one of those really fierce overhead showers that massaged your shoulders! 

The Swan Whisperer and I spent a very happy hour there (the workout record isn't quite accurate, as I think I accidentally paused it when trying to see the time), and afterwards I felt that I really had had a full body massage! Why, oh why, do they not have such facilities in the UK? I have used them in Austria, Germany and now France, but as far as I know, they do not exist in the UK, and they are so wonderful! This one was very busy, of course, being in the middle of the school holidays - children are allowed in from the age of 4, but must be accompanied by an adult. 

Anyway, after about an hour we had had enough, so got changed and went back to the WoMo, and headed on, first to a quick dash round Lidl (no decent coupons this week!) and then a stop for a little diesel and then a rest area for a late lunch. 

I realised, thinking about it, that much as we love Kehl/Strasbourg, going there would be two sides of a triangle, so we looked at the map and found that a town called Homburg was half way, and, better still, there was a free motorhome parking area. It is rather dull, actually, in the car park of another swimming-pool (which we are not going to as it might be rather a let-down after this morning). The easiest way to it was via Luxembourg, so we found a load of petrol stations where diesel was a bit cheaper than in France, and Germany, and called in there. After which I fell sound asleep, and didn't really wake up until we were almost here! 

Summer Holiday, 16 August

Today has been a driving day.  I rather stupidly said I wanted to go to the Super U,  rather than the E Leclerc we passed en route, which was a mistake as the Satnav took us a very long way round.  Anyway we got there in the end, and I did a shopping, and then we drove to Amnéville, near Metz,  where we are staying the night. It took a long time as we decided to go non-toll, via Chalons and  Bar-le-Duc and Vitry-Le - Framçois and Nancy. A lovely drive, but a long one.  We stopped at Toul services to have lunch. We got badly lost trying to get to this aire as either we or the Satnav made a nonsense. But we got here in the end. The SW cleaned the windows, and we were very amused to see the man next door doing the same - inspired by us?

I haven't taken any photos today, so here is one from Chamery last night. 

It is still hot, but rain is forecast for tonight - I'll believe it if it happens!