Connected at last!!

Here we are, connected at last. Sorry that we have been off air for a week, but the simple art of reading and following instructions appears to have eluded me.

 Anyway after the frustrations of accessing the internet, our wanderings through France began in a 38* heatwave as we tramped the hot pavements of Reims to visit the Cathederal and gaze in awe at the much acclaimed Rose Window.

We were able to park up on an Aire right in the heart of the city which made being a tourist, very easy.

Since Reims, we have moved a little further south to Lacs Orient and Chantecoq,

 spending a night at each. The minor roads through Champagne  gave us endless views of vineyards and chateaux. We became very reflective driving through the Somme and Marne regions, as mile after mile, we passed the military cemeteries of all the nations who took part in both World  Wars. Each headstone or simple cross, placed in a symmetrical row, with hundreds of others, within the box hedges of beautifully kept gardens of remembrance.
There have been pretty villages with colourful baskets and troughs of geraniums and petunias; busy farmers are harvesting golden corn, others are irrigating or ploughing

. The maize is tall and the sunflowers are no longer able to hold up their heads but everywhere there appears to be prosperity.
We had one night when a swarm of mini flies took over the van. Swat, crackle and fizz were the sounds from Sue's new electric scorching machine, which resembles a tennis racquet, but it was the good old chemical spray which finally eliminated them.
First rain came on Saturday, but by then we had found a little paradise on an Aire between the Marne river and a canal of the same name. Delfin is parked parallel to the water and we have views of all the water borne activity.

Today we have peddled along the tow path for miles, enjoying the warmth and wildlife and calling in at picturesque villages which we might otherwise have missed.

One last item of news before we close for today,........ oops too late we've eaten it. Yes the Tarts are partaking of their first French tart of the tour!

' Twas the night before .....

Hello Friends,
Thankyou for all your kind greetings, and meetings for coffee, prior to our departure. Delfin is packed and everything that can be worn, cooked, supped or charged, has been stowed away.
Tea towels cover the cutlery tray, hand towels are stuffed between pots and pans and shower towels cover the cab seats. All done to stop squeeks and rattles, except the shower towels and they stop perspiration!
We'll be in touch in a day or two. St.Quentin will be our first stop as it has an Aire by a canal with a Gendarmerie about 50 yards away. Always factor in the safety angle.
By the way, look whose following the blog now!

The Intrepids are on the road again!

Hello All. Here we are back on the road again and limbering up for our French jaunt, by having a few days in the Pennines. At the moment we are parked up at a beautiful site called Woodclose Park, in the picturesque Lune Valley, a short walk from Devil's Bridge


 There are beautiful Alpacas grazing in the field next to Delfin. Here are a few young ones, about the size of Afghan hounds. Kirby Lonsdale is a quaint town, with narrow cobbled streets, flights of beautiful, but sometimes slippy steps down to the banks of the Lune and magnificent views to the distant Fells.
.Later in the day, the skies opened and there was a deluge ... oh how we yearn for the blue Moroccan skies. We have driven eastwards into Yorkshire and are spending a few hours in Harrogate.There is a bus stop right outside the gates of our campsite so I go from being driver to a being passenger, courtesy of the good old bus pass. We went for afternoon tea at the famous Betty's Tea Rooms, but the tourists were queuing around the block so we just took the photo instead From Harrogate we drove to York and did a Park and Ride into the city. Our bus stopped right in front of the impressive towers of the |Minster. We strolled through the Shambles, had lunch by the river and  Sue made friends with " Purple Man " 

As the afternoon wore on, we finally reached our destination, the long driveway of our pals

Bob and Mo, who had electric hook up at the ready and very large, strong G and Ts!!

The last leg of our mini break took us over the Humber Bridge, simply because we had never done it.

The final chapter

 

 The Intrepids are home!! Yes, we are finally home after the most wonderful experience we could ever have imagined.
I have just been outside with a glass of something special and said thankyou to Delfin, who has brought us safely through desert sands, over high mountain passes, in and out of vast cities with their crazy drivers and along roads so full of potholes that we could have been lost for ever were it not for the Sat Nav and decent tyres!
She will be washed , polished and thoroughly serviced in the coming weeks, ready for September and our next adventure. But I have to say that it will take something very special to eclipse Morocco.
 Sue and I would like to say thankyou to all the folk who have followed our journey on the blog and have travelled vicariously via Google Earth, sending comments and emails of encouragement.
To those fellow motorhomers who have offered support and helpful advice when we were in the planning stages, thankyou. Your messages on Motorhome Facts have helped enormously.
Finally to Morocco, such a majestic country of contrasts, and its people, who have been warm and welcoming, " Shukran, and Salam"

Fleas that tease in the high Pyrenees

That's the only line we can remember from school. Hi All. Yes we crossed from Spain into France through the Pyrenees  this afternoon. Very little has happened to keep you informed or entertained in these closing days of our trip.
Having left the site in sun this morning ,we arrived here at St. Marie de la Plage under a cloud. Muggy and mosquitoes is the best way to describe our environment, oh and a long walk to the sea. Tomorrow it's St. Pierre for us and a return to a special Aire.
Returning to the border crossing, where all the old customs buildings still remain, we were fascinated by the number of people and cars thronging the streets. The French had come for cheap Spanish clothes and the Spaniards had arrived for French wine even cheaper than that provided by Lidl.
 After Morocco, Sue has had so few photo opportunities, that she has now resorted to taking photographs of colourful insects, which are splattered on the windscreen and the rampant and very loud albino peacock ,who is "serenading" us this evening,.

A few final thoughts about the Spain that we have experienced. It's mostly litter free and clean. The roads are brilliant and many are toll free, which we hope will be the case when we come again. The campsites have been way better than our expectations and the beaches are long, not overly crowded and in our case, frequently naturist!!

 

Sangria for breakfast!

Oh dear, the Innocents really got it wrong this morning! We decided on a healthy breakfast of fruit juice, coffee and croissants. The fruit drink tasted so good, we had another! So smitten were we  by the fruitiness, we checked out the ingredients. Alcohol can be a very pleasant start to the day.
Later, once the giggling had subsided, we strolled across the headland, through the trees and lo and  behold, a naturist beach.

There are 8 faces and a shoe on this piece of bark!

The views from on high were spectacular. No, not those folk without clothes but the photographs Sue took. No, not of the naked bods but sail boats and tree bark!
Finally tonight, before we get our teeth around dinner, we would like to share with you, our take on how the locals go camping here in Spain.

* first you select your plot, preferably with a shade tree
*then invest in a sheet of green or blue plastic flooring
*buy a caravan and a full width awning

Spot the smiley caravan.

*set up a small but tall six by four foot tent on one corner of the flooring and install a fridge freezer, a sink, cooker and microwave as this will be your kitchen.
*add a table, chairs, TV and electric fan inside the awning
*erect a series of windbreaks for a fence so that the world knows that you are camped here

*find a couple of bikes because it's a long walk to the shop, shower and toilet
*bring your flower pots and hanging baskets from home as there won't be anyone there to water them

* a guard cat or dog or even a parrot in a cage for security
and here you have it ... a home from home by the sea just waiting for the kids and school holidays!

Life's a beach!

Hello we are on the air again!
The last several hundred miles has taken us past acres of greenhouses, bursting with tomatoes and salad crops; there have been vineyards, orange groves and peaches too., but the lasting memories will be the long , clean beaches. Wherever we have parked Delfin, the sound of the sea has been there in the background.

Here at Las Palmeras, we have walked the length of the beach to the headland and once there, we wandered through the pine trees, where the winter rains have carved deep gullies and exposed the ancient root systems, which curl and coil around the pathways like an octopus on "speed"!
Once again we are about 20 metres from the beach where the sand is pale cream and the sea, a deep turquoise. It is clean and free of seaweed and each morning a man in a tractor comes to iron the sand. Like naughty kids we leap on to the smooth surface, leaving footprints galore.

There was laughter this afternoon when the sea emptied itself of bathers as a shoal of jellyfish hurled themselves on to the beach!
Not a lot gets done in our days when we are not on the move. We wash, clean, cook, read and wander. But we have discovered a use for those white plastic patio chairs.
You take them to the edge of a busy main road, complete with sun umbrella, wearing your best sparkly sun top, short dress and make-up. You wait for a customer and if lucky, a passing trucker or biker will avail himself of your services!!

Barcelona was to be our next stop-over but the receptionist here has advised us not to go. She said that it has never been a safe city to visit but now, with all Spain;s troubles, it is not a good or safe place to visit. So coming from a native Spaniard, we intend to follow her advice.
From here we 'll take the toll motorway over the border to Perpignon and if we can access Wifi then we'll bring you up to date.
These days are flying by, as the return dash through France looms closer and suddenly we no longer feel like adventurers but just plain holiday makers.

Beer and crisps

Not much happening as we potter along the Costas.From the small site experience, we are now having the huge site experience.
  Short of nothing here at Mazarron. All bells and whistles and a gentle stroll to a glorious sandy beach. No large-scale developments, just a small town and plenty of friendly people.
Mid-afternoon so time for a cold beer straight from the fridge to wash down the crispsWe are steadily working our way towards the French border and feel more as though we are on holiday rather than having a big adventure. Sun, sites and beaches, but all in beautiful sunshine. Today we are at Bolnuevo, a lovely sleepy sea side town, with a long promenade to wander along in the evening sun. It also has an amazing rock formation in the centre of the town's car park and a promontory covered with small, neat holiday homes.