Reindeer and Sunset

Here is one of those amazingly funny but accidental photographs to end our Saturday. We have laughed loudly and hope that you do too!

Have you spotted Dave's likeness to Rudolph with the antlers?

Cannot let the opportunity for a sunset pic to pass, so ... here it is!!

 Kalinichta pals. 

Potions and Lotions

Here we are with nothing of any earth shattering significance to report. The big storm, forecast to hit on Friday, with waves that we're going to swamp the van, never materialised. There have been earthquake tremors, but we missed them and the sun continues to rise with regularity over the headland. The weekly tourists arrive white and return home brown, and the locals are now familiar with the two lady pensioners on electric bikes, who address everyone with cheerful " Kalimeras" as they zip up the road to the bakery.
So for this blog I will have to rely on Sue  (who missed the Hunter Gatherer era in history ) for the subject of today's blog.
Sue considers herself to be a forager, with a latent desire to be a herbalist, although with pestle and mortar in hand , she appears to be an alchemist in the making!!

In her nightie, she can be found collecting flowers and leaves from the hedgerows, which are then brought back to the van to be identified, using a library of books which she secretly stashed in one of her lockers. For Sue, weight has never been an issue to bear in mind when travelling!!

We have vine leaves drying in a colander and

bags of processed leaves lurking in any available storage space. These were found under the bed!!

Look at the top shelf of the fridge door........

These are some of the potions and lotions that were prepared earlier. Garlic for warts, celery for joints, calendula for sunburn, citronella for keeping 

the mossies at bay and cloves for teeth and gums.

Who needs an air freshener in the confines of our small camper, when it can naturally smell like an apothecary's storeroom!!

Bike ride in the countryside

Warm, but overcast today so a little gentle exercise on our battery bikes.
Sue peddled but I had the thrill of 5mph, the wind in my hair and memories of a young, hippy girl on a Vespa! The joys of an electric bike.
After so many coastal views, here are some pics of the surrounding landscape.

An old stone wall, almost disguised by grasses and wild flowers.

Oleanders grow like weeds and can be found everywhere. In gardens, at the beach and in motorway central reservations.

The small church just up the lane from Dave's house.

Ancient olive trees, dripping with signs of the fruits to come.

These cracks are the result of an earthquake!! Not felt any tremors since we have been here, thank goodness. Apparently you can see the tarmac ripple!

We have been enjoying Sue's home made lemonade. One swallow in a morning and the body gets a jump start and you are wide awake.

Back to the van and a beautiful rainbow greeted us. It began on Kefalonia and ended on Zakynthos.

It's hot in paradise.

Awoke to the morning su cooking me through the long window in the sliding door, so opened the slider and let the warm breeze and sound of the waves waft into my bedroom.. What could be more pleasant than being propped up in bed, reading the recently downloaded Sunday Telegraph on the Kindle and looking at this view?

So, what has been happening in our Greek Paradise ?

Well Sue had to be left as a hostage at Memes bar, whilst I nipped back to the van because we hadn't thought to bring any money to pay for our snack. Held to ransom by a toastie.

We are a constant source of information for passers by who want to pause in the shade of our awning and chat about routes, travelling and motorhomes. Those we really take to heart get a glass of wine and a chair!! Also, our first aid kit has been available for those who stumble on the rocks and require plasters and TLC / TCP.

David has called every other day to collect the toilet cassette, a pile of dirty washing and us of course.

So really we are wild camping with " frills and benefits " ....... especially the opportunity for a real shower. There's only so much you can do with a wet wipe!!

A couple of shots to show you Dave and Ellen's home. Can you spot their two lovely pooches?

Though we have yet to see it, there is a turtle in the harbour, kittens under a boat trailer, a poorly seagull with a damaged wing ( that we are now feeding ), and house martins swooping low over the water having an insect fest. Despite the cold sea, there are those tourists brave enough to venture into the water above their ankles - but not us !!!

Lemons are readily available from Dave and Ell's orchard and as I write, Sue is making lemonade. All this and a BBQ dinner. What a day, most of it spent at 37*C!! Phew -  Kalinichta pals.

Lazy Days!

Good morning from the balcony of The Waves bar. This is a favourite morning coffee stop after a stroll along the beach. Perhaps balcony is a slight exaggeration as we are only raised three feet above the ground and so close to the tumbling waves, that we can feel the spray..
Here are a few pictures of our back garden, the crescent shaped bay which is Katelios, a map to show where we are in the South East of the island and Sue relaxed mode!

We had a busy day yesterday ..... talking. So many people stopped to chat and were intrigued to find a couple of pensioners behaving like latter day hippies " doing Greece in a camper van".

They wanted details about our route, a look inside the van ( Sue should really check to see if I'm on the loo before she does her tour guide routine!!) and there is also the possibility of a sudden rise in motorhome sales after our sales pitch.

The fury of the storm!!

Drove from Poros to Katelios and watched, as the sky turned from blue to black,in seconds. How can this be happening? Two thousand miles from home and you have our weather!!
The wind whipped up and the wipers could barely cope with the quantity of rain that was throwing itself on to the windscreen.
By the time we were parked up by the harbour in Katelios, there were hailstones pinging off the van and lightening flashing and crackling around us. Day had become night and the waves thundered up the beach. Where had our 33* gone?
Then, as if by magic, as small, white car appeared in our line of vision. It was David, Sue's brother!!
We leapt in and were driven twenty yards to the nearest taverna, where half a dozen pals were waiting to greet us. After a couple of glasses of house wine,the storm was forgotten , as catch up time took priority.
This morning has dawned sunny but windy, as the tail end of the storm blows itself out.
Here is a quick trip around Katelios.

Peaceful main street, a few boats in the crystal water and a deserted beach.

Oatcakes meet Baclavas!!

We are here !!
After lengthy waits on car parks, in traffic queues and inside booking halls, our feet are now firmly planted on Hellas, with beer and kebab on the table.
Back to Italy and a reminder to self. Avoid the S16 to Ancona!!
The mini cruise down the Adriatic was fine. We were within touching distance of Albania and made a quick stop at Igunamitsa or as we Stokies say, "pig in a mixer". We don't enjoy boats. There is only so much walking and eating you can do and the view is pretty boring ,,,,, water And more water.
We were the last on the ferry and the first off. The crewman parked us on the edge of a ramp that lowered for us to descend. It felt like a white knuckle ride as this void opened up so close to our front wheels.
Finally, the Rio Bridge and Patras.

It was then a case of driving straight through the city to reach Kilini before the last boat to Kefalonia. Too late ,so a night on the dockside and an early start this morning. 

And here we are. Kefalonia. Our next stop, after rubbing in the sun tan cream, was lunch and our first pitta bread pork sandwich with yogurt and salad. No wine yet as we have to drive to Katelios soon.

Thought that this might raise a laugh. Not one of Sue's better days aboard the ship!!

At last!!

Hello friends. We have finally got some wifi. It's like emerging from " the dark side of the moon". Thanks Pink Floyd for the quote.
Since we last wrote, the days have found us wandering along the byways of Austria, avoiding toll routes. The scenery has been awesome; the sheer cliff faces of glaciated landscapes tower over us, with snow still trapped in shady crevices and waterfalls plunge hundreds of feet into milky, blue pools.
We crossed into Italy at Bolzano and took the route from Trento to Venice, where we stayed several nights and had a full day wandering around this amazing city.
St.Marks Square, the Bell Tower, Rialto Bridge, Doges Palace, gondolas and Italian ice cream, we did it all!
Pictures to follow.
From Venice we travelled south to Pinarello along the tortuous SS16, avoiding the commercial tourist resorts and found refuge at a free Sosta. Italian for Camper stop.
Today the journey has brought us to Camping. Mar y Sierra, up in the hills just north of Ancona. From here it is  an hours run to the port, ready for our Adriatic cruise on Saturday.As we sit in the evening sun after a tasty BBQ, all we can hear is birdsong, barking dogs and church bells.
Nothing dramatic or dynamic to report, well not strictly true,I have just been flung to the ground by a weak legged- plastic chair. Fortunately we were on grass but the iPad seems to spend a lot of time in the air as I fall flat on my face! Other than that, oh and going the wrong way up a slip road and coming face to face with  a startled Italian motorist,we are enjoying ourselves and have discovered an exceedingly fine wine, in a box, from Lidl. Dirt cheap!! Cheers!

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We found a field of Alpine gentians. Such a vivid blue.

Yes, we really are parked this close to the canal in Venice.

Our view this evening across to the Adriatic

Austria into Italy

How about this for a frontier ?

On the road again.

Spring has sprung and we are off at last. Sunday we were sleeping on Marine Parade Dover, Yachts to the rear and the ferry boats arriving and departing. Tried the local fish and chips then sleep , before an early morning trip to catch the Dunkirk ferry. Two hours of smooth waters and then the whole of Europe lay before us.

Drove East, through France and into Belgium.Awful roads and boring flat landscape before climbing the gentle slopes of the Ardennes to an Aire at Hans sur Lesse. The following day, it was the autobahns of Germany. At the moment still toll free, but not for much longer, as we saw Toll Collect signs beginning to appear at the road side.

Last night we stayed at an urban Aire in Pforzheim. Free!! Just as well, because today we are at Hofen See in Austria, a proper site and it is costing gold plated euros. 

This is the view from where we are sitting, glass of wine in hand and from the rear, we have snow on the mountains.

To show you how warm it has become, Sue is modelling last year's mid length, shorts.

Tarts are touring once again!!

Thunderbirds are go, and the wheels begin turning as we set off on a new chapter in our Intrepid Travels.

I sometimes have to stop and be amazed , that in my 69th year, I am fortunate enough to be able to have this wonderful passion for exploring Europe and North Africa in a motorhome. This lifestyle began in the 1970s with VW combi vans. Then a working life and a lack of funds got in the way. With retirement came the means to buy a decent travelling vehicle. As with many motorhome folk, a dearly,departed parent provided the inheritance to live the dream. Thanks Mum!!

So here we are just about to set off. Glorious sunshine working its magic on the solar panel, the tyres have nestled several centimetres into the gravel due to the weight on board, the bodywork and windows positively gleam with the brightness of the day. Just the house alarm to set and Dover here we come!!

Newsflash !!!

One day you have a panel van and the next day, you have a motorhome as well!Truth is, that we made a huge mistake downsizing from Delfin to the Rapido PVC. Making a bed every night, sitting down whilst the other person works, as there isn't the room to move about, a huge sliding door, low ceiling in cab area which Sue's head seems to find quite regularly, limited storage,etc etc.
We were missing the greater comfort and space that a motorhome gives us. However, we didn't want to cope with a MH bigger than 3,500 tonnes or as long as 7.5 metres. What to do???
There isn't enough time to change before Greece but to know what we want, find it and have it kept until our return seemed an impossible task.  But hey, we are The Intrepids!!
Saturday saw us on the internet doing the research and by Sunday we had bought a mini Delfin.
Job done and a Burstner Travel Van will be waiting for us when we get back.
We will enjoy our last fling in the Rapido despite her shortcomings and cope with the difficulties as they arise.
Being another year older, with creaking joints was not the time to be denying oneself the comforts offered by a slightly larger vehicle. So here she is. ....... No,not Sue, although she made herself at home before we had even  paid the deposit!!

Not long now!

Mid April and time to have a couple of days away. It's a good opportunity to check that we can still remember how everything functions.. The van has been serviced, so under the bonnet is ok. All the paper work, to keep us legal, is done and the electronic ferry tickets have been printed. Beginning to get excited.
It seems that a glass of wine is never far from the navigator's hand but the face appears to say, "Better be warmer than this in Greece! "
We'll write again just before we leave.

Memory foam!!

Some preparations to make life more comfortable have been accomplished.
We have each got a piece of memory foam to cover the lumps and bumps when we make our beds. Bliss!! Why it took us so long to discover and invest in this, beats me. So with new duvets and teal coloured covers, sleeping will be a restful experience this holiday. No creaking backs and stiff necks.

2015 ,,,, the planning begins !

How these motorhoming years fly by. No sooner has one year's travelling ended than we find ourselves making plans for the next.
Always our journeys must take us to warmth and water. For example, after our exploits in Morocco 2014, we headed for France in September and got no further south than the Gulf of Morbihan in western Brittany. We had never been before, the weather was 28C* every day for 4 weeks, the site at Kerver was a two minute walk from the van and we met so many lovely people from France, Germany, Netherlands and Spain who were camped nearby, so why spend a fortune on diesel when we had everything we wanted?

Gone for a swim !!

Such amazing sunsets every night on the beach at Kerver

Genuine orange sand !

Ancient city walls at St. Nazaire

                              

The shadow is our van, and the gate goes to the beach!!
What a delightful place to wake up each morning.

                                             

Collecting salt from the salines. 

The beach at Tourballe

A sheltered  harbour at Piriac

So this year, the plan is to head for Greece and explore the Peloponeese, with a detour to Kefalonia to visit Sue's brother Dave. More to follow.