It wouldn’t be our holiday if nothing went wrong, but this is ridiculous!!!

Wednesday 21st August

We left home about 10.15am (only an hour late.) and drove straight to Ken & Wendy’s. The intention was to be there by 11am but of course starting an hour late and then slogging our way through several hold-ups, plus the obligatory road works delays we actually arrived around 1pm. After a very pleasant chat with them we were surprised to find we had been there 2 hours. Then a leisurely drive on to Andy & Carole”s house meant we managed to avoid the main rush hour traffic. Carole was away working hard in Kenya and Andy was still at work but we were delighted to be met by our granddaughter Eleanor with a great big smile. Next it was Joseph’s turn to welcome us, it made two weary travellers feel like a million dollars. Later we were delighted to find that Eleanor had been busy preparing us a lovely dinner and with a little help from Joe, produced a very tasty Chicken curry.

It’s all going too well isn’t it? Never fear we won’t let you down the disasters or near disasters will follow in good time. 

Thursday 22nd August

Another red hot day, Joan’s beginning to wonder why we are bothering to go all that way? She’s kidding though, aren’t you pet? It was about this time that I realised I had not put any proper shoes in. Joan quickly looked on line for a store that sold the shoes I like and found that a concession at a garden centre nearby sold them. Andy knew the place so off we went. Problem solved. Next we went to a very interesting stone circle and finished up with lunch at the cake shop in Whitney. That evening we had a trip to Suwanna, a Thai restaurant we often go to with them as Joan & I love Thai food. A perfect end to a perfect day, well it would have been if Carole had been there but still lovely to have Joseph, Eleanor and Andy.

Friday 23rd August

We set off to Angela’s around 10am and had a fairly good run but most of it unbelievably at 40mph even on the M4!! As usual she and Paul looked after our every need, getting the van plugged in etc. Paul and I enjoyed a couple of pints out of my birthday barrel of Ghost ship ale and of course as usual, Angela cooked us a lovely meal.

Saturday 24th August 

I’m feeling a bit guilty because I am definitely feeling it when I drive a long way and coupled with the stress of making sure the van is all ready I am just knackered. Poor Andy must have been amazed when I went to bed so early when I was there and again last night we turned in early but that and a bit of a lie in we are feeling a lot better. Today we are taking Angela down to Jamie & Tim’s in Haslemere. As always we got a great reception and really enjoyed looking at what they have achieved in the house and the garden. With the weather being so warm we were able to eat outside in their lovely garden and after very tasty Antipasti, Tim cooked us a new recipe they got from Mary Berry and it was very good indeed.  Finally, Tim produced a fantastic surprise for Joan, well for both of us really.  He’d made a Santiago cake which we first had at the end of of our Camino three years ago.  It looked and tasted exactly the same as we remembered.

Sunday 25th August

A totally restful day, just what the doctor ordered. It’s still red hot and we actually breakfasted in the garden, something I rarely do but in this weather its brilliant. Angela took us to a very nice Toby Inn for Sunday lunch and then back to the garden to just chill out and chat to Mike, Angela’s next door neighbour who has a similar medical problem to me. 

Monday 26th August

Today we are going to see lots of old friends and we are really looking forward to it. First we set off to Gravesend to visit Gladys Ruff who we have not seen for a good many years. Having exchanged Christmas cards all that time I knew she was still about and after a brief chat with Julie  I knew it would be alright to go. Well I needn’t have bothered worrying because the wonderful reception we got, not just from Glad but also her daughter Sue, her son David and later Dave her husband was so very warm. 

We were just sitting around the table chatting and before we knew it 3 hours had passed and I’m sure we could have carried on for another three! But we had to tear ourselves away as we had arranged to meet my old friend Albert at the Flying Horse, a Brit stop near Ashford, Kent. I was keen to see how he was coping as he lost his lovely wife of 55 years suddenly last August and I’d only spoken to him on the phone since.  When he turned up he was fine. Obviously he still misses Kath very much but is managing to cope very well from day to day. 

Having enjoyed a chat and a pint we went inside for a meal, after which I started to feel unwell. I was as white as a sheet and had pains in my stomach. From then on I just got worse and finally I was as sick as a dog!! I was bloomin’ annoyed I’d really looked forward to meeting up with Albert and a lot of the time I was missing. Albert left about 8pm and I just fell asleep on the sofa and when I awoke I just went straight to bed, about 10pm. I felt miserable.

However I have jumped ahead of myself a little and have not yet reported our first almost major disaster. Having left Glad and family I am driving down the motorway at a steady old 70mph when suddenly Joan screams “OH MY GOD!!” As soon as I regained control of the van I thought it not unnatural to enquire what was wrong. She said I’ve left the passports on the kitchen table. No, I said it was clear. No, there is a special folder with all our travel stuff, tunnel tickets etc, and it’s on the kitchen table or settee in the front room. Well I said we will have to ask our dear friends Pam & Colin to post them down special delivery. But where to?, she said. Well you will have to find us a campsite and we will book in there. So when we arrived at the Flying horse she found a site and I said give me my club membership card and I’ll book us in, then we can phone Pam. Joan dug out her holiday handbag and as she found my wallet she also uncovered the passports, Hurrah!!

So instead Joan phoned Eurotunnel and moved our booking forward to tomorrow, my baguette is looming large on the horizon. They were very happy to do it but it cost another £27.50 to go at 8.20am.

Tuesday 27th August

We awoke about 5.45am as planned the night before, and Joan was very concerned to see if I had recovered. I had to admit I felt a bit dicky but not enough to delay my first baguette. We arrived at the tunnel at 6.35am and a very peasant young lady said, would you like to go right now? So we went straight through to boarding and before we knew it we were in France, Yippee!

It is still red hot here and we got to our Aire at Pont de L’arch at about 1.30pm. It’s outside a municiple campsite and for €5 you can use all the facilities. After a rest we wandered into town and visited this really old church. As it cooled down a little we had a nice shower and we were just settling down for a relaxing evening when we got an urgent email from Pam & Colin. 

Our house alarm wasn’t working properly! We are so lucky to have them to look after our little house while we are away, and they have been sorting out an engineer to fix it for us.

Wednesday 28th August

The day started very well, a bit cooler but nice for driving. Joan had been saying that the toilet wasn’t flushing properly and we agreed that as the van wasn’t very level, that was probably the answer as the tap in the shower seemed ok, (If only!). When we arrived at Villedomer Aire which appeared in the book to be just the type we like, Joan was not impressed. Still first things first I had to check the water pump which wasn’t working at all well by now. As soon as I looked at it it was obviously broken, again!!! I don’t understand why it is so badly made.  We have come to expect really reliable stuff from the Germans but these pumps all have a built in weakness. 

Anyway as we were so close to Tours, a very big city, I was keen to go there and try to locate a new one. Joan felt we should just rest and try tomorrow but I couldn’t wait. My reasoning was that we may at least find a motorhome shop and even if it was closed by then, we’d know exactly where to go in the morning, thus saving time. However the good Lord is looking after us and as we drove towards Tours we spotted a camper van shop with a very good spares department. Not only that but as we walked in trying to work out the correct French, I spotted just the right pump and shouted to Joan which amused the sales chap immensely. He was really helpful and found the correct pipe and gave me a couple of electrical connectors gratis. He even smiled as he told us how much it was, bless him. 

Meanwhile Joan had found another Aire at Montbazon, south of Tours so not much further on, which she liked the look of, so we headed there. It was a nice little aire on a mini roundabout with free water. It is supposed to be for three vans and we were second to arrive. Later two massive vans came along and managed to get parked. First job was to get the water working which, fingers crossed, I’ve managed. (Loads of brownie points). No Boulangerie here but at least there is an Intermarche supermarket for me to nip to in the morning for our Baguette.

Lots of love 

Joan & Bryan XXX