Monday 22 September 2014

Last Post

Hi there,

Sorry about the last post. Just got a new iPad. Teething problems with Blogsy. Back to normal soon.

Pat

How to Use Blogsy

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Tuesday 2 September 2014

Seals, Mussels, Kite Boarders and The End of the Journey.

We are parked up this afternoon in Wissant about 15mins from the Chunnel terminal where tomorrow morning we'll catch the 8.20am train back to the UK. Last night was spent at Berck-sur-Mere where we had hoped to see the seals on the sandbanks. Unfortunately it was high tide when we arrived so only a few seals to be seen bobbing about, or bottling, to use the correct term. The absence of seals was more than compensated for by a mobile food stall next to our parking spot selling Moules Frittes. We'd had quite a large lunch but couldn't resist so at 7pm I went down to collect the Moules we had ordered earlier. They were quickly cooked while I waited and handed over in a 10 litre plastic bucket which wasn't quite full, but almost. We agreed that one portion would have been enough for two of use but half an hour later, with all the Moules gone we agreed that the portion control had been just about right. We didn't manage all the frites though.

We were up early this morning to walk back to the beach as we had been told that around 9am would be the best time to see the seals. Sure enough the tide was going out and the seals were basking in the beautiful early sunlight on the sandbanks. There were about fifty on the one nearest to us and a hundred or more on each of a couple of sandbanks further away. We managed to get within about 80 metres of the seals which didn't seem bothered by the dozen or so people oohing and a aahing separated from them by a narrow strip of water.

Seal watching over and we set off for our final night's stop in France, making a couple of detours for some shopping. Cheese, wine, pate, beer, diesel, the usual stuff. Then after parking up and lunch we set off for the beach here. Last year we were amazed by the size of the beach which stretched for miles in either direction. Today it was high tide when we arrived with the waves crashing against the stone sea wall. There was a strip of sandy beach further along and we enjoyed a pleasant walk in lovely sunshine and watched the kite boarders whizzing across the wave caps

We walked back and reflected upon the amazing time we've had over the last four months and the sights we'd seen and the people we had met. It's sad to be leaving tomorrow but we are both looking forward to seeing our children and grandchildren in England. Then it will be time for some cleaning and maintenance on the van and planning for our next excursion. And a bath. And a pint of decent beer. And a big bed. And stairs. And a haircut.

Thanks a lot for reading our blog over the last few months, it makes it worthwhile knowing people are reading and keep an eye out now and again if you want to read about our adventures in the future.

I guess that's it for now.

Pat & Phil.

 

Monday 1 September 2014

It's Raining!!

Saturday 30th August.

We are parked up this evening at La Mailleraye-sur-Seinne and it's raining, the first rain we have seen for a long time. We must be getting nearer to the UK.

We set off this morning intending to stop in Gace but when we arrived, after a stop at Super U for a food and beverage top up, the motorhome parking place had no service points and the town was on the comatose side of sleepy. We stopped for a bite to eat and then pushed on to where we are now, parked up next to the Seinne with about another forty or so motorhomes. We could watch the barges going up and down but there's not much happening so I guess bargees must have Saturdays off.

At last there are quite a few GB plates about here although we are still outnumbered by French with a few Dutch and Germans. I'm on a forum, Wildcamping for Motorhomes, (www.wildcamping.co.uk) and have the big W sticker on the front and rear windows and I spotted the first van in four months with the same sticker this afternoon as I walked along the river in the rain. We had a chat and exchanged names and recognised each other from conversations we had joined in previously; small world moment.

Sunday 31st August.

We are parked up this evening in Dieppe. It's a motorhome Aire with about fifty vans here overlooking the harbour and a very pleasant place to stop. The books that we use to find spots like this told us that if we go to the harbour master's office here he will give us a password to access the internet. So at about one o'clock we strolled down there and made enquiries. Ah, said the man, you need to go to the tourist information office. So we went to the tourist information office (big building with sign saying TOURIST INFORMATION) asked for wifi password only to be told that the TIO was next door and closed until 2.30pm. No problem, a walk around the harbour, an aperitif and back to the TIO. Ah, said the lass there you need to go next door for a wifi password. We went next door, again. Hello, I said, we came here earlier etc..etc.. may I have a wifi password for Hotspot Dieppe? Do you have a boat? asked the muppet. No, I'm in a motorhome parked over there and I've paid my €7. Wifi passwords are for boats, he said. What if I said I had a boat, said I with my nicest smile. Then we'd check and find out you hadn't, said he. Anybody know the French for jobsworth?

Anyway, we like Dieppe, it's a bit like Whitby. But bigger. Here's a couple of pics.

 

It's a bit like the last days of the holiday for us. In fact it almost is the last days of the holidays! Tomorrow we'll stop the night in Berck-sur-Mer and hopefully, if the tide is out, watch some seals. Tuesday we'll stop in Wissant and stroll along the long, long, long beach and then Wednesday morning we'll be on the early morning tunnel back to Dover. It's booked so we can't change our minds, turn around and drive back to Greece. Not that we'd want to, we're missing our children and grandchildren now and it'll be great to see them in a few days. As Frank sang "Its so nice to go travelling, but it's so much nicer, yes it's so much nicer, to go home".

Pat