Update 24th September 2007

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Sorry if this is a repeat on some days but found a computer to take memory stick.
Thanks to everyone for messages which are really enjoying reading them so please keep sending but we do apologise for not replying as we never have much time in the internet cafes.
Thanks to Carol for message - glad holiday went well in Corfu.
Love to family and friends

Just to update you as of Monday 24th we are in La Caruna in Northern Spain just been on bus into the city and heading back to cook dinner though bit late.



Monday 10th September

Awoke to 7 C.Left our relaxing pitch by lake at Port Salens and set off for Millau. It was a big highlight for Andy and one of his aims to cross the viaduct which we did for 8 Euros. The viaduct is the biggest in the world and crosses the Tarn valley, 270m above the river, touching down at only 9 points. The actual viaduct is made of thermo mechanical steel and weighs 36,000 tons, five times the weight of Eiffel Tower and each of the towering masts are 90m tall. It actually cost 400 million Euros to build. Nice we can lay claim to it being designed by English architect. We climbed up to the viewpoint and like all the tourists had photo taken.

We then headed steeply down to Millau town and found a camper park, right in the middle! Had a spot of lunch and then wandered around the town, famous for its glove making - hence every other shop was a shop come tanners selling the most wonderful gloves. If the temperature had not rapidly risen to 30 C, may have been tempted - although we keep reminding ourselves we are not on holiday and tourists and are trying to be careful with our spending. Got back in van and headed south to the village of Peyre, listed as one of France's most picturesque villages. It was an amazing place carved into the hillside and it was like taking a trip back in time with its troglodytic church and extremely narrow lanes. There seemed to be no-one about at all apart from us and a couple more tourists. We did see a small cafe selling soft drinks - but no one to be seen. The view of the viaduct from this village was wonderful and we took loads of photos. By now we were tired and needed to sort ourselves a place to sleep so headed back to Millau to a camp site we had seen. It was largest one we had been on with 230 places altho thankfully it was only 25% full.Oh the joys of camping outside of August - bliss - facilities to yourself, guarantee of a place, cheap and peace and quiet. Actually felt a bit lonely so set off on a GB hunt - how sad; no-one about so enjoyed our books and quiet time and an early night.

Tuesday 11th Sept
Up early and set off on the D999 to a town called Albi. Parked up at a site on outskirts of town - expensive and not very special, and walked the 2 miles to town. Albi was breathtaking. On the banks of the Tarn river, the Cathedral St Cecile is one of the world's largest brick buildings and one of France's most visited Cathedrals, boasting vast Renaissance paintings contemporary with the Sistine Chapel. Everything in this cathedral was built on a giant scale. Andy sat in the town square admiring the surroundings whilst I went into the Toulouse Lautrec museum which housed the largest collection of his work. Not being a great fan of his I was not expecting to be enthralled, but I thoroughly enjoyed myself and felt an understanding of his work - his lack of sentimentality in all he did probably due to his own problems (born of the marriage of two first cousins) and then crippled due to two falls aged 15. His art teacher at 18 told him his drawing was worse than useless and his early sketches do prove this. However, he was a leading person in lithography and some of these designs really worked. The museum itself was worth a visit - the building and the surrounding gardens were fantastic.
Headed back to site and found an English van next to ours and so met Tony and Penny from Woodbridge and enjoyed a glass of wine with them - a couple doing a tour of old French railways. Whatever gets us interested in these things? Having said that, I have yet to read one of my books, pick up a paintbrush or sewing. Not sure what we are doing with time, only that it goes just as quickly here.

Wednesday, 12th - Had problem with memory stick being rejected by computer after managing an entry on travel blog in Millau. Bought a new stick to try - disaster on computing front if it does not work? Set off for Toulouse - not to sight see but to visit Fiat dealer to try and sort headlight problem and now no air-con. Had had air con repaired by Salmons at Weeley who assured us no leak but just no gas. Obviously they did not check it at all and there was a leak. Arrived at garage at 12 to find it closing for two hour lunch so parked up in their car park. Andy's day was then made - not by having car fixed (as could not be) but by sight of the first A380 brand new Air Bus produced in Toulouse and obviously being tested. It took off just over our heads and seemed massive with its two levels. No joy with mechanics - should never expect anything with Fiat. Set off at 4 for a place called Auch (pronounced Oosh) but as site we had selected was closed at 5 and traffic was worst we had come across we stopped at a little Aire and had a free night on the edge of a village about size of Kelvedon. Temp 36 today and we felt hot and bothered so found a nice little bar and enjoyed a beer overlooking the local lake. Had a shower in van and when it got late - 9 ish heated up a pre-cooked lasagne in oven, which was surpisingly good - or we were particularly hungry.

Thursday 13th - set off early for Auch and got there at 10 for market. Lovely wandering around and the atmosphere was especially good. Remembered our litre bottle to fill up with wine for 1 euro a litre! Bought some seat covers and also fruit and veg and then discovered Fiat garage in town! Guess what though - no could do. Think we need to pre-book it into a garage ahead, but problems with language make this a problem for us. Drove off again intending to stop on N21 at Tarbes but it was so busy decided to push on. There was a big display in Tarbes by the equivalent of our red arrows (red blue and white arrows?) which we watched. Headed south of Tarbes to Lourdes and could not find chosen site but one on edge of town which was fine. A site on three levels - ground overlooking a cement works (thought Roger P would appreciate the setting) but we parked on top level (how Andy gets this vehicle around these tight spots - don't ask, just check my white knuckles). Our pitch was the first overlooking Pyranees.
Cooked pork chops in good old Remoska (what would I do without it? - thanks May for tips and Governors for vouchers to buy) and set off for procession in town at dark? It was about an hour walk and we saw no-one so were sceptical about this 'procession' when suddenly crowds of people appeared like a river running down a street. There must have been about 15,000 people - most in wheelchairs, some in hospital type beds and people with walking sticks struggling along towards the church. Everyone was carrying lanterns and we were just shocked by the mass of people and were not sure what was going to happen. We knew Lourdes to be of the great modern shrines of Europe due to the visions experienced by a 14 year old Bernadette Soubirous and the healing waters she found. Andy was at his worst here for those who know him. Jokes abounded - all very unholy! Even a toy yogi bear became 'holy yogi' Cynical as ever but I felt a bit like him. Shop after tacky shop selling miracle water at 2 euro; what else could we think. At nine the service started with a huge choir at the front of the church and then a procession down to the gates made up of all these people in wheelchairs and those in need of healing? Some were given the 'miracle water' and I could only pray it would work for them. The service was nice to behold but I did feel sorry for all the invalids who had had such difficult journeys to get here in the hope of being cured. We walked back about 11 having a big discussion on the whole event - which had taken us both aback for different reasons.

Friday 14th September
Did not wake til 9 and decided to stay here another night as we had done a bit of travelling over last few days and we needed to spend time catching up on jobs. Definitely a pink and blue morning - me doing washing and cleaning and Andy cleaning outside of motorhome and sorting water pipes, etc out. Actually found a washing machine and huge linen line so clean sheets at last!!!

Saturday 15th September

Awoke to lots of voices chattering outside in various languages. Opened curtains to find police outside and the news that the Dutch couple next door had someone break into their tent and steal their money. It being a sceptical sort of visit we continued to feel this way. The tent was right next to us and I had actually not slept that night at all and did not hear a thing or could I imagine someone getting into a tent rummaging around for money in the dark without the owners hearing a thing? Sorry but it did not seem to wash. We set off later for Pau and parked in the city centre - again for free apart from the white knuckle ride as we negotiated one way tiny streets. It was a strange place an eclectic mix of old and new, rich and old, the bizarre and the even more bizarre. The new town square equivalent to Culver Square was amazing with an enormous dancing fountain that threw water out at varying speeds and angles and sometimes just steam - the children loved it, dancing in and out in anticpation of getting wet or not? Went into the cathedral but was upset when a man came in whilst I was alone and tried to get money out of the wall safe. Was not sure what to do so shouted as if to someone else and he did run off. Been a thieving kind of day. Left Pau and I randomly found a town on route to Bayonne where I also found a camp site. Could not manage without Caravan Club site book. Pulled up on a small odd sort of site in process of being done up. Load of lads were on a stag night so we anticipated noise but instead there was a good atmosphere. The town was called Orthez and we walked in before dinner and later I found out that this random town was an important Bearn market town where Jean d'Albret, mother of Henry IV lived (though she went to Pau to give birth due to the climatic conditions and well being that Pau was renowned for). As with all history there is another side of the coin. Jean's enthusiasm for the Protestant faith alienated both her own subjects and Charles X and ultimately caused the Bearn region to be drawn into the Wars of Religion (1562-93). Learning a lot this trip in addition to main task of finding a different way to cook mince every few days. May write a book - The Mincing 365 days a year book. One thing will never be rich monetarily as now understand pound plunged to a big low against Euro.

Sunday 16th September
Set off for Bayonne famous for its ham! Parked by river bank and walked into city which we liked as a big French city. Had planned to try a famous chocolate drink made in the city alone but it was more iced l'eau weather. It was extremely hot and we were starting to feel totally frazzled with no air conditioning in van so headed for Biarittz in the hope of seeing the sea. What luck found a big site (not the ones we normally enjoy) and quite expensive as had pool, bar etc etc. Walked out of site and down road and came to the most amazing beach - a surfers paradise. Spent a good hour beach walking though still 35 C at 7. Still what a way to spend a Sunday especially when no manic Monday to follow.

Monday 17th September. Actually staying in Birdet a suburb of the ritzy Biarittz.Delighted to see a red squirrel today! After heavy rainfall overnight decided to move on to St Jean de Luz along the coast as understood it to be a pretty harbour town but after driving around for ages could find nowhere suitable to park as town surrounded by bridges 2.2m and we are 3m - Called at supermarket for few bits and Andy took himelf off for a haircut - not sure they understood his seess as he came back with virtually no hair which must have been a deux! Certainly got his euros worth. He makes me laugh with his command of the language he mixes a sentance with every language possible in hope of being understood. It is funny and quite clever but not sure what people make of him?

Kept driving along the busy coastal road (en route to Spain) and came across a place called Hendaye with a nice site of edge of town. Booked in for the night and walked down to the beach and enjoyed a long walk and back to van for dinner. During the night it poured and poured and we just could not sleep as noise of rain on van is so loud. Next morning still raining but decided to stay at the site another night as not much we could do in the downpour.
By 11 it had stopped so spent 20 minutes on internet at site and then we got the bikes out and biked along the front and down to the harbour. Spotted a foot ferry taking people across the water to Spain so secured bikes and hopped on. It was lovely - we actually landed at a place called Hondarribia, very much Basque country and whilst there we found glimpses of the political situation of the region seeking to sever links with the government . They even have their own language, Euskadia and the roads are signed up as such in what looks like hierogliphics. Have to say the people were not over friendly. Got back about 7 picked up bikes and decided to eat out en-route home so stopped at a nice looking restaurant overlooking the sea (and surfers, stilling surfing at 9 in cold and dark - boy, are they dedicated). Enjoyed sardines, mussels and bottle of sangria followed by an ice cream and then had to leg it back up the hill on our bikes, in the cold, feeling full up with no lights and on wrong side of road. I have to keep singing when out "to the droite, to the droite, to the droite droite droite" as its easy to forget which side of road we are supposed to be on.

Wednesday 19th
Woke to blue sky to decided to stay on another night - we liked the site very much but the only thing was it felt a bit lonely as we were the only tourer on the site and the builders were already in preparing for the next season as the site shut like most French sites at the end of Sept. Blue sky today so took picnic, towels and costumes and spent day on beach. On way back found a scenic walk to Jean de Luz (which we never saw) and felt tempted to stay and do the 15 mile walk - and catch bus back, but in the end decided we had to get moving on to Spain as we felt a bit nervous leaving France where we feel comfortable and at home and into new territory in Spain.

Thursday, 20th
Up early and took motorway to Spain to avoid Bilbao and Santander. Drove about 2 and half hours to a place called San Vincente de la Barquera and pitched up at a site which was not great but our own pitch overlooked the harbour, town and castle on the hill with the Picos mountains as a back drop - absolutely amazing. Sat and had dinner watching sun go down over the cathedral. The other side of the site there was a two mile beach where we walked, watching the Sanderlings scurry about searching for tea.

Friday 21st
Today spend day in San Vincente with a lovely couple staying 'next door' Pat and John from the Midlands. Enjoyed day with them and a boat trip out to sea - where we nearly came a cropper when we hit the most massive wave. Captain was too busy chatting! Day was spoilt in that suddenly there was an enormous downpour and we had left roof vents open on van so when we got back everything was saturated even bed so spent hours with hairdryer drying to dry out. Ugh everything was wet and muddy - this is the lows of camping. Pat and John invited us to theirs in the evening and a couple of bottles of wine and we got passed caring about our wet home.

Saturday 22nd
Cloudy today but did not get promised rain. Bit of a low day as Andy felt he had a cold and I had a bad throat the felt strangely lost and not wanting to move on again. I know we will get days like this. Walked into the town to see the market - so different from France and not so easy as we do not speak Spanish and the Spanish north of Spain certainly do not speak English. Have to look up everything we buy. Thought I had bought a meat canneloni last night for tea which turned out to the tuna. Cooked a stuffed marrow for Pat and John to repay them for kindness and had a nice evening.

Sunday 23rd


To be continued!

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