The last days, the last blog

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3^rdSeptember Last day in Brittany!



Meant to say yesterday that we both nearly stood on a young viper yesterday on the coastal path. It had obviously come out from the heather for the sunshine, we disturbed it & it was going back into cover. I took the phone out & scrambled round to get a picture (see yesterday's); having snapped it I discovered another snake rather a lot bigger...having married a little nest of vipers I didn't want to stand on another so legged it back to the path haha!

Did the washing as the forecast looked ok, updated the blog, had lunch then cycled around again & down to the beach where we watched youngsters on sand yachts in the sunshine. We came back as it looked like rain which it did shortly after our return but we got the washing in in time – it was only a few showers so we were still able to cook & eat outdoors.

So, on the move tomorrow North East our way back to Calais – tomorrow's stop over is near Rennes...



4^th Telgruc sur mer to East of Rennes

A decent enough day after small dawn showers. When we arrived a couple of weeks ago, about 20k outside Telgruc we saw a lovely old church in a village called St. Marie du Menez - hom but it was a bit too far away to cycle from the camp site especially on the main road so we decided to have a look on the way home. The church was interesting to look at but certainly not pretty – it was made from a dark grey sandstone which frankly looked like weathered concrete; it had three large carved crucifixes on plinths near the entrance which gave it a macabre feel. Anyway, a door was open which is certainly unusual so in we went - & blimey, we certainly weren't prepared for what we saw after the exterior! The most spectacular & beautifully ornate, gold leafed 'tableau' all along the east wall, just staggering! There were some old statues inside but also a plaque commemorating the brave, local people in WW2 who hid 18 British & American aircrew & got them safely across the channel in fishing boats from the nearby little harbours.

The site here in St Aubin–du-Cormier, east of Rennes is pleasant but no Wifi, right on the edge of a small town & next to a small lake, one that once held the fish stocks for the local, now ruined chateau. We had a walk into the small town that held 3 pizzerias, 5 restaurants, 1 kebab shop, 1 hotel, 1 bar, 2 hairdressers, a clothes shop & a shoe shop & the car park opposite the town hall was full – but we saw only 3 people on the streets, quite odd. Maybe they only come out at night....cue Michael Jackson...



5^th St Aubin to Neufchatel en Bray



A long drive today so to avoid a long drive on our last day tomorrow. Nothing to report of the journey except for Cathy having an argument with the Dyson & sending us the wrong way off a peage motorway, something that someone else did when we found our way back & who overtook us later haha. We crossed a magnificent bridge across the River Seine up from Le Havre which was pretty impressive & we found the site with no problems on the outskirts of the town of Neufchatel. It was in an odd area, near the local centre commercial which contained 4 supermarkets (!) & a couple shoe / clothes / home shops. We went to look for some new walking sandals for me but came away empty handed. The site is meticulously maintained but no Wifi & the first in a while with lush green grass probably because we were nearing the UK & it rained a lot! It also had a billboard nearby advertising Taxi Bastards which was nice...





6^th September. It was bit chilly last night though probably not as cold as in Wigg which was 4* apparently. Ceremoniously threw away my old walking sandals that have seen me through Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, GB, France, Italy, Greece, Turkey & Cyprus. A short 3 hour drive to our last night of our adventure – in the grounds of a chateau – Chateau du Gandspette, again which was beautifully well maintained. Another couple drew up in a motorhome shortly after we arrived who were just setting out but didn't know where they were going to go (odd). We had a chat with them until we I made an excuse to go indoors as there was a trail of donkey's hind legs behind the old boy...

Discovered that the owner here wants 3Euros/hr or 10Euros /day for Wifi – I think not Pierre! So, by the time you read this we shall in dear old Blighty & in all likelihood chez nous... Off to Calais in the morning for the ferry home....



7^th September Last night after we had been for a walk we sat down in the sunshine..& the couple from next door came back from their walk too. Oh dear. He managed to bore us senseless for an hour befor ethey decided it was time for them to cook. On the walk we discovered that there is a WW2 site virtually next door, a V1 V2 rocket launching bunker. It was closed on Sundays so we decided to go first thing before the supermarket & the ferry.

We arrived at the bunker & it didn't open until 10am & we didn't want to wait or rush round it panicking about getting to the ferry on time, so we left after a mooch about, went to get a couple of bits from the local shop& then onto the ferry. We passed the massive camp site for the 'migrants' at Sangette & the double razor wire fences on the approach road to the port – not a soul about except fro a couple of armed Gendarmes. The ferry left 5 minutes early, sailed through customs & had a safe journey home, arriving at 5.20pm. The girls had cleaned the house for us & Daniel had had someone to come & clear the wasteland of a garden which took him 4 days...



So, after 5 months away & 7850 miles we're home...though I'm writing this last entry from a pub in a village called Groton not far from Lavenham in Surrey. A lady in the village needed to see her aged sister with her brother as the sister had had a bad fall & they wanted to sort out stuff in case things turned for the worst. I was too soft say no...but she couldn't drive herself...



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