Wrexham County Borough 68 - another storm or two on the way/ quiet walks and lighter nights

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Another week has gone by - the weather forecasters tell us that we have storms on the way . February is turning out blustery . Colder than it was a few weeks ago and with two storms on the way we worry about the high winds . We need to take Gabby out to fill her with diesel . That will be a shock . The price of fuel has rocketed the last few weeks . Fears over Russia invading Ukraine . The rate of inflation going through the roof . The already expensive fill will cost a lot more .

We need to try to fill her up with LPG again . We know she is half empty on one tank and completely empty on the other . But we have failed to find a way to fill her. Perhaps if we fail this week we will need to book her in to a caravan repair shop or perhaps go down to the Gaslow centre and get her checked out . As long as we can fill one tank we can manage. A plan is emerging for a holiday . The requirement to have a PCA test before entering France has been dropped so we dont have to find a supplier of tests in Chester , pay our fees and pick up one ready to go away . Nor will we at the moment need to take it back and wait for the results . We just need to make our mind up about the date of travel and hope that we can get hold of Eurotunnel to make the most of the ticket which will expire shortly if we dont use it .

So the plan so far is vague . Somewhere south of France . Somewhere where we can see the sea and feel the warmth . Somewhere to buy fresh bread and croissants . Cakes from the bakers . We are not asking much really . We need to top up the camping card which allows us use of some of the private aires . The few euros that were on it have miraculously disappeared . We are not using the motorways . As fast and convenient they are they prove to be costly and perhaps this holiday we dont need to rush from A to B and get home for work . It may be a more restful holiday travelling between one beautiful village to the next . Ambling along and not really having much of a plan .

Having said that we have bought a welsh sticker to cover the GB Euro sticker on the numberplate . It does not look right so we need to buy new plates. We have purchased a UK sticker for the van and have invested in a large scale map of France . The ACSI books arrived and we threw out last years which was unopened . Our insurance for the van has turned up and we thought about searching a cheaper one but as always we cannot be bothered . They are all much of a muchness . None offer the odd countries we wish to visit and to be fair we are not going to Turkey nor to Montenegro this side of September .

The plan is being hatched - Go early and get down to the Tunnel . We will be going back to the old and trusty route of Telford , M6 , M42 and south . Anti clockwise around London avoiding the QE II bridge. Hope for an earlier train . If not sit and have a coffee. Hopefully we will have completed all the correct forms stating we have not been anywhere near Covid. Our fridge will be empty due to new rules for us in our new Third country role . Perhaps some food might be stashed somewhere in the van in the hope we look innocent enough to let through . Then the short trip to France .

The first stop the nearest Mr LeClerc, Carrefour or Super U to stock up on mainstays and a visit to the boulangerie to stock up on the lovely things we need . Then south . To Blois in an attempt to park up properly this time in the new aire . Not the one I failed miserably to enter even after paying 19 euros good money to get in . A longer walk in but worth it to see the chateau .

Onwards in a southerly direction . We will have skirted Paris and gone in the general direction of Le Puy. Crowning Mount Corneille in the Auvergne region of central France where the cathedral of Notre Dam is one of Europes oldest and most famous cathedrals . Set on the top of the mountain it will be hike up but worth it to see the Black Madonna and walk where the pilgrims on the way to Santiago walked . So that would be a chateau a cathedral and an iconic site amongst the ancient dormant volcanoes ticked off.

Anduze with its Bamboo garden and steam train . A garden and a steam train . We are trying to ring the changes on this trip . L'Isle sur la Sorgue - What brings us here ? Something different again a small town just what we like famous for its antique shop , its waterside cafes and restaurants and attractive working water wheels

Chuck in a few big cities . Nimes - that gives us our Roman fix . Beziers and Narbonne for no other reason than they are on the route and worth stopping off and wandering around . We need an abbey so on to the Abbey de Fontfroide founded in 1093 and looks stunning . Of course as always we plan and put in the chateaux de Peyrepertuse and Perpignan but as always we may get there but equally we may change our minds . We need the sea so Argeles looks the part to fill the desire to walk on a beach and watch the tide coming in . Toulouse and then maybe head home . Will two weeks do us or do we need three weeks ? It has been so long in coming it is hard to even pluck up the courage to ring Eurotunnel and pay our train fare . So much can change in a few weeks . We may get to do the quiet walks and certainly by then the nights will be lighter .

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Photos

The Hyperbolic/parabolic /diabolic swimming pool roof in Wrexham
How can you not love it or admire it in the early light of dawn when it is flood lit in a lilac light

Comments

[Home and Away]

Your proposed France itinerary sounds great!
I loved the Loire chateaux and everything else. I'm jealous...

[JenGog]

france
I shall do my best to make you jealous if we ever get there LOL . Looks like you might make Scotland soon .