Well I did it again!

4th & 5th May

Yes we have another new rear light cluster, and I am as sick as a parrot. So much so that we again really seriously felt like coming home and selling the van. No kidding we were really fed up and it has taken a couple of days for both of us to settle down and start enjoying our trip. having arrived at Angela's I had to get the van into the narrow drive at the side of her house. This sounds easy but it took help from Joan and Paul plus a couple of tries to acheive it. It was so tight that we could not get out of the drivers side and Paul had to lend us his cable so we could plug into the electricity which we could only just get to on the other side, to keep our fridge going. It was fine though as we were well off the road with the bikes hidden from view.

However once a week on a Sunday Angela's neighbour takes his car out for a run and it lives at the top of the drive so I had to move to let him out. At the bottom of the drive I had a lamp post on one side, a fence on the other and parked cars opposite. I had to swing out at such a sharp angle that the overhang at the back caught the fence post, broke the rear light and cost me another £60! Both of us were totally demorolised and so fed up, frankly I could have cried and Joan did. However after much cajoling and sympathetic noises from Angela and Paul we tried to get a replacement because of course you cannot drive abroad with it broken. It's bank holiday Sunday and we have got a ferry to catch tomorrow morning!!! After much googling Paul found a place who said they may be able to help, in Reigate about 23 miles away. so off we went and they managed to help us although it is not a perfect match but that's another story.

We set off the next morning and caught the ferry still both very much down in the dumps and began our trip in our usual fashion with a full English breakfast which did cheer us a little. we disembarked in glorious sunshine and set off on the 150 Miles to Neufchatal-en-bray, a lovely little site recommended to us last year by Kathleen and Ken. we felt our spirits lifting as finally we sat in the sun with a beer and a large glass of red wine and toasted all our friends and family. We determined to put it behind us and enjoy ourselves, but it had been touch and go I promise you.

First full day in France

Now I like the sound of church bells, and so when we were awoken by them at 7 am it was quite nice but they carried on and on and on! I thought they might stop if I got up? No! Anyway that aside this has been a lovely relaxing day of high cloud, hazy sun and our first cycle ride with Joan's new saddle courtesy of Andy, which is proving a great success.

Lots of love from the wrecker and her xxxxx