Sorry everybody but this is the first time we've managed to get on line and post. Joe gave us Internet access at their house but it was not the time or place to do the blog.

At last we are off to Europe


Stephen and Andy, we left home, got to tunnel on time and are now in Germany and it's raining! The end.

Sunday 25th August
As usual I awoke really early and could NOT get back to sleep, it was 4am! I was worried that somebody had parked across the front of the van and we could not get out.  At 4.30 I gave up and got up, dressed and Joan followed me down stairs. We were on the road by 5.10am, it was pouring with rain and there were huge puddles flooding the road everywhere.

So far so good, we were at the tunnel in time and everything went smoothly. I even managed to sleep on the train. Then the pleasure of driving in France, it's so easy. Before we knew it we were in Belgium and approaching our destination for the day with 185 miles done from Angela's.

I have promised Joan and Angela NOT to over do it so although it was only 12.30pm we stopped. Unfortunately we were told that they had done away with the campingplatz at Grimbergen so had to move on to a campsite further on. On arrival we found several people also waiting to get in as they close for lunch until 3pm. We had a leisurely lunch while parked outside and I went to bed and slept for an hour and a half.

Being fully refreshed and not liking the look of the campsite, plus knowing Angela would not know, I convinced Joan that I felt great and we set of to the next days stop in Monschau. It was only 97 miles further and we arrived at 5.15pm, great. Well it would be if we hadn't had to drive down a very steep hill to the site. I hope we can get out tomorrow, damn, another sleepless night.

We are relaxing now after our meal with a lovely bottle of red wine.  The only down side is that it has been chucking it down for about 3 hours now and doesn't look like stopping, guess whose face looks like a slapped bum?

Love Joan & Bryan xxx


Monday 26th August.

Wow, we've done four days planned driving in two!

Andy & Stephen, We got up, drove some, more slept mid day and drove another 123 miles to our target for day 4 on day 2, met our German friends and relaxed. The end.


We awoke about 7.30am and it was NOT raining but there's time. Joan has had a lousy night worrying if we will be able to get up the bank out of the campsite, I slept like a log!!  In the event, we drove straight out no bother at all, proving that the expensive chipping we had done to the van was worth it.

Next stop was Limberg an der Larn this turned out to be a motorhome dealer and although very nice, after a kip I decided to continue as it was only 2pm and I felt refreshed. Joan threatened to tell Angela but I insisted. German roads are so good, even the side roads, that we were in Thungersheim by 4.30pm
 As this was day two and our destination for day four, I was delighted. It was a lovely spot by the river with electricity and drinking water if you can find it. We found the power but failed water devining!  Having finally found a place to completely chill we did, and slept until 8.50am. Joan was all for staying put until Wednesday, our original arrival day but we needed water so we left. As soon as we got to Veitshochheim we phoned Ingrid & Joe, who came straight over and took us back to where we could get water free. It was so simple we felt pretty stupid, but they said they had had the same trouble when they went there for the first time.

Next we returned to the Aire in their village which is on the river front. This is a really beautiful place with restaurants and a riverside walk. Having enjoyed a light lunch in a biergarten and having ensured we were ok, they left us to chill out for a while, lovely.  Later that evening they took us to their home where we had a great night with fabulous food & conversation, finally driving us back to our van at 11.30pm.  We both agreed that having done four days travel in two days, we felt totally at ease and finally ready to chill out and enjoy our holiday.

Love "US" xxxxx


Wednesday 28th August

Oh hell we may need a new windscreen!

Stephen & Andy: We had our normal expensive holiday disaster which was quickly solved with money and enjoyed our friends company. It was hot and sunny, the end.


Waking up in this lovely place the sun shining and all seeming well I was alarmed to see a huge chip in our windscreen. This wasn't helped by, after 30 minutes on the phone, our insurance company telling us that we weren't covered for glass and that it was our problem! Fortunately just then Joe & Ingrid turned up, made a phone call and took us to a windscreen place who did a repair but were concerned it might not work. The alternative was a new windscreen for. £900.00!! So far touch wood it looks good but it still cost £110.

Then we followed Joe to the campsite we are on now which is very close to town and there is a trolley bus stops right outside if we wanted to venture off on our own. At last we are really relaxing and I am certainly getting a mid-day nap which is good for me. With nothing to worry about, Joan is really chilled and loving it. Again Ingrid & Joe took us back to their home and we enjoyed convivial evening of food, drink and chat. Joe showed us his collection of ancient Roman coins and we again tried to get them to come to us and visit the Roman wall. Back to the van about 11.00pm





Off on our bikes at last.

Thursday 29th August

Andy & Stephen:- We finally use our bikes on a flat path beside a river. Hot and sunny again. Did a Coconut Raita dinner in our van for Joe & Ingrid, the end.


Wow, perfect holiday weather, red hot wall to wall sunshine, great!  Joe and Ingrid arrived about 11am to take us and our bikes out to the country for a bike ride. They have earlier on taken their bikes and locked them up on a riverside cycle track about 7 miles away and they say they will still be there, wouldn't it be nice to live like that. They are appalled when we tell them they would be lucky if the frame was there if we did that in England! Anyway we cycled for a few miles to a riverside cafe and had a really superb lunch and a radler (a shandy). Then back to repeat the process of getting us back then getting their bikes, they really are a lovely couple.

Our turn to cook dinner tonight and as they had said they preferred to eat vegetarian at night, plus they liked Indian food, we naturally turned to coconut raita. We did take the liberty of adding cauliflower and broccoli to Reena's potato curry but we hope she won't mind. We also Made the egg one which we had enjoyed once as a starter at her house. We had both dishes with some very nice bread from the local baker. delicious!  Needless to say she now has two more very keen devotees so we must have made them right. And remember we did this cooking in our little van kitchen.   Tried The local brandy, very nice.

Love to you all
Joan & Bryan xxxxx

Oh dear after today I think Joe & Ingrid will be pleased to see the back of us!

Andy & Stephen, we gave thanks at the Kepple, had a fair well dinner and lost a bracelet. The end.

Friday 30th September

This was sadly our last full day with Joe & Ingrid. We went up to the lovely church on the hill overlooking the whole city of Wurzburg to give thanks that all our children are well. This was a trip we had wanted to make with our friends because when Jacqueline was very ill they prayed for her there. The church is very beautiful and the views across the city are stunning.

After this we returned to the city square for some grub and then left them, to take a trolley bus ride back to our van. Later that evening they called for us and took us to Veitshochheim where we enjoyed a last meal together. The meal was really good and of course the company excellent.  Then we all went back to the van to check with Joe the stellplatz which would be best for us over the rest of our trip through Germany.

After fond hugs we reluctantly said goodbye to two people who really are the best, and prepared to get ready for the off tomorrow. Suddenly Joan noticed she had lost her brand new pearl bracelet, she was really upset. Then as we got ready to go and see it had fallen off as she had got out of the car she noticed Ingrid's jacket hanging on our drivers seat. We tried to ring them on Joe's mobile but for some reason it would not work. A gentle tap tap on the door and Ingrid had returned for the coat. She was distressed about Joan's bracelet and we all said good night, again.

Joan! I've just seen a knight in full armour with a huge sword getting out of a Mercedes. Honest!!!

Saturday 31st August

Stephen & Andy, we left our friends, went somewhere else, climbed a tower and visited a medieval fayre.

Well I said they were good friends, Joe & Ingrid having left us late last night, drove all the way back to where we'd parked and retraced our steps all round the town, plus asking in the restaurant for Joan's lost bracelet, they are amazing. Sadly their efforts were not successful but they still insist they will ask at the local lost property offices in both cities.

Finally we left and had a really pleasant drive to our next stop, a stellplatz in a town called Hirschhorn. Although we were there by 12 O'clock the van park seemed a bit full and we were lucky to just get in to a spot near the river, very nice. The whole car park was heaving and then we noticed some people in traditional dress of the Middle Ages. I mean it's not everyday you see a family in chain-mail with huge swords wandering about. So grabbing the camera's we followed to find a huge medieval fayre with craft stalls, tents, lots of food and of course beer.

It is amazing how the local people all get into the spirit of things and whole families even little tots are dressed up. As we went in they stamped our hands so we could come and go as we pleased which  Joan was not too happy about as it will not come off easily. It worked for us pretty well though as shortly after we got inside the camera blinked full, so we needed to return to the van and get another card.

But before this we had been amazed at the sights inside, it was as if we had stepped back in time. There was a whole village with blacksmith, carpenter, basket weaver, leather worker, candle maker, rope maker and fletcher. Plus of course sword practice and archery for everybody to participate in. There were minstrels wandering around and a lady playing a harp, plus as I said so many people in costume. It was amazing!

On the way back we decided to look around the village a bit and ended up climbing 425 steps to the top of the Schloss which is high on a hill above the village. It is now a restaurant where a wedding was in progress but nobody seemed to mind as we carried on up. It nearly killed us but I was determined to do it.

Our legs were like jelly when we got back to the fayre and we staggered in, found a seat near the beer tent and had a couple of pints while watching the acts in the arena. We stayed for ages and ended up eating a really good meal. I had Bratwurst and Joan had a pork dish (Joe's favourite) with chips all washed down with a couple of flagons of ale, finishing with a lovely big slice of cake, delicious.

Tomorrow were off to a campsite near Heidelburg. A really long drive, about 8 miles!

Lots of love
Bryan & Joan xxxxx

1st September

Is it us? We wanted the train to Heidelberg and the line's broken!

Andy & Stephen, we left early and arrived at campsite about 10.30am walked into town and back. The end.

Actually if you read the above it's almost all we did really. It was a nice day and we drove into Heidelberg and tried to find somewhere to park and wander around. This proved difficult so we returned to Neckargemund a few miles away where there is a campsite. We thought we may not be able to get in so early but we forgot we are not in England so they were delighted we came and just booked us in. They offered us a riverside pitch for 2.5€ more but we are pitched 4 metres away from it and that's close enough to see the boats and ducks.

Having pitched we wandered into town to see about trains or busses to Heidelberg only to discover the train line is broken and busses only run occasionally on Sunday. There is also a boat trip from here so we tried to find out how and when to get it but as everywhere was closed we gave up and returned to the van and just relaxed.

Tomorrow we will hopefully find more places to get information and buy tickets from. In Wurzburg you buy your tickets from a kiosk or machine not on the bus. But we are keen to go on the boat trip if we can discover how to purchase a ticket and what time it stops here. Apart from that and a bit of washing using the new dryer thing Ingrid & Joe bought us, we did very little really, sat outside the van with a beer, read our books etc., very restful.

Love from
Joan & Bryan xxxx