1593-1597: 4 Countries & and Epic Meal

Posted on July 22, 2020 by Clunegapyears

1593: Stilt House Detour on a Driving Day

Thursday 16th July 2020

Making full use of the water tap outside the toilet block, we showered and filled out tank. Plan today was to start the journey out of Hungary, somewhat regretfully. We opted the route along the Danube for as long as practical and saw the Esztergom Basillica, apparently the largest in Hungary. Impressive but no inclination to stop and visit.

We did stop at the Bokod Floating Houses … on stilts actually.

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Over 2 miles of cabins over the Lake. They are used as summer houses or fishing huts.

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Fishing is very popular as the lake never freezes … the power station recycles the water for cooling.

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Don’t much fancy coming home in the dark after a few glasses! They were all a long way from shore.

After a fairly long day, we stopped just off the motorway at another lake car park. Lots of room and quiet at night. Off lead walking for CO2.

1594: Slovenia, Maribor and Fine Dining

Friday 17th July

We ate at Mak’s restaurant in September 2015 on the recommendation of a chance acquaintance. We both agreed it was the best meal we’d ever had. Not cheap then, at £123 plus taxi. Knowing we would be passing nearby, I’d rung to book a table and they’d offered to open the gate so we could park Jez around the back. We just hoped we wouldn’t get turned back at the border into Slovenia.

A bit of a queue at the border as all the traffic was forced into one lane. The Slovenian’s hadcreate a border point at the first service station. Asked where we were going, we did not mention that we planned to stay a few days in Slovenia, and we were allowed on our way. Being over 3.5 tons we elected to avoid buying the Go-Box equivalent and use the side roads. We had managed 5 weeks in Slovenia not on motorways in 2015, and it’s not big. Once off the motorway we climbed up a few hills and through villages. Slow BUT so PRETTY. We had forgotten just how lovely Slovenia is. Very green and rivers full, so they’ve obviously had a lot of rain here too.

We arrived at Mak’s and parked up. After a welcome glass of Sauvignon, I walked CO2 along the wide and fast flowing and the meal performance commenced.

On arrival at the restaurant you are told to open your mouth … I thought Chef / owner David was winding me up, so proffered my hands … too used to hand sanitiser! No, really, your mouth … a spray of a brandy type alcohol … a lingering flavour.

A the table, a glass of really dry champagne (Slovenian). Then course after course … I really should have taken my own pix, so I ‘borrowed’ these from Tripadvisor. We lost count of how many offerings, at least 12 course … canapé sized issued forth from the kitchen. David’s standard phrase was ‘don’t be afraid’, and to put the whole item in your mouth … taste sensations. Sometimes hard to identify exactly what the flavours were … not that it mattered. Quail eggs, mousses, foams, black pudding with a fried cabbage leaf on top …. all interestingly presented. Fortunately the main was not much bigger than the hors d’oevres … really tender beef that had been tea smoked.

After the meal, the 6 of the 8 guests repaired to the cellar to play some of the vinyl records there. And then another drink after I returned from the night time dog walk on the terrace. We had had a lot of wine … 2 bottles PLUS various wines with different courses. David also cooked us killer eggs benedict the next morning … bill including tip £288, but no taxi fares to pay this time. Would we go back … yes, but you do have to brace yourself for David’s character … he is not everyone’s taste. I am convinced he is on the spectrum, well he is a food genius. But is it odd to take J and I through the kitchen and play songs to us outside on the back step.

The draped ham was blow torched at the table and then eaten!

A macaroon with foie gras.

A mousse and smoked fish inside, draped with another fish and caviar.

You eat these by dunking them in the roasted corn. It is all very hands on: You eat most dishes with your hands and David was getting his hands into customers food and showing them how to eat as he intended.

BBQ quail thighs with a spinach soup.

Mushroom soup.

David mixing Hendricks G&T … grated lime, blueberry and dry ice. Honestly as a gin lover, these were amazing.

1595: Driving Day

Saturday 18th July

I walked CO2 before we had our eggs benedict, cooked by David – no charge for these! We then set off, sometimes alongside the motorway and sometimes up through more hills and villages. Having had a good breakfast, I really did not expect to be hungry by lunchtime …a quick pitstop for buns and snacks in Lidl. We agreed to get past Ljubljana and then stop … found a parking in hills outside a tent campsite and restaurant. We would have wild camped but we need to use the services more often as we managed to put a hole in the intact toilet cassette and are now using the one David (thegreygappers.com) repaired. We don’t want to overfill it, so it needs emptying more often than normal.

1596: And So Into Italy

Monday 19th July

View over the village on the morning dog walk.

With water in the centre of the tarmac car park … it would have been silly not to deploy the twin tub. A little bit of stealth as we had it in the doorway and emptied the waste water by bucket down the drains. It did seem rather public, but at least our hab door was away from the house. And given we’d paid EUR20 to stay in a car park, I felt entitled. James cleaned and I washed the floor … strangely, cleaning Sunday actually happened on a Sunday. We also used the shower … there is a tent campsite in the back garden, but only 1 loo and shower … in the same room, so not sure how that works if there are lots of campers. We left at 12.30, saying good bye to our hosts who were at lunch with family. Oh is it that time already?

A driving afternoon and quickly into Italy. A border guard wandered across the border, lazily waving us on. We stopped just into Italy for our soup. A quiet parking overnight amongst the vineyards and not far off the motorway. We have done Italy (6 months) with rarely using motorways, but it is slow as the towns are all busy and roads are bone shakers. Good progress across Italy as the motorways are clear of trucks on Sundays.

We HAD to conform … a Magnum at a service station. Not the lovely Italian gelato we would have liked.

Overnight was quiet amongst the vineyards. Not far from Soave, but no tastings this journey.

1597: And So Out of Italy

Sunday 19th July

We had half a thought of stopping the Italian side of the border to grab an Italian meal, but this is the closure day for Italian restaurants. A great route past Turin on the motorway and then left towards Briacon in France. £48.85 class B to cross Italy from one side to the other.

The sack of dog food was empty, bu Oscar just had to make sure!

We stopped in Briacon … a French aire with water 10 mins, for EUR2, but free to us as we didn’t use anything but the bins. Supposed to be for 4 motorhomes, but there 15 of us and about 40 of the resident type in caravans. Quite a complex of electricity feeding each caravan. As far as I could establish, they were hooked into a lamp post. The caravans were immaculate, I saw 4 being cleaned. We wandered into the town, decided against a meal out as a) we’d had a big lunch and b) we really do NOT like French prices. A pizza for EUR18, no thank you!

Time to slow down now, as we don’t have to be in Antibes until Friday.

1300-1308: Greece and East – Heading Off

Posted on October 8, 2019 by Clunegapyears

1300-1308: And We’re Off!

Thursday 26th September – Friday 4th October 2019

We finished loading Jez on Wednesday and struck off for the Tunnel for our 0123 hrs crossing. We parked up planning to eat nearby. However … the mackerel I’d bought had not been gutted. Not feeling like tackling the fish, I lobbed it in the bin. Now. I am usually the one that snaffles any left overs for soup. But in my defence, my Lud, I was tired. It was late. I would had to gut them outside – in the rain. And I’d already had to give Corrie a washing up bowl bath as she’d rolled in poop. Lots of it. We ended up in a very nice country pub chatting to locals. Ho hum.

Tunnel all fine with no delays. Perhaps something to do with being the small hours, but straight through. And onto Bergues aire, which we’ve used number of times before. Good for walking CO2.

We followed a route down to Ancona suggested by our friends Lin and Bo, who’ve been coming this way for decades. It was pretty much all free motorway, and straight A roads, other than the Heavy Goods Pass for Switzerland EUR32.50 and then we paid on the Italian motorways … £31. We tried to bring the crossing forward from October the 8th, but the earliest we could be accommodated for camping on board was the 3rd. We had plenty of time to ooze our way down with not very long driving days.

I’ve started plotting our sleep spots with coordinates on PolarSteps/Katherine Clune … download the app and search for it….

By a fishing lake in France, all the locals were very friendly and one in excellent English told me where to walk CO2.

Italy or Switzerland? Actually a small Italian enclave in Switzerland. Only 0.6msq. A mix of administration: vehicles and currency Swiss, but Police Italian. A fantastic spot right on Lake Lugano. The car park was free and had been for a now bankrupt casino … apparently it had been the largest in Europe, but looked more like a power station.

Apperatif in the little town of Camplione.

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We stayed one night at a campertstop with full services in Parma EUR20. A EUR2 per person and per dog all day bus ticket into town. Fortunately I’d been warned that CO2 may have to wear muzzles, and we were allowed on with 2 dogs, although the official line is 1 per bus. A great wander around the town and we even spotted the restaurant we’d eaten in with Maddy about 9 years ago. Unfortunately it was shut on a Monday, or we’d have revisited. Instead we visited a couple of bars … had a good chat with an Aussie couple, who refuse to drive in Europe so travel by train :(. Then bumped into another Aussie couple from the Camper Stop … more wine and supper together. A good evening.

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A rather bemused member of staff looking at me re-enacting my falling asleep on the steps of the Basilica from 9 years ago. Pix duly sent to Maddy.

Not allowed to sleep long… face licking time!

Overnight stop just S of Ravenna. Lovely sandy beach for walking CO2 … and actually very warm so the shorts came out. We are just starting the Go Sober for October wagon – see below!

Not a glass of wine in sight … aperitif is now coffee!

We spent the last night in Italy in the aire and Auchan just outside Ancona. We’d received an email that our crossing was put back from 1.30 pm to 4.00 pm, but on arrival at the port, were advised that there was further delay … the ship didn’t actual sail until just before 8.00 pm. A regular told me that the ship had been swapped for a faster one and we are due at Patras at about 5.00 pm All very chilled. Once parked dockside, I walked CO2 up into Ancona … an old city with Roman remains, tall buildings and small alleys. Pleasant. This above is the cathedral.

Lions guarding the cathedral steps.

One of the prettier squares.

Made us chuckle, especially as it was on a Fix It Again Tomorrow!

Empty dock as we’re all on the ship. We are Camping on Board, so we can live in Jez for the 21hr crossing. I wandered around helplessly with our electric cable wondering where to plug it in. Not needed! A loooong pole pulls an electric cable down from the roof. And it ain’t no 3 amp rubbish … we’ve had the Remoska and electric hob going, whilst charging anything that vaguely needed it. Excellent showers and toilets. We’ve been on deck just to walk CO2, but Corrie ‘saved’ herself for this morning … she really only does like going in discreet places and on grass. Oscar, however, wants to mark anything he can cock his leg at and has no inhibitions.

Go Sober October by James

Does anyone have their best ideas whilst sitting on the toilet? Leopold Bloom (Ulysses) did….. Well readers, I was thus encamped on the loo at our wilding – Lago di Lugano – when I remembered that MacMillan nurses are encouraging people to shun alcohol for the entire month of October! I climbed back into Jez as we were leaving and unleashed the bombshell on Katherine – she didn’t bat an eyeIlidl (or an Aldi)! Talk about St Paul throwing himself off his horse on the way to Damascus!!! It was bad enough giving up the drink for Lent years ago… I really must avoid toilets!!! We are now committed – as I write we’re on day 4 – and no problems so far – no shakes or twitchessssssssss. It’s a hugely deserving cause (and close to our hearts…. Rally round troops – and think of the widow’s mite! We’re a mite nonplussed! “We’re all going on an alcoholiday……

If anyone would like to donate the price of a coffee …. here’s the link.

We don’t normally do politics on here, but this made me chuckle:

919-921: The Start of Our Greek Odessy

Posted on December 10, 2017 by Clunegapyears

919- Wednesday 6th December 2017: Off to Greece

We completed our services and took the short drive to Igoumentisa port. A long wait of 3 hours…. Some trucks reversing – all over the place (health and safety – but it all works in an Italian beautifully organised disorganised way – bellissimo!. Where do they put them all? Ah .. two levels. Loaded last as first off, most vehicles going onto Patra … we turned around on top deck. Lots of areas on board closed as not enough passengers … self service restaurant shut till 7.00 p.m. … K had bought a cold supper as we’d been told the food is expensive and not marvellous … so we sat in the cabin and ate that as a late lunch, fortunately we did not need supper. Would have been complicated anyway – we’d either have had to eat taking it in turns or leave Oscar alone in the cabin – as we know from the howls that another couple did! Coffee EUR2.50 each – not paid that since Nice area!

Oscar pooped on the poop deck! So proud!

Nanny nap, research on Greece, showers (hot and forceful, but didn’t drop the soap – just as well as no room to pick it up!) more wine — bed in stuffy room. 18 hour crossing……………. successfully completed.

May not be a cruise ship despite the name … Cruise Olympia, but significantly better than the Helsinki-St Petersburgh ship.

920- Thursday 7th December: What an Amazing First Day

The same free-for-all disembarking. Straight onto A2 motorway – brand new with EU money – that route or our destination would have been very wiggly … toll £5.30 for not very far … will need to check roads out – can we do non motorway? Anyway, we are in Greece – my first time (and Oscar’s) but K was here 30 years ago…..

Dodani … holy oak tree – revered by frenzied priestess and priests, they slept on their floors and didn’t wash their feet! The Romans chopped the tree down and built temples and an amphitheatre.

Another nanny nap in the car park as sleep was not great on the Adriatic/Aegean Sea. Good ruins but we always think of Sicilia/Italia as the best – but we will see loads more in Greece.

Iaonnina was our first town destination – walls, lake, castle museums. Superb cheap lunch – yummy.

We drove in the afternoon up the hill to a viewpoint/official motorhome free parking overnight – spectacular views down over the lake…..

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Our first Roman amphitheatre in Greece.

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Originally a Greek site, rebuilt with lots of Roman Temples.

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The original Oak was cut down … the Oracle Priestess would receive slates with questions such as ‘Are my wife’s children mine?” She would listen to the bottles suspended from the branches that magnified the rustle of leaves and pronounce her answer. Not sure how she worked in winter when the leaves dropped.

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… but people obviously still hope it will bring luck and chucked very low value coins in.

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Used to be another 10m on top and seat about 17,000 making it one of the largest in Greece.

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Another Oak waiting for the performance to start.

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J on role reversal … pulling every which way and cocking his leg. We’re still working on J being the Boss!

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Our walk along the lake to the historic town of Iaonnina.

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Two mosques still in the old town castle, which was the base of Ali Pasha who essentially ruled a massive area as a fiefdom. This one was the Aslan Pasha mosque 1611 and now municipal museum. Next door was a Muslim seminary, where Ali Pasha attempted to rate his son’s mistress. For refusing the tyrant’s advances, she was bound, weighted and thrown into the lake with 17 of her companions. He also executed a rebel in public by smashing his bones with a sledge hammer. Nice chap! A young Lord Byron visited Ali Pasha in 1809, Ali Pasha took rather a shine to Byron… sexual? … as he was taken with Byron’s small ears – a sign of high breeding!

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Inside the Alslan Pasha Mosque.

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Two dishes of the day … lamb stewed with potatoes (falling off the bone) and lamb with fresh tomatoes in a filo parcel served with a rocket, sun dried tom and balsamic salad … with 500cl of local regional wine … £22 with tip. We’re so going to love these prices … means we can eat out more.

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Spot the snow!

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The wrought iron to the left of the mosque is Ali Pasha and his wife’s grave. I’d hoped to see the Silverware Museum in one of the Castle’s building, but it shut earlier than advertised.

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So still – an almost perfect reflection.

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Our night time view point … wonderful.

921- Friday 8th December: Cycling Lake Pamvotidha

We moved Jez down to the lake side and we cycled 26 km around the lake. Two packs of dogs chased us but they couldn’t work out where Oscar was (concealed in his Os-car). He went very quiet at all the barking.

Monastery of Dhourahani – very smart and cared for … run as a vocational school for disadvantaged children. The Churches have lots of paintings of saints, but are very dark.

The obligatory coffee en route…trays of meat and pots ready for the standard late Greek lunchtime (2-3:00 pm). We’d have stopped as it looked good, but it was only 12.00 and not sure how long we’f be salivating. We lunched in Ianonnina, more excellent value – and our first Moussaka.

Drove to Metsovo for night stay … very cold … checked weather – one app said snow overnight… risk averse …then drove an hour back down the mountainside … lake side pitch, not far from the monastery – our first ‘wild camping’ in Greece. After only 2 days, we have a good feeling for Greece – like we experienced in Italy. Roll on the next few months. Oscar likes it too – although he doesn’t know which country he’s in – he’s in HappyK9ville, always!

Our morning view of the lake … it’s been filled in by mist.

Such stillness.

912-918: Now Which Country Are We In?

Posted on December 7, 2017 by Clunegapyears

912 – Wednesday 29th November 2017: And into Montenegro

Heavy rain (drizzle from Brizzle, or Spain?) – K did laundry – or laundwet? Rigged up clothesline in the closed but covered restaurant patio. Some van cleaning – and I went to have shower….. well, the water temperature hovered between tepid and coooold! A real ‘boarding school’ shower….. (K: I elected to use the one on board, having had J heroically test them!) But lovely campsite owners, known by all the locals, including the bar where we took wine – to ward off the cold and damp…. and use the wifi.

913 – Thursday 30th November: And Further Down Montenegro

Some laundry had blown off in the overnight high winds … J collected it’s sodden mass. Some had dried overnight in the van. We had planed to stop at Kotor on our way south towards Albania … but lashing rain and road flooding conditions prevented this. ‘Interesting’ wet and slow drive on empty roads. Nothing for it but to head into Albania sooner, but needed to do some planning as we thought we’d be longer in Montenegro. So to a campsite our Finnish friend told us of South of Budva. Still peeing down, put a damp load of laundry on … no driers so all hanging in Jez – 3 days of Chinese Laundry in the van :(. Walk along beach front … rat .. googled rat infections on dogs … and forum replies on rabies blood test … yes Oscar should have had it … vet knew our destinations and we (K: that would be me, but J is too kind to point the finger!) hadn’t properly checked !!! All to do with three tiers of rabies … rabies free, controlled and high … Montenegro and Albania are high. We don’t fancy being stopped at Albania / Greece border …. so we will head back North into Croatia and investigate boats to Italy then Greece. “The best laid plans of mice and men clang aft a-clay” – or something similar….

Are we on a boat? Little did we realise … not yet!

Islands in Kotor Bay almost submerged. Water level definitely high as we spotted a beach volley ball pitch of very short people (are we allowed to call them midgets?) … poles only a couple of feet high.

Windscreen wipers could hardly cope with the torrent.

914 – Friday 1st December: Then Back Up To Croatia

We traversed back through the mountains to Bosnia and Herzegovina – some stressed and successful border crossings – ’nothing to declare,Sir…’ (not even the 10 bottles of vino and 6 months supply of e-juice) – a big shop in BiH at mega low prices – and into Croatia (again) – back to the sanctuary of Camping Stobrec – one of the best sites ever! Only 9 hours travel….. What a day – phew… Oscar had to be ‘invisible’ at the border crossings, just in case!

Better weather coming North and better views around the Kotor Bay.

In BiH, ancient Necropolis … we used their carpark for a driver change.

915 – Saturday 2nd December: Sitting Still in Croatia

Well – how to start a quiet day? – ‘embracing the moment’ in bed….then one of the site managers knocked on the door – and the moment was suddenly ‘disembraced’…..not quite ‘in flagrante disrobio’ but close…. We compared costs about routes to Greece and decided to drive to Ancona in Italia and ferry to Greece. Booked Minoan Ferries, with a members discount as advised by Viamare booking agent saved us £62 (excellent service, if anyone is planning to book – lovely people on the phone) + pet friendly cabin….. 18 hour sailing. Our new friend Outi from Finland, who has a house in Estonia and overwinters often in Monetnegro, has never had a border issue with her dogs….but we prefer to be risk averse.

More handy laundry and a good breeze on our clothes line… for once not inside!

As often happens – a line of poetry comes to mind – very apposite in our circumstances!

“And a good south wind sprung up behind

the albatross did follow

and every day for food or play

came to the Mariner’s hollow”

‘Ryme of the Ancient Mariner’ – we are the not so ancient mariners and we need a good south wind…..

916 – Sunday 1st December: North to Italy

A big driving day – 8-ish hours with spectacular scenery – and heigh ho – we’re back in our bellissimo Italia, again!!! Is there a nicer place to be? Circumnavigated Trieste (James Joyce residence during the war, I recall) – avoiding the infamous road ramp that nearly nobbled us a month ago…. we paid up for the Slovenian vignette (ERU15 for 20 mins) and stuck to motorways.

Lovely free aire to overnight – we jump started a French van – twice! The 2 lads and 1 lady looked about 12 years old….maybe we are the ancient mariners? Oscar says – ‘feck off, youze – I’m not a mariner!’ I think he missed something there… sunshine beams on us – the righteous? But -4C overnight!

Heading North to Italy – the cloud filling in between the mountain peaks.

Views looking out to the Dalmatian islands.

917- Monday 4th December: And a Little Further South

Drove most of day to Fano …passing some places we’d stayed at on our Italy just over 2 years ago. The aire had tatty permanent caravans ….we wonder at the stories behind these single men. K walked into town and along beaches with Oscar – I made sure the bed was still horizontal – it’s on my checklist…..Still sunny, yummy.

918- Tuesday 5th December: Fano and Onto Ancona

Walk and breakfast in Fano – lively old town. Had to have a pukka Italian coffee … no where else comes close. Combed the beach front looking for a chandlery to sell us a replacement electric cable to Euro 2 pin (having left ours Dubrovnik and we’ll need one for the ferry for Electric Hookup)… three places on drive south … everything but in one and two no longer existed despite web presence … we’ll use the UK socket adaptor and a three to two pin … a bit Heath Robinson, but all under cover on the ferry so no wet risk .. If the cable does get wet, we’re in serious trouble! Onto Auchan supermarket outside Ancona (15 mins from the ferry port) with free dedicated spaces for motorhomes … K did a big shop including Oscarfodder. And we had another Italian coffee … needs must.

Another lonely man and dog in a decrepit caravan on the parking. We settled for the evening, we thought…. About 8-ish, a ‘domestic’ stared outside – 4 men from the decrepit caravan – a bit of ‘handbags’ but too loud. So, discretion being the better part of valour, we moved all of 200 metres – to avoid the unseemly racket.

Looking forward to the mariners’ trip to the cradle of civilisation…..

Fano had a lovely busting shopping area … but buildings had kept their original facia. Christmas Panetone anyone? All the decorations are up in the shops … wondering when we should put our up? Just before my birthday?

Walk along the harbour wall to the ‘David’ … funny how the statue’s bits had been rubbed shiny … but no effect on their size!

The river had two areas controlled water flow with warnings about sudden surges.

878-883: Its 34C in Marakesh!

Posted on November 4, 2017 by Clunegapyears

878 -Friday 27th October 2017: Wet and Windy (and that’s just the weather!)

Quite wet wether but Northern Germany and Poland have been hit hard…. we vanpottered and waited for the skies to clear – walked into Oberndorf village, posted some cards and wended out way home… a very quiet sort of day. The highlight was watching the Police arrive with a trailer full of bikes and then teaching youngsters how to navigate the roads safely. Part of the car park had lanes and junctions painted and the kids carefully followed instructions, sitting erect and careful on their bikes … arms out fully stretched and horizontal with the tarmac to indicate a turn. Our motorhome neighbour told us that the kids get a badge they can fix to their bikes. We spotted other car parks with similar road markings. I don’t think UK Police Forces fund this any more … or do they?

879 -Saturday 28th October: Cycling to Sulz am Neckar

Dry skies but cold….cycling through a forest along the Neckar – each wearing tights under trousers! On to Sulz am Neckar – and a complete impromptu lunch – the local Fire Service seemed to be all there lunching – good honest food – and a little vino…..

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Maultaschen: sausage filled pasta pockets with 3 different toppings … hearty fare in Germany.

Even our home towns of Bristol and Aldreshot are warmer!

880 -Sunday 29th October: A Good German Tradition – Kaffee und Kuchen

What’s with this cold and damp weather? Is it Europe in October? A friend had posted that it’s 34c in Marakesh! Very helpful, indeed… We decided to move to another Stelplatz with electric @ 1 Euro for 8 hours – heating on. Haigerloch on top of the hill – posh castle/hotel. We visited the “Atom Celler” where German scientists tried to split the atom during WW2 – for various reasons – the Allies bombed the place once they worked out where it was. The scientist were interred after the war in a Cambridgeshire country house with CCTV in every room … Big Brother-esque, but less extreme, I should think! “Kaffee und Kuchen” – coffee and cakes, getting into German culture. The cakes had an unusual effect on our tummies – no more details required!

Atom Keller – apparently no risk of radiation!

The view down to the town after the walk back up!

881 -Monday 30th October: We’re Off

A tentative fart – very sorry, readers – a tentative start (the other one was probably right too post cakes!) – awaiting news from Kerstin about the post – our green cards – no, we have not joined the Green Party. Green cards for insurance for taking Jez into the Balkans. Phone call from Kerstin – and joy – we’re on the way back to Kerstinland. Gorgeous neighbours helped with the postal vigilance – checking K’s post box and placing the envelope in the garage so we could pick it up, as K is away. Much ‘dankes’ and away southwards….travelled all day and got just south of Munich – overnight car park in Neuberen – Halloween party locally until 6:00 am – oh the exuberance of youth! K walked O to the town – archway – lots of painted old buildings, hotels and restaurants.

Neubueren – another come back to place.

882 -Tuesday 31th October: Not that RAMP again!

Grahame Leslie’s 81st birthday – we donated whiskey from Scotland… part of the fun was doing the sampling ourselves.

As we motored through Austria and climbed through spectacular scenery – there was snow on the roadsides. We chose motorways after hours in the hills – splashed out for vignette – our progress speeded up. Then, like flash – we’re back in Italia – bella Italia – la Dolce Vita. Can you tell how pleased we are? Possibly our favourite country – the people, food and wine… and, of course the chaotic driving! We recited our limited Italian at each other … a fav being “Strade piccolo, Camper grande … Possible?’ and K’s perfect sentence asking fro stamps for postcards to England! Given we spent 6 months in Italy our linguistic skills leave a lot to be proud of.

Now then – 2 years ago in Chardonnay, our SatNav took us around Trieste to avoid the centre and motorways. But at one point, we came to a No Entry tunnel – and the only escape was to gun the van up a steep and narrow cobbled ramp with hearts in our mouths and the wheels scrabbling to gain a purchase! We joked today as we skirted Trieste about that little fandango….. Minutes later, we rounded a corner and came to the same feckin’ No Entry tunnel!!! The cobbled ramp is still there and we are a tonne heavier with less traction. It’s called “Rampitupme Crustifer”!!! A bit like the Egyptian Queen – “Ramitupme”. We reversed subito and retraced our steps. We ended up paying for a Slovene motorway toll for EUR16 for all of 5 km of motorway to avoid the ramp! It’s sitting next to the Austrian one …. and we prefer to travel toll free! The joys of motorhoming…

Free aire with services in Gemona, some halloween noise from groups of kids – but a peaceful night – dreaming of cobbles.

Picture perfect Austria.

No stopping for us … we have snow chains but practising fitting them is still at the top of the To Do list!

Sunset from our Italian Sosta.

883 -Wednesday 1st November: Another New Country

Germany, Austria, Slovenia and Croatia in 3 days for Oscar. Croatia new for K – I had stood on Croatian soil for 5 seconds 2 years ago when we thought we had wandered into Hungary… Lovely big Lidl lots of foodie things, aubergine, mozzarella, etc. Another m’way vignette (still visions of the Trieste cobbled ramp) – 5km again… Passports to show at border – holding up other cars as we retrieved them from our ‘gasafe’ secret store – now you all know – we’ll have to shoot you! Or – you could sign “The Oscarficial Secretz Axe” – section 4 of course – for his birthday… Approaching Porec, our chosen campsite was closed (in spite of their website saying otherwise). But all the campsites seemed shut – out of silly season…. Nice large free parking though with a few other vans, including one GB on our second day there. We meandered into the old town and had our first Croatian wine….

“T’is the season to be jolly…..tra la la la la…” Hang about, James – Christmas crumble is light years away – or is it? Are the 2018 Easter eggs on sale in Asda yet? 52 shopping days…..yikes!!!

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A nano stop just so Oscar could tread paws on Slovene soil.

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Would that be the first HAPPY Croatian ice cream …

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… And the first Croatian glass of vino?

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Porec

There are few vitamins in ice cream, thats why you have to eat so much of it!

So true!

Clune Gap Years

A journal and reflections of our motorhome travels

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