789-794: Os-Car goes Mobile

Posted on July 31, 2017 by Clunegapyears

789 – Wednesday 26th July 2017: Doggy Ride

Oscar’s new bike trailer! K did some research and for good quality and mid price dog bike trailer. We do not tow a car or have a moped … just bikes or our legs. In some countries dogs are not allowed on public transport, so getting around can be quite limiting if we park some distance from a site or don’t want to move Jez. We are thinking about buying E- Bikes to extend our range, but at £1500+ each, we need to be absolutely sure that Oscar is happy in a trailer. Anyway – DoggyRide came out tops. We made contact with the European office in Holland – the owner is Dutch but lives in the States. We went for a Novel 10 – it is aluminium so weighs in at 15kgs with the extras: soft memory foam cushion (only the best for O), a kickstand and cargo rack. The choice was also influence a little by the orange colour to match his fur, lead and collar!

What can we say? Well, he will have a lot to say – not all good, though…. Euro400 is worth it – and he slept happily there on day 1 – but…. on the road, his barking is – well – loud and incessant!!! Any motion and he’s off again … it does stop after about an hour. More anon – we will travel (as always) hopefully – in Oscardillacville. Every time we return to the bikes and Os-car he bounds right up to rear and happily hops in to be rewarded by a treat … he is a real greedy boy. Wish he could understand that his options are limited … stay home alone or come with us and travel in the Os-car along roads.

BBQ in the evening… Wonderful cycle tracks – great for running.

Stage 1 of becoming accustomed going well. He was happy to sleep in it to.

790 – Thursday 27th July 2017: Houten

Houten is a large and modern. We reckon every building was under 20 years old. However, as we cycled in we spotted a small market. K managed to NOT buy some of the wool … she has enough for about 4 projects stored! We did buy a few cycle items … a high pressure pump, a rear view mirror and a kick stand for K’s bike … Oscar – the bills associate with you are mounting up!

A small lunch out and local beer, again! And we followed the signs to the old town … we think we found it, but is only amounted to a small square. With so many cycle tracks, we managed an involuntary detour the long way home! At least it was flat.

791 – Friday 28th July 2017: Waterlinie Museum and Bunnik

As we said, the Os-car is a work in barkness (not darkness). We cycled and O ran most of the way as it was off road to the fort which houses the Waterlinie Museum. This is one of the most unusual and best we’ve visited. Interactive, informative about how Holland used water to defend the country for a few hundred years, successfully until WW2. We took turns in the museum or had a coffee in the newly opened bar. Lovely chap with the student running it; interestingly he’s studying security and safety in the contact to urban planning. Couldn’t do enough to be helpful, free crisps and offered to top up coffee. Another nice experience.

We bought some more cycle bits in the main town – I cannot remember the context but K used the word “cycle logical” for one bike bit!!!

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Newish interactive museum inside a Water Line fort … yep we go through that crack.

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The enemy are attacking. Which polders will you flood?

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The threat of the flooding also preserved the Netherlands neutrality in WW1 – A report from a few years before stated that once the water line was flooded, the rich west was impenetrable.

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These different characters told their side of the water line story using projected faces. The easterners were not allowed to relocate to the west but their lands were flooded, even in practice.

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The best bit – you were flown up over the landscape and shown it in its agricultural state and then flooded. Loved it.

792 – Saturday 29th July 2017: Huizen

Free Aire. We walked along front – all suburbia and completely devoid of people – at a weekend in summer! Alan – a lovely man we met (American and converted Dutchman) said they’re all in Espana, chasing the sun … which is where we should be! We gave up trying to find a town centre. Not somewhere to put on your must visit list!

The boats are here, but WHERE is everyone and the town centre?

Nothing for it, but the obligatory drink stop. A baby shower going on behind us.

793 – Sunday 30th July 2017: Naarden

Sunday – we both ran early – I managed to get my distance up to 7K – best since the Severn Bridge a month ago – improving…

We loaded up the Os-car and cycled towards Naarden. Sunny to start – then the heavens opened with almost ‘Gibraltar-esque’ heavy rain (24hr stair rods). We were quickly soaked through and sought refuge in a restaurant – much to the amusement of staff and patrons! K gave me her nice girly t-shirt and I posed suitably… (K: Bless, didn’t want my man catching a chill!). A light lunch turned into two courses, as we spotted the dessert served at another table: J just had to try hot apple pie, cinnamon with ice cream and cream … K did a taste test. And we dried off mostly… Back on the trail and – warm sun emerged!

We purchased the Museum Card, which gives us free access to about 400 museums in the Netherlands for EUR60 for a year. K had done a costing and with Amsterdam coming up in a few days, it will be worth it. The fort museum was a bit uninteresting and all in Dutch – and we would have voted it not worth the money at EUR 9pp, but somehow with the museum card it counts as free! This was another case of where the card reader will not take anything but a Dutch debit or credit card. So far our cards have been rejected at a campsite, restaurants, the Doggyy Ride place and now a national museum. We are having to use an ATM every few days, making us more conscious of our spending! The fort goats were quite interested in Oscar, who was allowed in. The town centre very pleasant – and with a few people here although mostly tourists. And a beer stop… The main church in town has a fascinating timber roof and the Town Hall is worth a look.

Suits you! All J needed was a medallion! Or boobs!

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Naarden fort.

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It is star shaped and surrounded by a twin layer of moat and canal.

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Hey you orange dog. You looking at me? …

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…You still interested? Got me mates to back me up!

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The Town hall

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The great church had a super painted nave.

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Funny little green men. We’ve seen a lot of these … even families have them outside their homes for when the children are playing. Good idea.

794 – Monday 31th July 2017: Markham

A very late start as K read till 2.30 a.m.! We drove to Markham – too touristy and prices to match (EUR7 for 2 hours parking!). Pretty wooden houses and surrounded by water and connected to the mainland by a long causeway. A quick visit and Oscarwalk, then off again.

Our overnight stay – in the car park of a local “Clog and Cheese” emporium near … Edam – lovely! A quick tour explained how the cheese was made, lots of gifts to buy and a cheese tasting. See K as buxom Dutch lady! (K: I wish … buxom that is!). So many clogs – and so much cheese – edible purchases, naturally! 10 van as of 7:00 pm – and still squeezing in… early evening sunshine, too.

J took O for an early evening walk and he came back green! Oscar that is. O had either assumed that he could walk on water or that the green on top of a drainage ditch was grass! Oops. Apparently J had to help pull him out as he was in shock! He got a good rubbing down before he was allowed back in the van.

Markham: Seriously busy and touristy. Car park EUR3 per hour!!!

Mark: Clog Tree. Outside a clog shop – selling clogs at EUR60-70 – we saw them later for EUR35.

Markham: Pretty wooden houses. Though so squeaky and immaculate they could be UPVC rather than wood.

Gosh, I’ve put on a few lbs here! The cheese and clog maker allows Motorhomes to park overnight in his car park, so here we are!

Cheeses are left to mature at room temperature. We tasted a fair few and came away with an Edam (I know!!!, but it tastes so much better than what you buy at home … Edam is a style of cheese not a geographic area) and a cumin Gouda.

Clog City.

Not my size! Tried some on and found them quite hard to walk in.

787-788: Going, Going, Gent

Posted on July 25, 2017 by Clunegapyears

787 – Monday 24th July 2017: Ieper and onto Gent

The Lone Tree cemetery included Irish graves – we were nominally neutral but thousands enlisted in Irish regiments. The Pool of Peace was mad from a large crater – best use….

Onwards to Ghent (Gent in Flemish) and a convenient riverside free parking. Short reccce into town – and coffee of course!

Lovely evening – sans alcohol (!) and some rain overnight. The forecast for all this week was dire – but it’s improving as we speak.

A final cemetery – The Lone Tree with mostly Irish graves.

The Pool of Peace created in a … crater.

Wall art – wonder if this lad attended this school ….

… I’d like to have taught there!

More wall art – possibly with live inhabitants.

788 – Tuesday 25th July 2017: Walking Gent

Am – no running – slept a bit late – and a full visit to Gent – our tour guide (unpaid – except for lunch and ice cream – lots) was K. Quite similar to Bruges but bigger (third largest city in Belgium) and much more to see. A definite good visit. The TIC turned up trumps as usual and self guided walking tour commenced. O was the normal focus of attention (can I disguise myself as a Welshie – I could learn to bark?). We are now getting used to dodging bikes – O will take a bit longer to train….

Lots of photos – and I do know about babies, K – mine were all delivered after 9 months by the stork and placed carefully under a medium sized cabbage leaf – so there!!!

Gent is a low motorised zone, except for bikes.

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St Michael’s Bridge with views whichever direction you face.

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Selfie on the bridge, but my arms are not on enough and I will NOT buy a selfie stick!

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A massive stage straddling the water is just coming down after the Gent Festival. Every street has tents, stages and litter being cleared away – must have been some party!

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The Belfry and the Cloth Hall … much smaller than the one in Ieper.

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Statue of Jacob van Artevelde in Vrijdagmarkt: leader and politician 1290-1345 he led the insurgents and undid the boycott of English wool imports. He is not testing for rain but pointing to his ally England. Despite his popularity, he was murdered in his home by the head of one of the rich weavers. The square has been a market place and place of executions; the last being in 1822.

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The lamp post lights up every time there is a birth in Gent … J wanted to wait – he has no idea how long labour may take, despite 4 children!

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Looking across to Graslei – originally warehouses and wharves. Some of the buildings lean in to aid the hosting of grain and wool.

785-786: Ieper – Their Name Liveth Forever

Posted on July 25, 2017 by Clunegapyears

785 – Saturday 22nd July 2017: Walking Tour and Menin Gate

A nice walk took us to Ypres centre – we booked on a 5:30 pm guided tour on foot. K explored the excellent Flanders Field Museum whilst O and I supped juice and coffee and the passing Ypresians admired our noble “Hund” (in Flemish). K returned from Outer Space (Oscar says). The walking tour was amazing “Ypres Mysteries” and the photos show his itinerary – he told good stories – including when a group of tourists had to crawl through a small tunnel (150 metres) to appreciate the Ipresian river – and the lights failed!!! The lights failure has now become local folklore and has been incorporated into the tours! At the end, we visited the “Ice House” below the city ramparts – to demonstrate the acoustic our host sang “It’s a Long Way to Tipperary”.

The “Last Post” ceremony at the Menin Gate was the most emotional moment for us since we visited the Normandy Landings sites 3 years ago – not a dry eye in the house of hundreds..Wreaths were laid by people including a soldier – veteran of WW2 – another “War to end all Wars”. Have we learned – again – from history? There’s no answer, really…

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In Flanders Field Museum: Traces the events of WW1 well. Explains horses to mechanisation, trench and tunnel construction, use of new of ‘weapons’ such as flame throwers and gas, medical developments such as blood transfusions and of course the lack of effective movement of the front line.

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Oscar’s a la carte dinner …. off the ground … he did not seem to mind!

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Entrance to the Fish Market. The sculptor took the theme of the old sculpture, but used the chap from the local swimming baths for his Neptune model and a placid horse which became quite feisty after a bucket of beer.

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During the re-modelling of the town in the late C19, the tax collector could only have a tiny office, so doors and stairs took up most of this space.

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The signs for military cemeteries everywhere, in town and out. Most have British names as this was the mostly British Front; the Belgians being north and the French south.

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Part of the Menin Gate. 55,000 names of missing in combat engraved on the walls. I spotted a Leslie (my maiden name).

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The Last Post came from the right hand side. Whilst a choir sang, families (front bottom) walked up and laid wreaths on the opposite steps.

Whilst we had supper, we were blest with a rainbow. A beautiful end to a mixed emotion day.

Our lap dog being fed water.

786 – Sunday 23rd July: Cycling WW1 Sites

“The time has come – the walrus said – to speak of things – and cabbages and kings” Well, the time had come to go family cycling with our ‘king Oscar! Bikes at the ready – my back tyre was as flat as – canbake… Our pump was banjaxed – but a Welsh speaking family came to the rescue – and off we set…After some initial O-wobbling did not manage to unseat K, we sallied forth. To a WW1 crater site – good museum but too much to take in. Lovely lunch at the cafe though and to an open air museum with original trenches and a pill box. Hills 60 and 62 are all stark reminders of the little advances and withdrawals…

So many soldiers graves without names but “Soldiers of the Great War – Known to God”.

Hooghe Crater.

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Hooghe Crater Cemetery.

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In the region of 3,600 men buried here with no named grave, I saw one grave stone with 4 soldiers, then 5 and then 6.

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A Canadian memorial on top of Hill 62. Even thought Flanders is largely flat, it is not until you are on top of one of the rises, you realise how strategically important they were.

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Hill 60 was bought up by a British family just after the war and kept as it was … the ground was uneven from the mortars and thousands of men are still buried underneath.

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Back from our bike ride and I got the twin tub out again and the sun shone on the laundry 🙂

779-784: Popping to France and Belgium.

Posted on July 23, 2017 by Clunegapyears

779 – Sunday 16th July 2017: Preparations

The big day has come – the start of Summer Euro 2017 (not footie) mini tour! Finished laundrifying at Royal Rothbury, filled with LPG in Guildford and started to a wild camping spot on the coast near Folkestone. Well, the lanes got narrower and narrower (are we in Sicilia?) – several farm vehicles and no suitable sites – so, back to good old proper aire at Canterbury New Dover Road… and only £4.00.

Zzzzzs for the night./

780 – Monday 17th July: And We’re Off

The train terminal was busy even without the school hols – this week to commence. La Belle France – joy – straight on to free motorways. Robin and Kensey awaited (Oscar’s latest diary preempted this – he couldn’t wait…). K and R went to town and wined themselves (K: Only 1 glass – a rather pleasant little Bourgone Aligote). Supper – and evening saw 30+ motorhomes in situ!!! Obviously the place to overnight close to Calais.

781 – Tuesday 18th July: Bearing Up in Bergues

Nice early run – trying to up the mileage (or kilometerage) – successfully… Coffee in town and then R and Kensey left for Calais. So nice here, we decided to stay until tomorrow – knitting, reading and resting under the awning. Parfait! Wouldn’t normal roll out the awning on an aire, but it was blinkin hot and quite a few had done so. K even got the twin tub out … we will need to replenish our water soon. So warm that the laundry all dried within hours. This sun is what we came for after the cold and blowy Scottish islands.

782 – Wednesday 19th July: Popping into Poperinge

Mini shop, diesel fill, an aire on the border with 100ltr water for ERU3, and off to Poperinge we popped to a nice compact and central car park that takes motorhomes for a max of 48 hours. This town is a the centre of a hop growing region and WW1 troop transit and field hospital areas. We visited a local bar for Belgian beer (a new experience – the beer not the bar – we passed the ‘Bar’ exams years ago!). Are we “Baristas” or just old socks, sorry – soaks. The Talbot House provided front line troops with a haven – a piece of home for a few days – chapel on the top level. The UK couple who volunteer there for short periods said that people have detected a ‘presence’ in the house occasionally – not surprising as many of the young men who visited never came back.

The local brewery museum was fascinating – hundreds of beer varieties – up to 12% alcohol by volume!!!

We took turns at the Hop Museum to hop (!) knob with the rather merry locals.

The original building was the hop drying building. The museum thoroughly explained the whole process using an audio guide.

Talbot House: Originally a private house, it was rented to provide a sanctuary for all soldiers, regardless of class or rank. The strongest beverage served was tea. The towns streets apparently were awash with drunken brawls and prostitutes.

Will the cowboy in the reflection, take heed of these rules?

The Chapel up some steep stairs.

The rear garden, which at times had soldiers sprawled everywhere. A real sense of peace. Tea and coffee served by volunteers, who also provide breakfast for overnight guests.

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Check out our different cafe choices! Not a pang of regret on either side.

783 – Thursday 20th July: Bopping in Poperinge

Walking in a town park, K spotted a notice for a party tonight in the same park – instant decision to stay an extra night – because we can! Obligatory coffee in town square. The Chinese Labour Museum told the highly unusual tale of almost 95,000 Chinese labourers recruited by the British army to work in Belgium on the war effort – most evocative stories through original photographs. Now , we don’t really mind rain (San Sebastian, Gibraltar, et al) but it was a great excuse to shelter whilst having a good lunch and sampling some more Belgian socks – damn, that old soaks thing again – beer! Wunderbar….

The Park Party was – incredible! Loads of families – beer ,food and good chatting to locals – inspired by our gentle “hund” in Flemish – dog, Oscar. It was ever thus. Professional dancers led and taught many local couples in Swing, Lindy Hop, Waltz and Jive. Again we commented how mad UK Health and Safety has gone. Candles lit on table in jam jars, logs burning in open braziers and beer served in real glass! We left at 1030-ish still in some daylight.

We are really coming around to the Belgian people – lots have been extremely friendly and helpful and they are super dog friendly … Oscar is allowed in museums! One local lady gave a recommendation to visit the Trappist Monastery – makers of world class beer – and holy men too! That’s our destination sorted for tomorrow then!

Mister Ghylbe satirising the long standing cloth wars with Ypres, Ghent and Brugges – riding a donkey backwards with spoons for spurs.

Quite sleepy now and hard to envisage all the troops marching through.

We saw the jail where rowdy soldiers were incarcerated with their graffiti carved onto the walls. It also was the place of the last night for 4 soldiers who were executed in the square of the town hall. Overall 3,080 British soldiers were sentenced to death during WW!, but ‘only’ 346 executions took place. 90% of them have since been pardoned with posthumous apologies to families. 600 men were executed by the French (not sure of this includes the 2 random men shot per regiment when they refused to advance after the awful losses at Verdun), only 48 German and 750 Italians. No recorded executions for the Australian army as they so not use it as a form of military punishment. Many of the deserters were put back with their regiments, who were unsympathetic. 77% of the executed soldiers were for desertion. Other crimes were cowardice (5%), mutiny, insubordination, falling asleep on your watch, throwing away your weapon and striking a superior officer.

This poem translates as:

Light, bleak dawn.

The worn out night bursting open in my chest and fading.

My hands holding the glass –my last one.

The priest bringing his God, the doctor his opiates.

Mother of God.

Out there she’s warming her feet against the coal.

Out there she’s turning in her sleep.

Do not aim at me, lads.

Aim at the white cloth on my chest.

Light, bleak light etching words, bare words in the wall. Erwin Mortier

This was the actual wall. We only knew this as we ear wigged a knowledgable English chap doing a tour for some friends. He’d served and lost friends in Afghanistan, been a policeman in Guildford and now worked for United National Peace Keeping.

Back to beer as an aperitif … comparing Blonde and Brun Leffe.

Our own Strictly Come Dancing – they got quite few folk up learning steps.

Some locals were in shorts and a light jacket … J and I, from more Northern climes, had full winter layers. Oscar coming up for a tummy rub!

No, it’s a full sit on.

784 – Friday 21st July: Must Taste – Best Beer in the World

We visited the Lijssenhoek Military Cemetery and we were immediately saddened to see the grave memorials – from age 19 to 42 years young. So many lives lost in this “War to end all Wars’ – did it? No, tragically. A modern visitor centre with audio witness accounts … very moving. A famous war poem comes to mind…

“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

we will remember them.” Robert Laurence Binyon

We arrived at a brand new aire in Westvleteren near the above recommended Saint Sixtus Abbey Trappist Brewery/Monastery….. Euro12 with electric is reasonable value – highly recommended, as only 1.9km from the beer. We supped prime Trappist beer at the Cafe across the road from the Monastery – the Brewery and Monastery are closed visitors. They only brew enough beer to support themselves, and yet the 10.2% proof version is in high demand having been voted the best beer for several years. It is only sold commercially the the cafe or via the small shop there. Today the shop had signs up “No beer for sale today” and reading Trip Advisor, you have to be quick when it is available as queues form quickly. If you really want to buy some, you can ring the hot line, but the monks only answer it occasionally and book for months ahead to come to the gate to collect your two cases limit.

11,800 + graves.

Some countries repatriate their fallen .. French gaps on the left.

Only 6 breweries in Belgium brew Trappist beer and it has to be on the premises. Bottles are unlabelled, but the caps are colour coded and contain legal information.

J went for the blond and I threw cation to the wind and went for the Westvleteren 12 … 33 ml bottles so equivalent to a third of a bottle of wine.

Spotted a Belgian Welshie … we saw another one in Ypres, but he went for Oscar … must be a breeding nest of them nearby.

On the camper stop, steps made out of the beer crates.

762-778: Meetings Up and Sortings Out

Posted on July 18, 2017 by Clunegapyears

762 – Thursday 29th June 2017: Dan the Man

Tesco in Perth – we stocked up on the essentials….. gin and tonix, etc.

Dan the man greeted us at a wilding site on the shores of Lochwinnoch – excellent wine and food – classic rock and soul music….. another lovely evening with Dan. He showed off his new Rapido. The Kwalking was very wet, but that’s Scotland the Brave for you…

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763 – Friday 30th June: Driving, Driving and more Driving

Down to just S of Birmingham to a National Trust wood carpark after a detour to avoid slow M6 traffic … why detour to avoid holdups always seem to take longer than seeing it through?

Stop at Cranston’s Food hall just off M6 in Lakes… I used to order online … amazing meat and deli.

It was a semi peaceful night as boom boxes and kids in cars, but harmless.

764-766 – Saturday 1st to Monday 3rd July: Bristol Blessings

We are using a new to us Camping and Motorhome Club CL at Aust … recommended by fellow motorhome bloggers … https://thewanderlings2013.wordpress.com. Roland is published author – if you like thrillers, check out his books.

A fair amount of socialising for the next couple of days … We attended a Saturday afternoon rock theme garden party in Bradley Stoke. Had a Sunday pm supper at pub with S&K, followed by interesting cheese, including Gouda with pesto and Pine nuts and Goats cheese Brie from Cranston’s. Then on Monday we were Double Dating … K lunch with Thelma and J lunch with Sylvie and then onto repairs in FLT … moving onto Alison’s for a yummy roast chicken dinner. Slept kerbside outside her house.

767-771 – Tuesday 4th to Saturday 8th July : Farnham Frolics

Tuesday: slight detour to fetch J’s hat from Stephen’s car, then up to Coxbridge Farm, our usual CL in Farnham, Surrey.

Independence day BBQ: Aged P’s delivered car and eBay 4th July paper plates and table cloth – my £8 festivity spend, compared to Brad’s tales of what people spend to decorate interiors of marquees … his holiday job is erecting and dismantling massive marquees. Mutt finished my Harvey’s Bristol Cream and Clare the Number 43 …

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Bradi (Brad and Madi) wearing matching shoes … so well suited!

Wednesday: Hinton Ampner Aged P’s picnic … left overs from BBQ so very easy. Mature planing and harmonious house as last owner removed his father’s Victorian decor and reinstated the Georgian. Supper was left overs too – cheese and salad.

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Hinton Ampner National Trust.

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Mature Planting …Oh No, that’s another photo!

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This is Mature planting!

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A perfect picnic spot – under a tree.

Thursday: K took Bradi (Madi and Brad) to Gatwick .. Naples. Just on M23 and a call to say she’d left all the docs in my car! A 20 min turn aorund to reach a motorway junction. She apparently left them in a taxi too when changing hotels! Bear in mind this is the girl who took charge when we did a fleeting trip to Spain a few years ago and I put the passports down in the airport! J’s driving license application has been returned for the second time …. another doctor error! So J delivered the papers to the surgery in the hope of collecting them this afternoon … not to be, they will be ready tomorrow.

Friday: J drove Jez back to Bristol to the dealer, as they wanted the auto electrician to check the wiring to make sure the reason the rear view camera blows a fuse was nothing to do with the post build motorhome wiring. So Jez was there for all of 10 mins, before he turned around and came back to Farnham. I grabbed the opportunity to go to RHS Wisley with Mum, who is a member. Wisley is the reason I am often left disappointed with other Botanical Gardens … it is just vast, varied and stunning. Knowing it so well, Mutt guided me around her favourite areas for this time of year. A couple of morning phone calls to chase up the DVLA medical form … the office staff were very helpful in that they kept nudging the Doctor … it was ready to pick up at 2.30 and was in the post back to the DVLA by 3.00! But now we have another 2-3 weeks for the DVLA medical team to scan the form onto the system before they even start analysing it! Ho hum.

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RHS Wisley: 3 of the Famous Five.

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Young planting – The Bowes Lyon Rose Garden.

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A small part of the best rockery, I’ve ever seen.

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Saturday: Train up to London for lunch with Simon and Ai in a dog friendly pub. any likeness between father and son? Not sure….

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772-776 – Sunday 9th to Thursday 13th July: Cotswold Capers

“Adventure before Dementia” is Frances and Edward’s van logo – excellent. We met at a CS site near Moreton -in- Marsh – the only vans there – really quiet – we supped well and dined with BBQ and haute cuisine. We toured Batsford Arboretum and the local market – Frances and K were drawn to the local gin stall – and cheese. Any changes here?

The brewery tour was the best we’ve had – all original machinery and an excellent guide. Lunch – massive sandwiches with Hook Norton beer at a pub where the original dray cart and horses were making a delivery.

A short four days before we parted – to meet again in September, hopefully.

The Brewery still has the the steam engine (powered by oil and now electric) machinery in place and working.

This is where the rye is ground.

777-778 – Friday 14th July to Saturday 15th July: Maddy Munchkin Moments

Bradi over Friday and invited themselves to our BBQ on Saturday. Ty for Limoncello from Sorento. Odd jobs, including a wild abuse of the Aged P’s washing machine, they’re in France (again) so we do not have to book machine time with them! A few more items in and out of the attic. And a shopping trip to Guildford … new pillow £60!

It was half price!

Oscar was given all these treats … not to be consumed all at once!

Jez was delivered at 7.00 (we were earlier than the rush hour traffic!) to Guildford’s Fiat Professional to have the wiring issue for the rear view camera sorted. When they plumbed in the diagnostic computer, they identified that we’d missed a few recalls, which they sorted. Wiring not down to Fiat after all, but thankfully the motorhome dealer agreed to pay Fiat to do a bypass fix so that our camera works. Impressed with Fiat Guildford and again with Family Travel Centre.

Jez’s V5 has arrived with the new reg; we put the private plate on Jez which has been on retention since we changed motorhome … as we’d bought Jez on one day and travelled to France the next day, we’d had no time to sort this. But the good news is …. we can travel to France on Monday 17th … won’t have to delay our departure whilst we wait for it to turn up … if only J’s driving license were as quick!

Oscar’s Diary.

Here I am again, then (Panto line?). Now England is like Scotland – but with too many people – probably the correct number of K9s, though. My owners are progressing quite well with their training – I give them treats to encourage the little blighters – gin always works! I went along with the Arboretum, market and brewery fandangos (guess who gets to stay in the van – moi!!!). I suppose if I went out galivanting and they stayed – they would get up to no good – I know when they have that ’certain’ look in their eyes… but that’s for after the watershed – I know young folk read my diary.

Well, before you could say “Nuclefuchen” (more of that later – and it’s not a swear word), we were in La Belle France…. after the usual GB motorway madness.

To my intimate surprise, Kensie was waiting for me – oh and Robin too… Well, Missie was in fine form – inviting me in for a snog – but ‘Great Balls of Fire’ – I discovered ‘earwigging’ was just the ticket!!! No, I was not snogging Robin’s ears! Kensie and I got along fine.. – she doesn’t have ear wax – unlike James…

The “Nuclefuchen” is a word we saw on a German caravenette (old fashioned for motorhome). It means “I want to snog your knuckle” – strange habits in Deutschland. I’ll stick with Kensiearsnogsland. (En route from Ecosse – I’m well into the old Franglais now – we passed “Eclefeckin” which is Gallic for snogyerecclecakes, I think.

Me brain is steaming – I’m off to whisper in James’ ear – “aves vous mon dejeuner, sil vous plait, Monsieur Jacques”

Adieu, mon amis, for now…..

Whew…..

Clune Gap Years

A journal and reflections of our motorhome travels