200908

 

SATURDAY 1 AUGUST 1 – Richard cooks us a terrific full English breakfast before we leave, you just can’t beat the great British breakfast to set you up for the day.  David is off to France today to Tignes in the Alps where he and Chelsea will be doing silver service waiting at the hotel for 3 weeks.  We call at Mom & Dads to pick up some things then using the Daily Mail I start to phone up the flight companies that guarantee to beat any price.  By doing this I manage to get the airfare we want down to £715 each and book it with Dial-a-flight.  We are flying from Manchester with KLM to Quito (Ecuador) on 6^th September via Amsterdam, and Guayaquil returning from Rio (Brazil) on 2^nd April with Air France via Paris.  Claire calls and suggests we race over to Haworth to the food festival in the park where Natasha is about to go on stage with the famous chef Jean-Christophe Novelli.  There is a huge marquee in the middle of the park with lots of stalls selling home made food both from England and France.  Most things are around £3 a time, lucky for me, as I could have been tempted by dozens of cakes.  It turns out you need tickets to go into the food show but Natasha and her friends are there because they do cookery at school.  Steve & I return home so I can sort out our travel insurance.  This poses a problem as within our 7 months trip we are doing a 20-day cruise to Antarctica and probably 5 –8 days cruise around the Galapagos.  Many companies either won’t cover cruise holidays or charge a higher premium that applies to the whole trip.  Claire returns with the kids and Natasha has a signed book and spoon from Jean-Christophe.  Mid evening we get a surprise phone call to say Mark & Netty are up in Yorkshire and are calling round with Lisa & Mick.  Claire, Steve & the kids are doing a car boot sale tomorrow so they end up getting all the stuff down to see if anyone wants anything before loading up the cars.

KEIGHLEY 10, CLAIRE’S

 

SUNDAY 2 AUGUST – The car boot sale is at Airedale hospital so just after 6am they head off leaving me in bed.  Good job I didn’t want to go as the cars are packed to the gills.  I get a text from Claire before 8am saying she is fed up and never doing it again, she also says her friend Liane has set off on her 2 way channel swim.  I manage to sort out travel insurance with Nationwide for £313.26 per couple including me declaring my pre-existing medical asthma (thought I had better as we are going to be at high altitudes).  The car booters arrive back just before 1pm.  They have sold about half the stuff very cheaply and are reasonably happy with their takings but didn’t enjoy doing it.  The washing machine is playing up and won’t empty and spin.  We manage to restart it a couple of times on the spin cycle but each time it fills up more water then stops.  In the afternoon Steve takes Natasha back over to Haworth for the second part of the festival where her school class is doing a cooking demonstration.  Late afternoon I get called down from upstairs to find the kitchen floor flooded and water pouring out from the washing machine.  Claire has caught the door walking past and it has sprung open.  We take it in turns to hold the door shut whilst collecting water in a bowl and mopping the floor.  At least we can get the clothes out now.  Throughout the day Claire receives photos of Liane doing her swim.  I go on the Internet and find a very interesting web site http://www.dover.uk.com/channeltraffic/ where you can see the ships throughout the world, click on a marker and find out all the details.  In the English Channel it doesn’t show Liane’s support boat but it sure is scary to see how many ships are in the area.  In the evening we get a call from Mom & Dad as Steve is picking them up from their day out coach trip.  Apparently all is not well as Dad collapsed when they were out and had to be taken by ambulance back to the coach.  Steve returns and tells us Dad slept all the way back and doesn’t seem too bad so we will review it all in the morning.  By the time we go to bed we hear that Liane has made the single crossing slightly faster than her previous time and is now heading back.  Daniel & Natasha leave to stay with Daz for the next few days so we are released form child minding duties.

KEIGHLEY 11, CLAIRE’S

 

MONDAY 3 AUGUST – No news from Liane so we are hoping her sister Dee’s phone is out of credit and they have arrived back and gone to bed.  Dad has been to the doctor who thinks the problem is down to the warfarin he takes so he orders blood tests later in the week.  When Claire gets home she tells us Liane finished in around 27-hours.  Inspired by this Steve takes Claire to the lake where Liane trains so that she can put in a few laps in readiness for her Windermere swim next month.

KEIGHLEY 12, CLAIRES

 

TUESDAY 4 AUGUST – The engineer can’t come out to Claire’s washing machine until a week on Friday so I take a couple of loads up to Mom & Dads to do.  In the evening Steve takes Mums car down to Ray’s for an oil change and service and returns with it pronounced in good health and ready for the holiday.

KEIGHLEY 13, CLAIRES

 

WEDNESDAY 5 AUGUST – Last minute shopping, tidying up and Steve mowing the lawn.  Daz calls round to collect the Jack the hamster and Nemo the goldfish and a couple of plants.  Claire goes to Daz’s for tea after work then arrives home with the kids to do a final pack up. 

KEIGHLEY 14, CLAIRES

 

THURSDAY 6 AUGUST – We’re making a leisurely start but I can’t resist making a bit of noise when I get up first.  Leave just after 9am with Claire and the kids following us towards Dover on the A1 (M).  There a bit of a hold up at Tuxford  but we still make good time and even with a second hold up at the services on the M25 we make it to Dover by 3.45pm to park up for our rendezvous with Bev & Norm.  Unfortunately the town is a maze of 1-way streets and although we can see Penchester Street we can’t access it.  In another car park I ask a traffic warden directions and he suggests we walk with him to the other one.  Bev & Norm arrive trundling their small bags looking really well and no different from when we last saw them 3 years ago.  We opt to spend a bit of time at the beach and find a nice pebbly one behind the beachfront flats.  Natasha and Daniel can’t resist having a dip but say it is quite cold.  It now makes us realise the enormity of Liane’s task as we see the constant flow of ferries in and out of the docks nearby.  In town we pick up fish & chips for our tea before driving to the port.  We have booked on the LD lines fast catamaran Norman Spirit that leaves at 7pm (£36 per can and 5 passengers).  It used to do the run from Melbourne to Tasmania so Bev & Norm have probably seen it a number of times in the past.  We depart on time and with speeds up to 60kph make the crossing in just over 1-hour.  Dock in Boulogne-sur-mer FRANCE around 9.15pm (1-hour ahead of BST).  I’ve booked us rooms at a Formula 1 motel and got directions off the Internet so it should be a piece of cake.  Over 1-hour later we are still going round in circles the directions being obviously wrong.  Passing the walled city with the funfair is interesting the 1^st time but by the 3^rd by pass the novelty has worn off.  We consider hiring a taxi to lead us to the motel but can’t find one.  Stop at Dominoes pizza where Claire & I go in for directions.  The girl speaks a little English but writing directions down we can see it is a long way and very complicated.  I am just about to order a pizza for delivery to the motel on the proviso we can follow the van when the manager comes through.  He speaks English, says he is just finishing work and will lead us there.  So off we go following the Dominoes pizza van to an industrial area out of town that we would have had no chance finding alone.  It seems the Internet directions were completely wrong even though I double-check that I keyed in the correct address.  Anyway the Formula 1 motel is straightforward, €36 (£32) for a basic triple room with double bed and single bunk over and a sink.  We have two adjoining ground floor rooms with windows opening to the car park so pass the luggage in that way.  The 2-storey motel is shaped like cross with toilet and shower cabins in the centre, extremely clean (self clean after each use) but a little claustrophobic.  We are all shattered so Steve settles into the bunk over Bev & Norm in one room whilst Daniel goes on and air bed with Claire & Nat in the double bed and me in the bunk in the other.  It is a really hot night and hotter still up top so it takes me ages to get to sleep but at least the others seem to drop off quickly.

BOULOGNE-SUR-MER, FORMULA 1 MOTEL

 

FRIDAY 7 AUGUST- Steve wakes us around 8am and we breakfast on cereal bars. We pass the luggage out through the windows followed by the kids and luckily no one sees us or they would think we were mad.  Of course our directions for leaving Boulogne are no use and we don’t even know exactly where we are!  End up on the right motorway in the wrong direction but after doing a “U” turn things pick up.  That is until we realise we are low on fuel and have to leave the motorway to buy some.  In Le Touquet the first garage has closed the pumps due to a delivery.  End up going down the coast to get fuel then continuing for some way.  Being holiday season there is heavy traffic congestion everywhere.  Re plan on joining the motorway and paying tolls to get some miles behind us.  By lunch time we reach Honfleur having paid €19.50 (£17) in tolls but made good time.  The town is heaving with motorhomes parked up on the north bank of the Seine and tourists on foot and in cars milling round the town.  It is a stunningly beautiful town and well worth the detour to crawl through in traffic.  With no hope of stopping we take a picnic parking spot further along the coast and feast on leftovers.  It is a lovely drive along the coast with fantastic mansions and lots of attractive beach homes.  In one town the main roundabout has a huge dinosaur made from plants.  Rejoin the motorway to get around Caen and onwards to Ploermel where we arrive just after 6pm.  Stop at Le Clerc to pick up some groceries.  The cottage is less than 20 minutes away in Le Bourg Neuf and boy are we happy to arrive.  It looks very small from outside but inside it is bigger and far nice than we had expected.  Downstairs is a large lounge with dining table, a modern kitchen, double bedroom, bathroom with toilet then an outside toilet.  Upstairs a huge bedroom with double bed and bunks and a bathroom.  We are going to be very comfortable here for sure.  In no time at all we are sitting around washing down the French stick, pate and cheese with a nice drop of red wine.  We cook up pizza for tea then settle down for Coronation Street; yes they have satellite TV from England.  At bedtime Natasha hops into the shower and seems to be taking ages.  Suddenly we hear music and go to see what is happening.  We crack up laughing when we see her dancing in the cubicle with coloured lights flashing, water blasting from all angles and music pumping out, wow. 

LE BOURG NEUF

 

SATURDAY 8 AUGUST – We wake to a lovely sunny morning.  Bev & Norm got up early for a walk and are now having breakfast.  It has been really peaceful during the night and we have all slept well.  Have to laugh when Natasha tells us she can hear a “cockroach” going cock-a-doodle-doo.  After a few attempts I manage to take a normal shower without lights and music!  Following our leisurely breakfast Bev, Norm, Steve, Natasha and myself set off for a walk.  Daniel stays behind on the computer whilst Claire is studying for her accountancy exams.   The larger village of Guillers is close by and there we find a bar, restaurant, lovely church with memorials, shop and boulangerie where we buy more fresh bread.  It is a lovely place with a very French feel and not at all touristy.  The village cemetery is interesting with graves topped by small plaques from relatives and friends.  Walking back we notice the motorhome parking area with free dump station.  It is now really hot and sunny so we sit out for our lunch.  Natasha finds some sheers in the garage and has fun using them to dead head the hydrangeas and cut the grass.  Daniel entertains us with a power point presentation song of “She’ll be coming round the mountain” with different words and funny pictures.  For our evening meal we cook up spaghetti bolognaise and sit out in the warm sun to eat. 

LE BOURG NEUF 2

 

SUNDAY 9 AUGUST – Bev & Norm return from their early walk with some French bread.  After eating breakfast on the terrace we make a late start and head for Josselin.  Steve and I get twinges of home sick ness when we see so many motorhomes in the special parking spots.  We walk down towards the river for a view of the really attractive castle.  Everywhere we go there are masses of flowers making the town of old building even prettier.  Climbing the 138 steps to the church tower gives us a fine view into the castle courtyard and a good bit of exercise too.  Just outside Ploermel we settle at Lac au Duc where there is an attractive sandy beach and swimming in the lake.  The kids are soon enjoying themselves in the water.  We reckon almost all the people around us are English speaking but as the afternoon progresses it is the French who arrive.  Bev, Norm & I set out to walk around the lake where you are supposed to be able to see many of the different hydrangeas that grow in this area.  The “Eye witness” guide mentioned “circuit de l’hortensia” around the Lac au Duc 1km (0.5m) northwest of Ploermel.  We have walked for about half an hour and made little progress around the lake before realising that the book isn’t talking about the distance of the walk but the distance from the town!  We double back and spend another hour or so on the lakeshore.  In rural France all the shops are closed on Sundays so using the tinned food I packed we manage to cobble together a chilli con carne and rice supper.  There are lots of DVD’s in the cottage so we pick out a movie to round off the evening.

LE BOURG NEUF 3

 

MONDAY 10 AUGUST – Many shops are closed all day on Mondays so we have to sacrifice the fresh bread for breakfast and make do with cereal.  We get a text from Mom to say Dad is in hospital (they have had to cancel their holidays) but doing OK.  Unfortunately Lisa and family are also away on holiday so she has no one around to help her.  Driving off together Claire and the kids peel off to go to the lake whilst we go on a mini tour.  I have info about a couple of interesting villages but even with a reasonable map we are unable to pick the correct lanes to lead us there and get bad directions when we ask so just enjoy a circular drive.  We’ve found this before in France that smaller junctions often have no signs or just the name of a village that is not shown on our map but at least in a car it is easier than in the motorhome when we often came unstuck, or rather got stuck down narrow streets.  Returning to Ploermel we pick up some better maps at the tourist office and also the town walking trail which guides us past the points of interest.  There a Lidl and Netto in town , neither are as good as the UK versions, where we pick up some basic supplies before heading to the lake.  Today is not quite so busy and we commandeer a picnic table in the grassy area for our lunch.   This morning Daniel & Natasha spent the time in the water park behind the beach, €5 (£4.50) but found it only contained 2 smalls slides as was good for about 1 ½ hours only.  In the afternoon we sit at the beach and the kids are happy in the water but it is cloudy and when a bit of a breeze gets up we leave.  We’ve found a BBQ in the garage so Steve stokes it up and we cook our pork steaks and sausages outside.

LE BOURG NEUF 4

 

TUESDAY 11 AUGUST – For the first time Daniel is the first up.  He is cooking us all a special French breakfast today and wants to walk to the bakery with Bev & Norm to get fresh croissants and pain au chocolate.  Just before we sit down to eat someone pulls up at the derelict cottage next door.  It is an Irish lady who has bought it to do up and live in and she invites us to look around.  The main room is the only one fit for habitation and was obviously the place where someone lived, cooked and slept.  The potential to create something similar to Karen’s is there but there’s a lot of work involved.  After our delicious calorie laden breakfast I set out on a drive with Bev & Norm leaving the others to chill at home.  It is a dull day so not the best for the beach but perfect for exploring the surrounding area.  Armed with the map from the tourist office we easily find the village of Montertelot and park up to explore.  It is on the Nantes Brest canal so we walk the towpath and explore that attractive village.  A little further on is Malestroit and where we arrive at lunchtime.  In typical French style all the shops are closed but the restaurants are doing a roaring trade.  A bigger town this still has many attractive buildings and a nice canal walk.  On our way back we stop in Loyat and walk into the town then out to the head of the lake and return along a boardwalk.  It has been a great day out but there is only so much you can take of pretty villages and old houses! 

LE BOURG NEUF 5

 

WEDNESDAY 12 AUGUST – Awake to a dull morning so make it a late start.  It seems that the days don’t really get going until lunchtime so goodness knows what it would be like in the winter here.  I take Norm & Bev off on another mini circuit beginning with a walk around the nearby town of Mauron.  At the bakery we pick up cakes and Bev gets the local speciality of a sort of firm custard with prunes, eaten in the town square surrounded by flowers it makes a perfect lunch.  I take us on back roads past a wonderful disused abbey then out to the fishing lake near Guillers before heading for home.  When we get back the others have made the most of the hot sunny afternoon to visit the lake.  They arrive back just a few minutes ahead of our friends.  Sandra and Robert are Canadians from Montreal and we met them earlier this year in Mexico and toured together in our motorhomes.  For 2 months they have been visiting friends and borrowing houses in France and at the moment are based in Anger but have called in on the way back from a tour of Normandy.  Robert has bought the nearest French ingredients to make his world famous delicious “pina colada” whilst I have made a curry for our evening meal together.  Time passes quickly as we catch up with their news and hear about their trip in France.  Amazing how small the world is at times.

LE BOURG NEUF 6

 

THURSDAY 13 AUGUST – Tonight Claire and Daniel are catching the ferry to Poole from St Malo (£112) so we head off in that direction to do a bit of sightseeing en route.  We want to stop off in Dinan but even before we get there the traffic builds up.  It is market day, the traffic at a standstill, parking impossible and people even queuing up to get into the market.  It takes about ½ hour to drive through so at least we all get a good look at a small part of the town.  Dinard, on the coast, is much the same but we drop lucky with French style street parking where we have to straddle the kerb and fit between trees and lampposts.  Walking into town we stop for lunch at a very popular “creperie” where we are spoilt for choice with main course and dessert pancakes.  Downhill we reach the beach backed by old-fashioned changing rooms’ then more modern tent like ones on the beach.  After the kids have dipped their toes in the ocean we walk around the adjacent cliffs before returning through the old town.  Heading on to St Malo we stop at the barrage to watch some boats going through the huge locks with the road being lifted up to a 90-degree angle.  Just east of the city at Rothneuf I’ve read about a walk to some carved rocks.  Apparently between 1870 and 1895 a partly paralysed country priest carved about 300 figures into the granite cliffs.    After parking and walking along the cliff top we realise the area is now fenced off and you must turn inland and around to reach a really huge half empty car park and the ticket office.  €2.50 (£2.25) gets us onto a path down the cliff where we are surprised to find many of the sculptures are carved into flat picture scenes on the rock face or on the ground.  Below is a kind of man made long pool and the whole place is quite strange but interesting.  Next we drive along St Malo seafront but find parking impossible and end up at the port area.  It is 6.30pm so we change plan and have our picnic out of the car boot.  Leaving Claire & Daniel to join the Condor ferry waiting area we find parking nearby and walk back to the town.  Steve & I visited before in our motorhome and walked the whole of the ramparts and streets so tonight, with time being a problem; we just walk part of the walls and the town and still find it very impressive.  Natasha makes me laugh at one point when Steve has walked a long way ahead, I point him out in the distance and she says “he’s not a very good sight see-er is he!”  Our journey home is much easier and quicker and takes just over an hour getting us back in daylight.  We all plonk down in the lounge to watch a bit of TV before bed then end up with Steve, Natasha and me in our bed watching the Bill.

LE BOURG NEUF 7

 

FRIDAY 14 AUGUST – As we now know the weather format we have planned a lunch at home in the hope of getting to the beach early afternoon.  With time on our hands we do a bit of washing and tidying around.  Receive a text from Claire to say the ferry left ½ hour late but she has now arrived safely at Daz’s although very tired.  After lunch we drive to Ploermel MacDonald’s to make us of the free wi-fi to book some motels for our onward travel.  We are a little surprised to find that we cannot get anything for tomorrow night in the coastal area or just inland so plump for a room in Rennes at the Etap, €49 (£45) for a double including breakfast.  Natasha is very patient whilst we are working so we are very happy to spend almost 3-hours at the beach with her.  Back home we make use of lots of leftovers for our evening meal.

LE BOURG NEUF 8

 

SATURDAY 15 AUGUST – Just typical, we wake to a dry clear morning and by the time we leave around 9.30am it is a scorcher.  Back to MacDonald’s to book our return ferry then onward to Rennes.  Traffic is terrible backed up on the freeway leading to the ring road.  Arrive at the Etap Hotel where we have pleasant rooms with air-con.  With free wi-fi I am happy for us to have a couple of hours rest.  Late afternoon we drive into Rennes for a good walk around, noting that it is still 32C.  There are a large number of attractive timber buildings and a few nice government ones and churches.  End up in the main square at a creperie for our evening meal.

RENNES, ETAP HOTEL €49 (£44) room Inc breakfast

WEDNESDAY 1 JULY – Margaret goes out early to join friends to yoga and I meet her afterwards for coffee.  The teacher Thelma is a very interesting lady.  She met her Japanese husband at a Buddhist retreat in Scotland and went to live over there.  She is also very well travelled and amazes us with the story of her backpacking trip to Thailand with her baby daughter.  On the Internet I get a surprise message from Bev & Norm to say they are hoping to come over to Europe for the month of August and would love to meet up.  As we are looking after Natasha & Daniel that month it is going to take some organising so I swing into actions thinking up different plans.  It is a lovely afternoon so we sit out in the shade in the garden enjoying the company.

HITCHIN 2

 

THURSDAY 2 JULY – It is a lovely hot day, 25C by 8.30am.  Peter & Margaret takes us out for morning coffee at Luton Hoo Hotel, where the Queen used to stay.  It is a magnificent mansion with lovely gardens.  Set out to explore down to the Rock Garden with Peter following along on his mobility scooter.  Near the waterfall Margaret lives up to their name “Rollason” and takes a rolling tumble onto the grass when she goes over on her ankle.  She seems OK although a little shaken.  Walking back up to the house Peter takes his turn and falls out of the scooter when leaning over too far.  They show us some of the interesting features inside the mansion before we settle into the lounge for coffees.  Rooms here start at £350 so this is our only way of feeling rich without spending much.  The afternoon is spent between sitting in the garden and going on the computer.

HITCHIN 3

 

FRIDAY 3 JULY – We’ve had a great time with Margaret & Peter and it has give us chance to unwind a bit and recharge our batteries after all our dashing around.  We are heading to Wakefield today and Margaret takes us back to Stevenage so we can retrace our steps to London on Green Line, £7pp.   This seems to be the only economical way to get to Wakefield.  For the first time we use Mega Bus, £13pp and they seem fine but instead of taking about 2-hours by car it takes us 8 hours but we arrive safely and Karen & Auntie Pamela meets us at Wooley Edge service station.  Chris is out at a friends leaving do but Sarah is at home and along with boyfriends Mike joins us for a meal at the “Old Mill”.  Chris arrives home late but is still happy to stay up later chatting.

WAKEFIELD 1

 

SATURDAY 4 JULY – Chat to Chris in the morning and decide to book their cottage in France from 8-15 August to coincide with Bev & Norms visit.  It is in Brittany and close to many attractions and sleeps 6 so should be perfect. James has called round for the day so we leave the men watching Rugby whilst Karen and I make a trip round the shops and pick up some food for tonight.  Bob & Denise and her Mum come round for the evening and we get on with them really well.  After eating we play a card game, similar to Uno, and have a really good laugh.

WAKEFIELD 2

 

SUNDAY 5 JULY – By luck Denise & Bob are going to Burnley today to pick up a motorhome they bought on E-bay so we manage to get a lift with them to Keighley.  Settle back into Claire’s.

KEIGHLEY 1

 

MONDAY 6 JULY – We go round to Mom & Dads for the day except that I have to go back to Claire’s for a could of hours in the evening to be with Daniel whilst Claire & Natasha go swimming.

KEIGHLEY 2, MOM & DADS

 

TUESDAY 7 JULY – Mom & Dad drive us back to Claire’s and we stay there whilst I do us lunch.  Dad goes to Ling Studios for breathing exercises in the afternoon and whilst he is there Steve & I potter round town.  I spend the evening on the Internet and book us a hotel for the night we arrive in Boulogne and ferry crossings for us all.

KEIGHLEY 3

 

WEDNESDAY 8 JULY – Last summer we went to Egypt with Arf & Jean and have not seen them since.  They drive over from Sheffield to join us for the day.  Having spent the winter in Morocco in their motorhome we are eager to hear all about the trip and really enjoy their company.

KEIGHLEY 4

 

THURSDAY 9 JULY – David and Donna decide to pop over, David can’t wait for us to deliver the cigs we have bought back from Russia.  They stop for lunch and a chat then drop us at Rod & Nancy’s on their way home.  Their daughter Jenny now runs “The Ling Bob” pub and we meet Nancy there when she arrives back from work.  There is a good menu and the food is delicious and reasonably priced.  Rod & Steve drops us in Riddlesden so that they can go on to play snooker whilst Nancy & I walk to Sharon’s for a natter.  They forget to pick us up and the first we know of this is when Claire phones to check why we are not at bowling for her to pick us up!  She collects us from Sharon’s and we stay at Claire’s until Rod drops Steve home.

KEIGHLEY 5

 

FRIDAY 10 JULY – We are lucky that Claire pops home at lunchtime as she can run us down to Sandra & Keith’s to save us getting wet.  Sandra gives us a tour of their new campervan “Freddie” and it reminds us of Billy in Australia and makes us motor-homesick.  We enjoy a light lunch then spend the afternoon chatting and even sit out for a while when Sandra has a nap.  A guy from Sky comes round to show them how to use their new system and we can now understand why our parents are totally confused by it all.  Shimla Spice were awarded best restaurant in Keighley so we book for 6.30pm and can see why they won.  There is a vast choice on the menu, mainly Pakistani food, and we all seem to make good choices and really enjoy it.  Return to Sandra & Keith’s to chat until late.

KEIGHLEY 6

 

SATURDAY 11 JULY – I go down to Keighley baths to watch Daniels swimming lesson in the morning.  In the evening it is Steve’s turn to go to watch Natasha in a swimming gala at Aireborough.   Natasha’s mind is not really on it as she is going to a friends birthday party and sleepover afterwards so she doesn’t do as well as she might have done.

KEIGHLEY 7

 

SUNDAY 12 JULY – Pop down to Morrisons with Claire and pick up some beef for dinner, think I must have bought part shares in a cow as a small joint costs almost £10!  In the afternoon Steve joins Claire & Natasha going to Shipley swimming baths for another gala.  This time she returns with a bronze medal and was only 2 seconds off getting a huge trophy for being the most improved time in the 4 x 100 metres medley.

KEIGHLEY 8

 

MONDAY 13 JULY – For the first time we set out from Claire’s house on foot – she lives way out of town so you need to car to get to everything.  There’s a bus stop nearby and we buy a K-Day ticket for £3 and this gets us all the way to Leeds.  National Express charge £3 to Manchester and we arrive around 1.30pm and find David parked in the taxi rank waiting for us.  He has had a message to call into the Army office to be measured and weighed and due to the numerous one way streets in the city we get a grand tour before arriving there.  They tell him all the reports have come back fine and the next stage is the medical.  Back at his house we pick up Toby the dog and head over to Heaton Park for a long walk.  In front of the mansion is an unusual “ha ha” wall, designed to keep the cattle from coming onto the lawns whilst being invisible from the house.  Beginning Wednesday Macbeth is being performed in the park using many locations and we see some of the actors rehearsing.  Donna cooks a nice evening meal and we sit in their newly decorated dining room.  They have recently bought a new double bed so we get to stay in their bedroom whilst they use an airbed in the lounge and very comfy we are too.

MANCHESTER – PRESTWICH

 

TUESDAY 14 JULY – David drives us down to Mums with Donna joining us.  There’s a hold up on the M6 and when we get to the trouble spot we see that a caravan has come unhitched and gone up the embankment.  At Mums we chat over lunch then David heads home.  I walk up town to collect my book from WH Smiths.  It should be £19.99 but I ordered it on line for £11.99 and just have to wait a couple of days for it to be delivered to the store.  Now I can get on with doing some reading about South America to decide if we want to go there.  Bobby calls round in the evening, he has done a brilliant job resurrecting my old Acer computer and it now runs as a basic laptop with Windows 2000. 

MARKET DRAYTON 1

 

WEDNESDAY 15 JULY – I run Mum and Pauline up town then visit the library to do Internet dodging the showers on my way back.  Bobby comes round again to join us in the evening.

MARKET DRAYTON 2

 

THURSDAY 16 JULY – Seems we are in for mixed weather for the next week or so meaning I try to time my visits up town between the downpours.  Mum goes out for lunch and it is actually rather nice late morning and we mange to sit out sunbathing for an hour.   I have had a chunk come out of one of my teeth and take up an emergency appointment with the dentist in the afternoon.  I get off lightly as he says the “temporary” stuff he fills it will can sometimes last 10-years so the whole job is a reasonable £20.   Netty & Ian go to visit Bobby in the evening and the operation has gone well although he himself is not feeling too good.

MARKET DRAYTON 3

 

FRIDAY 17 JULY – Set out on a local tour with Mum making our first stop in the attractive village of Audlem with an interesting church.  Unfortunately the guidebook is not clear on where to find the other points of interest in the different villages and Acton church is closed.  We settle for a wander round Nantwich where we are extremely impressed by the numerous black and white old buildings.  In the afternoon Mum & I join Netty to visit Bobby.  He’s asleep when we arrive but soon comes round and shortly after we get a visit from a nurse to say he can come home with us.  It takes an hour or so to get his discharge papers and for him to have a support stocking on his leg.  I’m very impressed by the fact that he can put weight on the leg and walk quite well on crutches.  He sits in the back of the car with his leg on my knee, as he can’t bend it.  Just about get back ahead of a torrential downpour.  According to the news there are many areas in England that are now flooded.  Netty & Ian call round for a chat in the evening and we sit out in the conservatory trying to talk over the rain.

MARKET DRAYTON 4

 

SATURDAY 18 JULY – We missed going to Netty & Ian’s wedding so promised to take them out for a special meal when we got back.  They have chosen Grinshill Inn, a small pub and restaurant in the village near Shawbury.  On arrival we sit in the bar perusing the menu.  It has recently received a Michelin award so should be good.  The bar area is nothing special but the restaurant itself is lovely with lots of candle and an open kitchen set up.  The menu is not extensive but the food is delicious and nicely served. 

MARKET DRAYTON 5

 

SUNDAY 19 JULY – Both Mum & I have had a disturbed nights sleep due to an intermittent beeping noise.  She points me to her newly fitted fire alarm but it has a 10-year sealed battery set up.  The company phone number is only for Monday – Friday and the instruction leaflet is no help.  Kevin & Sandra call round to pick up their Russian cigs and for a chat.  We had planned to go out walking with Netty & Ian but are put off by the rain.  Instead I invite them round for dinner.  Mum goes out in the afternoon to meet her friend Diane and we sit in the lounge watching a movie.    We all get fed up with the alarm and find the troubleshooting suggestions unhelpful.  It has 2 solutions; vacuum the sensors or check where else the beeping is coming from.  We’ve done the first and what is the point of the latter!  In the end we figure we might as well remove the detector and put is somewhere out of hearing.  Having done this we are amazed to still hear the beeping in the hall.  Unbeknown to us and set on the wrong track with Mum pointing to the new detector we had overlooked another one connected to her alarm system and this is the problem.  Mum doesn’t have the correct replacement batteries but once put back in the sensor stops beeping.  Meanwhile Netty & I have managed to re set the alarm but replacing the new fire alarm we realise it is not working anymore.

MARKET DRAYTON 6

 

MONDAY 20 JULY – Late afternoon we drive to Telford to Netty & Mark’s.  Along with Stacey we go bowling, a bit pricey at £12 for 3 games but fun.  It takes a long time to fit in our 3 games as Stacey and Netty need to keep nipping outside for a cig, the toilets are a long way from the lanes and football is being shown on the big screen.  The lanes are poor and the bowling balls in bad condition so we resign ourselves to challenges such as who can bowl the fastest bowl.  Mark throws one at over 16 mph but Steve is the overall winner on points. 

MARKET DRAYTON 7

 

TUESDAY 21 JULY – I take Mum up to Morrisons so she can do a big shop.  She has kindly agreed to lend us her car until the end of August so I help her to stock up a bit.  In the afternoon we do the Internet at the library and begin researching a cruise to Antarctica.  It seems that the expedition style cruises where you go to some of the island by zodiac only come down to around $3000 and are for about 7 days whereas we have seen a 16 day proper cruise including 3 days cruising around the Antarctic for about half that price so need to consider our options. 

MARKET DRAYTON 8

 

WEDNESDAY 22 JULY – Nicole is visiting from Australia and staying with her Mum whilst daughter Paula and family are renting an apartment.  We walk up to visit them and have a good chat with them all.  Paula’s husband Jason gives us lots of info about Africa for next year and we also catch up on their family news and meet their new son Darcy, 3, and James who is considerably bigger than when we last saw him 3 years ago when he was Darcy’s age.  Nip back to have dinner with Mum then drive round to Netty’s to do some Internet.  Bobby is home and walking very well without his crutch.  We make a spur of the moment decision and book a Holland & America Antarctic cruise for 20 nights departing from Chile and ending up in Brazil.  The nice thing is that it leaves on 21^st December so we are on board for Christmas and New Year.  The American site www.smartcruiser.com has the best deal with an outside cabin working out around £1200 each including taxes etc.  So now we have to decide where in South America to fly to in September and what route we are going to take to get us to Valparaiso by 20^th December.  Steve pops back and brings Mum round to visit Bobby.  She has made him his favourite oranges in lime jelly and he and Nick demolish it in one hit.  In the evening we drive up to Manchester for a chat with David.

MARKET DRAYTON 9

 

THURSDAY 23 JULY – Mum’s friend Ann calls round and we enjoy hearing about her daughters project to build a wooden home in Utah.   After our last lunch with Mum we make our way across country to visit our friend Steve in Winsford.  He and his wife Rosemary brought a B&B there a couple of years ago.  Their B&B is well located for visiting Cheshire and we are surprised to learn that Winsford has the largest underground salt mine in Britain where they are busy digging the stuff out so they don’t run out like they did last winter.  It is great to catch up on all their news and to hear that they are doing well with the business but nice to know we don’t have to run our own business anymore.  Call in for a quick chat with David then head on to Claire’s for the night.  Steve even manages to fit in a game of bowling.

KEIGHLEY, CLAIRES

 

FRIDAY 24 JULY – Claire heads out at 7.30am to drop Daniel at Daz’s whilst we drive off in the other direction to go to Manchester.  We are booked in at Double Take studios for a photo shoot.  Claire had one done earlier this year and got some fantastic shots so I would now like a nice one of Steve & myself to replace the older ones on display at both Mums and one of myself before I age much more!  Arriving at the studios we fill out a questionnaire asking about what type of make up and what style photos we would like.  Next I really enjoy being pampered with a hand and arm massage, full make up and hair styling.  Steve gets his turn with just a little powder on his nose and some hair wax.  We are introduced to our photographer Mark then shown the changing rooms where we begin with the first of our 3 outfits.  This is not a personal experience as there are numerous rooms with props, many photographers and lots of other people having their pictures taken.  I am quite nervous and feel very uncomfortable but begin to relax into it.  After the shoot we move to another waiting room, have snacks and drinks provided.  They ask you to list phone numbers of people who may be interested in the experience and reward you with gifts and discounts.  I end up putting 75 names down – so odds are if you are reading this you are going to get a call up, sorry.  In a private lounge we view our pictures on a big screen and feel disappointed that there aren’t any with a wow factor for us.  However I really want a pic of us as a couple and one of me alone and this has to be our best shot having had my hair and make up done professionally so we re assess and pick out 4.  Total cost £199 for the digital images that we can reproduce however we wish plus an 8x6 of one pick and the option to change the choice once we have spoken to Claire.  Return to Claire’s and begin unpacking our things, as this is now our base until September.  Dad is not well so when we get there to sleep over I end up preparing tea for us all.

KEIGHLEY 2, MOM & DADS

 

SATURDAY 25 JULY – We get up early to be back at Claire’s by 7.30am.  Steve is joining her and Natasha at a swimming gala whilst I am staying with Daniel.  He gets us quite late so we go straight to the shops, to the new Asda, to stock up.  I hate it, as it is busy, large and confusing but am determined not to have to do it again before we leave a week on Thursday so manage to fill up 2 trolleys.  It’s no joke shopping for 5 and instead of being able to load it into the motorhome we have to put it in the car then take it out again to take into the house.  Still playing housewife I put the washing out and another load on before sitting out to sunbathe in the hot afternoon sun.  Natasha hasn’t won anything today but has got a couple of personal best times.  Back at Mom & Dad’s I sort out some tea before we settle down for a TV evening.  Dad seems much better tonight.

KEIGHLEY 3, MOM AND DADS

 

SUNDAY 26 JULY – We get up late, as it is a dull drizzly morning.  I cook us all a roast pork dinner and it goes down really well.  I’ve corrupted Mom by making lots of fresh fruit salad then negating the health benefits by pouring alcohol over it.  Late afternoon it is back to Claire’s where I start cooking another meal.    Natasha has got some best times at the gala so is very happy. 

KEIGHLEY 4, CLAIRE’S

 

MONDAY 27 JULY – We all get up late, think the kids would have stayed in bed longer if we hadn’t disturbed them.  It is funny to see Daniel, Natasha and I all working on computers whilst Steve tats around.  In the afternoon I pop down to Keighley with Natasha, the problem is the Grandma Enid sent her some money and it is burning a hole in her pocket and she really needs to buy everything she sees!

KEIGHLEY 5, CLAIRE’S

 

TUESDAY 28 JULY – We rendezvous with Daz at the leisure centre and pick the kids up so they can do their life saving course.  However there is a problem in that Daniel is not very well.  Last night he began to have an ache in his hip and leg and today it is worse.  We defer their life saving class then take him to the Doctors and get an appointment for this afternoon.  Return home for an hour then set out for our second rendezvous in Oldham with Ian.  When we left Mums we inadvertently picked up one of her bags along with ours and it had to be the one she needs for holiday.  It is amazing how much lighter the traffic is everywhere with the kids on summer holidays and we make good time on the motorway.  After handing over the bag we decide to return on the country roads via Todmorden and Oxenhope.  Originally we thought we would find places to stop and explore and take short walks but as it begins to pour down and with Daniel’s bad leg this is no longer an option.  Settle for a picnic on Lidl car park en route!  When we arrive back my map of South America has arrived and we are both a little shocked to find it unfolds to a rug size sheet with the map continuing on both sides.  We always knew it was a large continent but this somehow makes it seem more so.  No matter my next task is highlighting the places we really want to visit to enable us to plan our tour.  Claire goes out swimming in the evening and whilst she is out we get a call from Lisa & Mick and they pop round with Sian to drop of some tables to put stuff on to sell at the car boot sale this weekend.  Sian is now working at the local nursery with a chance of it becoming a permanent job in September.  They are all off to Turkey on holiday next week.  End up chatting about the work Mick has done on tracing ancestors and it is very interesting.

KEIGHLEY 6, CLAIRES

 

WEDNESDAY 29 JULY – I invite Mom & Dad round for lunch, Dad is starting to feel a bit better and getting out of the house seems to do him good.  In the evening we go over to Bingley to see our campervan friend Pete.  He is back from Ibiza and has his camper with him and is living in it on his factory forecourt.  We have loads to chat about but the topic keeps coming back to how much we all prefer being almost anywhere but England!  He had his Mercedes camper built to suit his need with a garage at the back for all his sporting toys with a bedroom above it and it is excellent.  He travels with his dog Dolly and has been full timing almost as long as we have.  His mate calls round for the evening and having recently retired is eager to chat to us to pick up tips.  We chat for so long that Pete ends up nipping out for a Chinese take away to sustain us.  Hope we can get back for another chat before we all leave.

KEIGHLEY 7, CLAIRE’S

 

THURSDAY 30 JULY – The kids stayed at Daz’s last night and are there until tomorrow so we are home along.  I manage to narrow down our options for flights to South America but it sure takes a long time.  I cook up a fish pie and invite Mom & Dad to join us when Claire gets back from work.  Steve goes out bowling in the evening and Claire is out with friends celebrating her exam passes.  Claire did some work for Virgin Vie many years ago and the tax office have caught up with her so I spend the evening summarising the figures for her tax return – bit of a joke considering she is the budding chartered accountant.

KEIGHLEY 8, CLAIRE’S

 

FRIDAY 31 JULY – I spend the day fine tuning our flight details so the extent I just have to contact a couple of the companies who guarantee to beat any price to complete the final touches.  We are going to fly to Quito (Ecuador) early September then back from Rio at the beginning of January so we are back to help out with the kids during Easter holidays.  In the evening we go round to Richard Johns.  He cooks us delicious bacon, chicken and cream pasta meal and we have lots of laughs chatting and doing games on the TV.

KEIGHLEY 9, RICHARDS