Carcassonne….again

Bleary eyed we leave Tim & Sue next day as they are due four days of snow soon and we don't want any of that thanks…

En route towards Toulouse we stay a couple of nights at Souillac and St Felix Lauragais

Here at St Felix, just past Toulouse, we enjoy a meal at the restaurant miles from nowhere but just 20m from the van...

We were Hank Marvin, and strangely enough Matthew, so was this guy for the night!

Next up Carcassonne...

Just a few months ago it was very different here with lots of summer tourists

Still a few folks around to soak up the mediaeval atmosphere

Still quite cold here but crucially no snow…yet

Very different today to the Bastille Day we spent here a few years ago with 250k other people

A short drive to the Med and we find ourselves at Leucate, south of Narbonne

Completely deserted which sort of backfires on us as its quite a hike to the nearest cafe serving Chocolate Chaud

Home for the night and our first proper taste of the coast

Soon we will be basking in the sun hopefully and back to normal living...

Chez Edwards

On a very windy early January day we set off 'home' again

It was rough enough in the harbour at Dover but once away it was surprisingly OK even though Nina feared a bad crossing

The first of many panoramic shots I fear you'll see as we've invested in a new iPhone for use overseas when we can grab the all elusive WiFi

The 6 plus outdates my ancient 4 and original iPad 1 when it comes to bumming free signals so we live in hope of easier FB updates and blogging...

The route down through Northern France is as ever quite uninteresting with howling winds and daily rain

A brief weather interlude sees me back on wash boy duties in a local Laverie 

New gadget, new shot, new supermarché

Within a few days we are at Chez Edwards and prepping our livers for what's to come that evening

Sobre girls discussing flowers or whatever...

Tim approaching squiffy stage..

Quality wine from our hosts' cave

Du Vin et Du Fromage with two hunter-gatherers chewing the fat….

Santé….and silliness soon prevails...

Scary or what!

Yes we are "off to sunny Spain"

My personal favourite…

Having had a major operation recently Tim long since in the evening decided he was more comfortable in bed wear, the new Vogue methinks..

His dancing at 3.30am was a classic…..

Another great get together guys, take care...

Greetham

We are mobile now after visiting Mum for the last time this trip home (all is very well indeed) 

This is the trusted Steed of Pat & Jane whom we follow to a favourite little site of theirs at Greetham

We are here for a couple of nights en route to meet Emilja and new boyfriend Richard in Braintree

We know by now the pack drill and my already engorged liver is a tremblin'

The previous night (arrival day) we went for an excellent meal at the local Golf Course which also owns the site. We were taken and picked up by the courtesy bus free of charge from the site and I can thoroughly recommend this place. All four of us had superb meals in a very pleasant atmosphere.

Just a 5 minute walk from the site we reach Greetham with its 3 pubs but we elect to visit The Plough later in the day and board the bus for nearby Oakham

A little stroll round the village to satisfy the Girlies (with a stop for coffees & cake) and we have soon reached Pat's Holy Grail

Some 'in house' ales courtesy of the Grainstore Brewery in Oakham

The afternoon drifted by gracefully with the 'Team' just chilling

The hit list 

Dinner later at the Plough was memorable and we sort of staggered back along the path to the vans to continue frivolities

On the last morning Jane served up a gem of a breakfast to send us on our way south.

Poor Pat!

After having talked about our recent visit to Arnhem I felt this breakfast was going to be 'A Bridge Too Far' for him as he was really suffering…

For two full days the guy had almost continual hiccups and bad heartburn and we really felt for him as it must have been awful

We both stoically packed away the carbs though and vowed to continue our RVs in the summer on our return

We said our goodbyes and headed down to an RV with Emilja & Richard at a pub in Braintree

The meal was really good and Nina eclipsed all that had gone before with possibly the biggest dessert she'd ever had, a huge sherry trifle which she said had no sherry in it

(how often is this the case!)

As I blog we are tucked up warm at the P & R at Canterbury in preparation for the ferry tomorrow to Calais

And so we are off again…...

Farewell to Derbyshire

Our last week or so is spent out walking locally near the farm and last minute socialising before Le Grande Depart…

One of several walks I did on my own around Crich whilst Nina 'organised' the van..

We will miss this stunning scenery

Perhaps not the sub zero temperatures though..

Two little boys provide a welcome distraction…

Our Nephew Cameron came to stay a night with us which we enjoyed

And Baby Oliver up at the farm is simply 'edible'

A few days later on another excursion I bizarrely meet an old chum, Dave Geeson, who lives locally

He kidnaps me and takes me to his gaff for coffee then declares "right. time for the pub"

OMG. Several hours later, and when Nina had walked to meet us there, Dave leaves us with a parting gift of Vhino Tinto…

Good health Dave!

It was great to catch up with you my friend after such a long time...