ARV Rally Germany

Took the P&O ferry from Hull to Zeebrugge and what a difference to our last crossing. Sea like a mill pond, large 4-berth club cabin complete with complementary toiletries and fruit all to ourselves. All you can eat (and keep down) dinner and breakfast included. Only complaint was the droves of excitable school kids who decided to play football in the cabin above ours! Oh the joys of a carefree youth and a total lack of awareness of the noise an innocent activity can create. Mr H eventually involved the duty steward in resolving the matter who reassured us that at 10.00pm the accompanying teachers would police the cabin noise with military force and they did just that.  

After Mr H negotiated the tricky manoeuvres involved in getting the RV and trailer off the ferry in one piece (or so we thought) the plan was to meet with fellow rally members at a pre-determined service station near Liege. As planned, the rally leaders, Dynamo Dougie Daybreak & Anjie arrived with their side-kicks Wise Bob Redsox and Hilary and we proceeded in perfectly polished and synchronised convoy only to discover that the  LPG gas pumps were empty so we had to travel on to another station so we could fill up and enjoy a currywurst!

Thanks to Dougie's ability to create numerous overtaking opportunities we left the lorries eating our dust, picked up Chris and Chris on the way and made good time despite a dramatic blow out in one of Bob's RV tyres. How did we cope with this set back? We drove on in perfect formation to the nearest service station, Anjie made tea and the lads (well mainly Bob) pulled off a perfect tyre change complete with jolly banter, sweating brows and extra filthy hands. Custard creams all round to celebrate! The last leg to our campsite included a tight squeeze onto a ferry to cross the Rhein

and landed at http://www.campingplatz-ruedesheim.de/index-en.htm in very good time to join the rally gang already there and commenced the following rituals;
1.  ensure all smaller caravans and motorhomes have full view of our convoy of fabulous american vehicles
2. claim a space/pitch after swiftly identifying the location of water and electric supplies
3.  make a tidy job of all relating cables, connections and hoses and attempt to level our motorhomes
4  outside essentials of tables and chairs positioned facing the sun.
Sorted!

A very welcome late supper and beer was provided for us all and we shared our tales of blow outs, failing engines, smoking brakes and unplanned diversions up mountains resulting in two motorhomes spending the night there!  A great bunch of people, welcoming and friendly as we got to know them a little better so thanks to Derek & Jenny, Karen & Andrea, Doug & Chris, Ron & Carol, Denis & Davina, Colin & Hazell, John & Jane, Roy & Margaret, Jim & Anne, John & Maggie, Terry & Jean and Derek & Rose. The site is in a beautiful setting on the banks of the Rhein and we were well looked after by Oliver and his team. 

We all spent a wonderful day going up this mountain in a cable car, then a short walk through a lovely forest, down the other side in a ski-lift followed by a scenic cruise back to the site.

However, by this time Mr H had developed a particularly nasty ear infection, we then discovered the jockey wheel on the trailer got mangled, must have been whilst coming off the ferry.  MR H's TRAVEL TIP No2 - ALWAYS REMOVE THE JOCKEY WHEEL WHEN TRAVELLING . Then to cap it all our new scooter turned tempramental, started ok, drove to shops and wouldn't restart, had to push it back to site where after a few hours it would start again. This happened 4 times!!! So Mr H took a trip to the Doctors for anti-biotics and managed to find a jockey wheel shop so the trailer is mobile again but not the scooter.

Despite these mishaps we had a great time exploring the area. We cycled along the quiet riverside paths and enjoyed watching the ever changing Rhine and its various ships, cruisers and cargoes. The rally enjoyed a day's river cruise along the Rhine in the sunshine and showers, endless photo opportunities and so many lovely sights to be seen along the way.

A number of us visited a packed local 'Scottish' pub to watch the Italy v Germany semi-final. One very happy Italian local celebrated with cheers, tears, handshakes and lots of Italian flag kissing. A procession of cars with horns blasting and Italian flags blowing paraded the streets in celebration. We also watched the final between Italy and Spain sat in the beer garden just outside the camp gates. A great night of football banter, excellent chilled bottled beer and a variety of shared nibbles to boot!

Finally, on an excursion into Rhudesheim for a meal with the group Mr H became a little adventurous! It may have been a combination of multiple anti-biotics, alcohol and oompah music that influenced his choice of snails as a starter! He enjoyed them but I couldn't look let alone try one. Laughing, dancing, eating and drinking was the theme of the night enjoyed by all.
Luxembourg next!!

Time for a change...

We've been in soggy York at http://www.yorkcaravanpark.com/ since the beginning of July which has become our base for visiting family and friends. Great to see everyone again and more importantly an opportunity for them to see we are ok and enjoying our chosen lifestyle. The weather has been shocking, wind, rain and far to cold for us to explore or enjoy our beloved East Yorkshire, but bad weather never stops us from spending time with family and friends.  

After nearly a year on the road we've reviewed our options before  setting off abroad again. As I said in my last post, visiting Signature Motorhomes is dangerous and we decided to trade in our beloved bus for a newer model. Mr H did his best Yorkshireman negotiations on the price and we got a good deal from our extended family at Signature. Afraid we are spending even more of our children's inheritance and have purchased the most fabulous new Thor ACE 30.1 in Twilight Dawn she's a beauty!! The bottom line is it gives us so much more room and has been pimped to the max. 
http://acemotorhome.com/floorplans.php

Our next decision was to buy a Piaggio MP3 300LT scooter for our local transport needs. Mr H loves it and has gone all retro with a fish-tail parka, levis, open faced peaked helmet, Ray Bans and a harrington jacket! We had to run the engine in before leaving for Europe again so we have been whizzing about a lot. We did a run from York to Hull then to Bridlington and Scarborough and it wasn't even a bank holiday. I am learning the rules of being a pillion passenger and have developed the following tricks to stay alive;
1.  clamp Mr H between my thighs at all times with a grip that would make a nun blush
2. ensure I move / lean as one with Mr H when cornering without screaming like a girl in his ear
3. ignore the lorries, ambulances and motorists that think its ok to come close enough for me to see thier tyre tread thickness and the text they are busy sending.
Despite all this I am growing to enjoy the wind in my face, frozen extremeties and just being able to dodge the traffic queues!

Finally, we needed a custom built trailer to carry the scooter, bikes and odd bits so Mr H ordered one from http://www.ticknertrailers.co.uk/box_gt.html 
The GP85 trailer looks smart, seems to be well built and tows well Mr H reports. Delivery was delayed so we had a wasted journey going to pick it up as arranged. However they did complete a week later and delivered it to us at York at their expense.

So after weeks of rain, gales, delays, endless locker and internal RV cupboard shifting and road trips visiting family we're all geared up and heading for Germany next so auf wiedersehen for now!

Back home.....

Arrived at Cheltenham through the rain and grey skies without any dramas and easily found the lovely site   http://www.briarfields.net/ Our planned stay was for a few weeks so we set up camp like the seasoned travellers we have become. Within half an hour the water and waste plumbing was sorted, outside essentials of flooring and furniture in place and the kettle was on! We were able to surprise some friends on site with our unannounced arrival, so good to catch up with these four fellow motorhomers. That's Rosie Whizz, Big Nige, Suzie and Oscar. First time we have seen each other wearing arctic clothing and without blazing sunshine. It continued to rain for days but when the sun came out so did we, exploring the wonderful surroundings of Cheltenham, Gloucester and the Cotswolds. A big thank you to Rosie and Nige for their hospitality, taking us to visit places of interest and giggles along the way.     

Big Nige and Mr H have resumed their pratting about and fishing expeditions making the most of sunny days. I am informed that Mr H is back on form, his latest trips resulting in landing carp from 6lb (below) up to 18.5lb and not a carrier bag in sight. 

Whilst the lads were fishing Rosie and I cycled in the sunshine to the racecourse to join thousands of locals young and old to witness the arrival of the Olympic torch. After several hours of very loud and varied entertainment our backsides became numb but we didnt care. At one point we considered crowd surfing into the mosh pit in front of the stage but decided we would need better underwear to pull it off gracefully.  We cheered and whooped with the masses as the torch arrived held aloft by Zara Philips on her Olympic champion horse! Would have been even more impressed if she'd managed to get the horse up the steps and onto the stage.

Stuart and Kay arrived at Briarfields as planned to hand over their RV to it's new owner before returning to Spain to live. After a few manic days of polishing and locker-emptying activity we all went out for an indian and the odd beer just so they could sit down! When their RV bounced away with its new owner we waved Stuart and Kay off in their car with plans to meet up in Spain. 

Despite the bad weather we hired a car for a week and enjoyed visiting family. The big boot was a godsend as we took several layers of clothes! Very cold but the sun did come out eventually. Returned with posh, manicured hands, a new handbag and no washing or ironing, result!!

Managed to catch up with Dave and Di from Wolverhampton before they went on holiday and planned to meet up again in Spain later in the year. On to Wolverhampton for a night of forecourt squatting. This is always dangerous as we got to look around the new ACE! mmmmm....... Nice to see the Signature lads again even though I had to bleach the works toilet before daring to use it and Mr H left with a lighter wallet.

With the Bus all sorted we headed cross country to a site near Wisbech http://www.virginialake.co.uk/  where we stayed for a few nights expecting to pick up our new trailer. As 'luck' would have it there is a fishing lake on site and Mr H had a bumper day catching dozens of fish including 12 carp. Never seen so many hungry fish willing to throw themselves on the hook!

I even landed my first carp, couldnt touch it though!!  :0

A life on the ocean wave...

Due to the forecast of continued bad weather we decided to return to the UK early, get some jobs done and catch up with family. Set off bright and early towards Santander with an overnight stop at http://www.spain.info/en/antes_del_viaje/alojamientos/camping/palencia/monte_royal.html
We arrived here early afternoon and enjoyed an excellent fresh coffee in the quaint old restaurant on site. People were eating a relaxed lunch and chatting away over a table full of various bottles as we soaked up the atmosphere.  The huge log fire was roaring and among the interesting decor was a cheeky stuffed hare standing erect on the dusty mantelpiece (never seen one wearing an ammunition belt, jaunty leather hat and a gun before). We were directed to park up among the pine trees and shown our way around the electric hook-up.

To say the facilities were primitive is being kind but for one night who cares that toilet seats, toilet roll and soap were not provided as the setting was lovely. Mr H and I deployed our excellent on board facilities, enjoying a full roast pork dinner whilst viewing the snow-capped mountains in the distance.

We were close to a reservoir at high altitude so that night was a cold one.  Emergency fleece blankets, chocolate and a good film passed the night away nicely. We were away smartish the next day and I spent most of the journey taking photos of the scenery in between the showers.

We got stuck behind a wide load on the way to Santander, an impressive boat complete with wide load convoy vehicles and flashing lights, bet they can't find a pitch big enough for that baby!

So far so good, but on our arrival at the ferry port in Santander we were told that due to bad weather the ferry would be delayed for 14 hours but we could spend the night on board ready to leave early the next morning. Credit to Mr H for manoeuvring the bus into the tightest,  strangely-angled spot in the bowels of the boat. I'm sure they do it for a laugh to see if you cock up! So we unpacked in our shoebox-sized steerage class cell consoling ourselves that we would soon be back in Blighty. Following a walk into town and eating a different lunch to the ones we ordered, we chilled out onboard the best we could. This lulled us into a false sense of security as we slept well despite being in an inside cabin. Looking forward to finally getting underway we agreed to start the day with a hearty breakfast as we sailed out of the port. With hindsight, all the clues were there for what was to come but here goes with an attempt to capture the torture of the next 24 hours.

As we queued for our breakfast the boat began to rise and dip enough for the French chefs to frantically secure various pots and pans in between serving up. By the time we had negotiated the moving boat carrying trays laden with all the required cutlery and condiments our 15 quid coronary on a plate breakfast was stone cold. As I attempted to eat my breakfast things began to move and crash about us. The staff tried to catch the flying trays, cutlery and plates as we bobbed along. My plate slid across the table and knocked my drink into the path of a passing waiter. He didnt flinch when scooping the debris up and was away to the next clear-up job. At this point Mr H turned the same colour as the grey sky, abandoned his food and headed for the toilets, I was not far behind and just made it in time. Now we all know that vomiting is very unpleasant but I had forgotten just how exhausting it is. First you have to know where the toilets are. I didnt, so thank the lord my reflexes enabled me to lock down my lips as my breakfast hit them with the force of a hosepipe! I could hear the crashing of crockery and every item in duty free hitting the floor as I emptied my stomach! We managed to find each other and stagger to our cabin before collapsing onto the bottom bunk together (the top bunk was unusable as you would fall out). So for the next 24 hours the ferry lurched between being airborne and hitting the waves again. At one point I counted 7 seconds between lurching upwards into the air and falling back hitting the sea with a thud. Mr H ventured out twice that day to get sea sickness tablets bless him but we just couldnt keep them down. Sips of water was our only relief. Trying to shower vomit from my hair was like being on a roller coaster, thank god there wasn't a photo of this event to be purchased on our departure. Perfect storm and Titanic rolled into one! I was informed that the whole content of the kitchens and duty free had hit the decks and we lost a piece of decking rail resulting in the lock down of all outside areas while crossing the Bay of Biscay. Do it again?... I would rather stick pins in my eyes or work fulltime at Sportsdirect.

What a relief to arrive in Plymouth on ground that has stopped moving despite the pouring rain and commuter traffic. We both looked and felt like death but oh so glad to be free of the ferry and back on the road again. Mr H negotiated the 9.00am traffic driving on the left for the first time in seven months on unknown roads with mirrors that were knocked off-kilter getting off the ferry. My hero :) Rain, Radio 2 playing and fellow road users letting us into the right lane let us know we were finally back home, even though we're just visiting!!

Salamanca

It seems to be raining in all directions at the moment (apart from Alicante!!) arrived at http://www.campingregio.com/Index.php?lang=en in the rain but decided to stay for a few days to check out the old University City of Salamanca.

Some beautiful buildings, a lot like Oxford.

Still raining, heading North, wi-fi may be patchy so it could be a while before next post. Ciao for now :)

Lisboa e Figueira da Foz

Hi all, packed up the happy bus and drove to the capital city of Lisbon for our first city-based site and the promise of people, culture and sights to be seen. Ok my ability to enjoy heights is compromised at the best of times but I found myself trying to control my breathing and leaning away from the huge drop into the watery abyss as we crossed the bridge over the River Tagus into Lisbon. I fully understand how the passenger seat is affectionately known as the suicide seat by some fellow RV'rs. Mr H enjoys the panoramic views and changing landscapes on our travels while I try to ignore the paper thin barriers or road edge between me and the depths. Serves me right for encouraging others on many occassions to feel the fear and do it anyway! 

http://www.lisboacamping.com/index-uk.html  
Great site for a short city break; plenty of trees, good access, hardstanding and services but lots of showers (of the rainy variety).  

We were determined to explore Lisbon so we donned winter gear, grabbed the camera and set off anyway. Caught the bus outside the camp gates into city centre. In parts the journey was so bumpy we were lifted out of our seats more than once. Mr H and I took a firm grip of the seats in front of us and enjoyed the white-knuckle ride without the extortionate ticket price!  So armed with a 48 hour pass that covered us for tours around the city as well as public transport our explorations began. 

Plenty to see, around every corner a suprise, sculptures, stunning old and new buildings, palaces, fountains and even imaginative  graffiti.

Of the 260 photos we took I have selected just a few to give a flavour of this vibrant city.  

As we sat undercover in a pavement cafe the umbrella man paced up and down the entrance to the metro. He showed little regard for anyone who may trip over his wares or the white stick he prodded every surface with. At one point he walked out onto the road and straight into a stationary bus, with a shrug he negotiated his way around this obstacle to begin selling his umbrellas dangerously close to a fellow umbrella salesman at the next metro entrance.

Now this greying mutt stole my heart instantly, it was the way she sat quietly on the pavement among the throng of commuters, tourists and locals. Her protruding teeth just added to her appeal, Mr H said she reminded him of Spit the dog...

Really nice to get a proper shopping fix, didn't dare go in the mega-posh designer shops so just admired the window displays from the safety of the top deck of our tourist bus. Best purchase of my mad city jaunt?  Tea lights from Ikea! Oh how I have missed my scented candles. I have learned a girl can go without many things during our adventures but I refuse to travel without scented candles, Molton Brown products, Clinique cosmetics, hair colour and crystals (other products are available I'm told).  High maintenance? Not me!   

We then travelled North to the Orbitur Gala site near Figueira da Foz for 2 nights http://www.orbitur.com/.

Nice tidy site, near the beach but Mr H spent most of the first night helping to dig a French motorhome out of a sandy pitch and it rained for most of the next day with more rain forecast. Same weather picture further North so we've decided to head East back to Spain!