Where's Bertie? He's in the Aire at Kortrijk, where he also spent a night in early June 2017.
Last Friday I started crocheting a blanket that I need to get finished by the first week in April. That's a very tight time schedule and thus my spare time is currently being spent crochet hook in one hand and yarn in the other.
I already made one of these blankets for a friend this year, which, when seen by Mick's mum, was admired so greatly that I'm making another one, for her birthday.
As a result I'm going to try to be more succinct that usual with the blog posts.
Here's a summary of the trip so far:
Monday 5th
Surprisingly left home on schedule, even with a late decision to give Bertie a wash before we set off. (Didn't realise at that point that I hadn't vacuumed his floor, emptied his bin or even washed his mugs at the end of the last trip; if I had I would have done those things whilst Mick was washing).
Spent the night outside friends' house in Crawley.
Tuesday 6th
Crossed through the Chunnel mid-afternoon and made a bee-line for the big Carrefour next to the terminal in Calais. Tea bag and 5-minute rice supplies topped up (neither easily available in UK), a snap decision was made as to where to spend the night: Ypres. Arrived in the dark and left early on Wednesday morning, so didn't see anything of the place. Must go back sometime. (€8 for pitch, electricity and waste).
Wednesday 7th
The fundamental reason for the trip: Bertie's annual damp check (required for water ingress warranty), plus the resolution of some warranty issues. Arrived at Campirama's new showroom at 9am, got away at 5pm. Battled rush-hour traffic back down to Kortrijk (where Campirama used to be based) to spend a couple of nights in the Aire before our appointment at the local Fiat garage (annual service) on Friday.
(Aire €10 including electricity, water and waste)
My view for most of the day, whilst rain poured outside
Thursday 8th
Plan for an early run amended due to rain. Plans for a day pottering around Kortrijk aborted due to discovering last night that in replacing the pillars either side of Bertie's windscreen, they'd failed to replace the magnetic strips required to hold the cab blinds shut. Thus, a trip back to the dealer (it's only 12km, or 20km when the SatNav decides to take you via the 'quick' route, which probably, in theory, saves 30 seconds but in reality takes longer).
Arrived to find the motorhomes in the large showroom being moved out of the way so that a road crew could set up a catwalk for a fashion show they're hosting tomorrow night. A couple of hours spent observing stage construction (a ridiculously noisy business), before leaving with Bertie's blinds fully functioning once again. Pity they've still not managed an acceptable fix on a mildly glitchy catch on the main door.
This afternoon, with the rain stopped, a run along the River Leie - well frequented with huge barges heading inland. Wind kept stopping me in my tracks on the outward leg. Mick egged me on to race a barge to a particular bridge on the way back (gasp, gasp, gasp) - pleased the wind was behind for that leg.
The barge Mick had me race; it was well ahead as I took this snap
Tomorrow the Fiat garage, after which we have no plan other than to spend a couple of weeks looking at Belgium.
Last Friday I started crocheting a blanket that I need to get finished by the first week in April. That's a very tight time schedule and thus my spare time is currently being spent crochet hook in one hand and yarn in the other.
I already made one of these blankets for a friend this year, which, when seen by Mick's mum, was admired so greatly that I'm making another one, for her birthday.
As a result I'm going to try to be more succinct that usual with the blog posts.
Here's a summary of the trip so far:
Monday 5th
Surprisingly left home on schedule, even with a late decision to give Bertie a wash before we set off. (Didn't realise at that point that I hadn't vacuumed his floor, emptied his bin or even washed his mugs at the end of the last trip; if I had I would have done those things whilst Mick was washing).
Spent the night outside friends' house in Crawley.
Tuesday 6th
Crossed through the Chunnel mid-afternoon and made a bee-line for the big Carrefour next to the terminal in Calais. Tea bag and 5-minute rice supplies topped up (neither easily available in UK), a snap decision was made as to where to spend the night: Ypres. Arrived in the dark and left early on Wednesday morning, so didn't see anything of the place. Must go back sometime. (€8 for pitch, electricity and waste).
Wednesday 7th
The fundamental reason for the trip: Bertie's annual damp check (required for water ingress warranty), plus the resolution of some warranty issues. Arrived at Campirama's new showroom at 9am, got away at 5pm. Battled rush-hour traffic back down to Kortrijk (where Campirama used to be based) to spend a couple of nights in the Aire before our appointment at the local Fiat garage (annual service) on Friday.
(Aire €10 including electricity, water and waste)
My view for most of the day, whilst rain poured outside
Thursday 8th
Plan for an early run amended due to rain. Plans for a day pottering around Kortrijk aborted due to discovering last night that in replacing the pillars either side of Bertie's windscreen, they'd failed to replace the magnetic strips required to hold the cab blinds shut. Thus, a trip back to the dealer (it's only 12km, or 20km when the SatNav decides to take you via the 'quick' route, which probably, in theory, saves 30 seconds but in reality takes longer).
Arrived to find the motorhomes in the large showroom being moved out of the way so that a road crew could set up a catwalk for a fashion show they're hosting tomorrow night. A couple of hours spent observing stage construction (a ridiculously noisy business), before leaving with Bertie's blinds fully functioning once again. Pity they've still not managed an acceptable fix on a mildly glitchy catch on the main door.
This afternoon, with the rain stopped, a run along the River Leie - well frequented with huge barges heading inland. Wind kept stopping me in my tracks on the outward leg. Mick egged me on to race a barge to a particular bridge on the way back (gasp, gasp, gasp) - pleased the wind was behind for that leg.
The barge Mick had me race; it was well ahead as I took this snap
Tomorrow the Fiat garage, after which we have no plan other than to spend a couple of weeks looking at Belgium.
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