the weather is 32-34 degrees the sky is blue and the ocean is clear
been to casablanca what a weird and wonderful city found ricks cafe from the film just humphrey missing
hard to find internet thats working..........well it is africa
love to all
the dogs are ok
ella has turned from a beautiful child to a young inquizative litle lady
Wednesday 27 May 2009
Wednesday 13 May 2009
africa here we come
we have been in spain a while now and we are loving it. found a real hippi camp in Tarifa the most southernly point of spain and met some lovely people.stay for a week and convinced ourselves that morocco was callin gso off we go at the end of this week to find ourselves. lifes a beach who needs 9 to 5 love to all back home
hope the weathers good love you laura xx
hope the weathers good love you laura xx
Thursday 16 April 2009
on the road again
we have been almost a week in nazare and have made some very nice friends who have cooked us meals and taken us to places we would never of seen if we hadnt broken down.thats the plus side. minus side we have had to pay 950 to get engine fixed and have been advised to go home as engine is tired!!!! but the adventure must continue so on we go but very very slowly
Saturday 11 April 2009
cant keep up
hello
wrote a load of stuff on my pen found an internet cafe but cant transfere anything over so the blog idea is not working too well will try and sort it when we have some internet access and we can use our own laptop.
dont know when that will be as we are currently in Portugal broke down!!!!!! the cam has snapped in three places.cam belt and three valves needed. big money
but its all part of the adventure. we are camped out in garage but there is always a silver lining . Jose the breakdown recovery man and his wife invited us to a family meal yeasterday. they said come for lunch and eat fish. when we got there it was a banquet. we had a lovely day although the communication was a little hard,they spoke portuguesse or french and we spoke english. ella was made a fuss of lots of easter eggs and they gave us gifts of Portuguese porcellin. we all had a lovely time
wrote a load of stuff on my pen found an internet cafe but cant transfere anything over so the blog idea is not working too well will try and sort it when we have some internet access and we can use our own laptop.
dont know when that will be as we are currently in Portugal broke down!!!!!! the cam has snapped in three places.cam belt and three valves needed. big money
but its all part of the adventure. we are camped out in garage but there is always a silver lining . Jose the breakdown recovery man and his wife invited us to a family meal yeasterday. they said come for lunch and eat fish. when we got there it was a banquet. we had a lovely day although the communication was a little hard,they spoke portuguesse or french and we spoke english. ella was made a fuss of lots of easter eggs and they gave us gifts of Portuguese porcellin. we all had a lovely time
Sunday 15 March 2009
on the road at last
28th February
Just over a week to go and plenty to do. This is harder than organizing a wedding. Had a lovely email from Barry and Margaret at magbaz@magbaztravels.com this website has proved to be our saving grace and our holy bible as virgin European travellers.
Ran the van in a bit on Wednesday took a drive to Dorchester as I have never been there looks like a very interesting place but didn’t have time to look around. Also took the dogs along for the ride to get them used to van. Bear was a little scared on the motorway but its all good practice and he shouldn’t be such a chicken anyway. Boson just took it all in his stride; he was brought up in a caravan as a pup until he outgrew it. Blinking shame.
Michael has been hard at it again today. Starting the roof racking system with rails and decking boards. We had a lovely visit from our dear friends Tracey and Pete. Ella absolutely revelled in all her special attention and it was lovely to see them, it’s been so long but that’s the good thing about real friends, it doesn’t matter how long you leave between each encounter you just seem to slip back into each others company. Mind you we normally only see them when camping and after they had gone Michael said how weird it was talking to them without grass or a sea view.
01 Mar. 09
One week to go!
Ella slept at her Nan and granddads last night and they have had her all day today which has given us loads of time to crack on. Michael has been on the roof all day long. We had a slight hic up, the two roof boxes he brought don’t fit as he wants them to but we are going to have to make do. He’s finished his roof system. I have painted the van today inside and washed outside. From now on the lists start. We have lists to tell us what to do on other list! Things are actually starting to come together now. I should hope so with only a week to go.
Tuesday 03rd march 2009
Its seven o’clock and I just can’t sleep. Ella’s alarm going off every five minutes doesn’t help!
Poor Michael, last night he was out in the van till1 o’clock trying to sort out the water heater. Yes he’s got water in it but in the mending process he’s broke the pilot light. Sold the car yesterday so that’s another weight off my mind.
I am very worried about jabs. I didn’t even think that we might need injections for Europe, thought our jabs from when we visited Africa would of seen us through and now looking into it at far too late a date I see we should all really be having rabies but its not a simple jab it’s a course of 3. and there is an airbourne one too I actually got collars for the dogs for these mossie type things but didn’t think we would need protecting.
Taking Dick on the last leg of his running in journey today. Need to go shopping too so might pop to Exeter or beyond. Of course this has to be combined with the dogs and their exercise and training on how to get used to the van. It’s just all one big lesson for them.
Sunday 15th march
Everyone’s hi spirited moods seemed to have calmed down over the past few days and life in the Faulkner household is almost back to normal. Michael has continued with his D.I.Y and things are almost in order we even have a stereo and DVD player fitted now.
We eventually left on 10th March 9 days later than we originally planned. We got to Tesco Lee Mill which is only 10 minutes from our house and things had been forgotten so while Ella and I shopped for groceries, Michael returned home. As we drove on and on it became darker and darker so we looked for places to sleep.Morrisons car park was not top of my list so we found a national trust property that had spaces for motor homes which were all full. We parked in the staff car park had some sandwiches and wearily climbed into bed.
On Wednesday we awoke to mystical mist which was kind of enchanting. Ella and I walked the dogs around the property where horses grazed in the morning sun. we all left pretty stressed still, Michael unable to have his morning cheer himself up fag due to the fear of needing a poo and our toilet not quite ready for action!.
We arrived early at the tunnel where they aloud us to travel on the 3.20 train for free. Beware euro tunnel travellers once you take the tunnel turning there is no going back and at the check in machine they try to get you to pay extra for your earlier journey. be strong! insist you are not willing to pay any more and you will be directed to go see the lady inside who then changed our ticket for free. It worked for us. All the travelling was stressing Bear out, when we picked him up as a puppy the journey from Manchester to Plymouth was long and stressful for him and ever since then, he has not been a good traveller, only we could do a 6 month road trip with a dog that hates travelling. When we were on the train Bear slept like a baby while we had sandwiches and crisps and before I had even cleared away we were in France. What a wonderful, quick and exciting journey.
Yes we are actually in France we have made it! The sun is shinning and it stayed light till 7ish. We looked for the free Aires we had heard about where you can camp wild for the night but believe they are only on the motorways, only time will tell. So tonight we cooked spaghetti bolognaise in a supermarket car park with a lorry next to us. We walked the dogs along unfamiliar streets. It was a beautiful clear night with a full moon.
I awoke the next morning to chickens doing their morning thing which was surprising as we were in supermarket car park in a town. Boson had been awake moaning and scraping since 5.30 it was only when I got up to give him a wee did I realise that the ladder up to Ella’s bed had fallen on him. When I let him out I noticed the gothic looking church next to us and how beautiful it looked in the morning sun.
Prices here are outrageous. We refuelled and ended up in Doullens at a big local market. We all had fun trying to communicate with the locals and purchased
6 sausages €5.90
2 chicken carcasses (for the dogs) €1.00
Cheese €11.20
Bread €1.90
Strawberries €2.50
Cakes €2.00
Total € 22.50 bloody hell its expensive here
Our cheese and bread lunch was delicious. We then walked our so far well behaved dogs around a canal and small park.
We are 100km from euro Disney and we stopped for the night in a lay-by/picnic area. We are not sure if this is allowed but the view is spectacular and the sound of the nearby cow farm is a reminder of home.
Poor Michael has had his hand stuck in the chemical toilet for half an hour trying to fix the seal and true to form he has succeeded. He is like a greyhound after a rabbit when he has a job on and goes on and on till he has completed his mission or needs sleep.
In bed by 8.30 this travelling malarkey is tiring and lack of sleep makes us all irritable.
Friday 13th we woke to a drizzle much like England. We walked the dogs along a country track, where wildlife was somewhere out of our sight or senses but the dogs knew something was close by.
We stopped in an intermarche (supermarket) car park for lunch. I could not believe the extortionate prices except for wine which was €1.65 for a litre.
We drove on to Disney who wanted €13.00 just to park in their car park for the night and as we are not going there till Monday,( hopefully less people after the weekend). We are parked in another supermarket car park for tonight.
I haven’t tried driving yet as it looks chaotic and id rather be the bossy co pilot, not that we need a co pilot as Betty is more than capable of doing the job and getting us to our destinations.
The dogs have been good as gold and had a lovely play in the deserted car park late last night after the store had closed. I never thought id hear myself say this but I cant wait till tomorrow when we go to a camp site so I can have a shower.
We are in the Camping Club Le Parc de Paris
Rue Adele Claret
Montjay-la-Tour
Where we used our ACSI card for the first time and saved €10 on our 2 night stay costing us €30 instead of €40.a lot of bloody money but we needed to plug in and charge things up and fill up with water, shower and do some washing. and get some internet access. Little did we know these things are on top? Another €7.00 to do our washing,€7.00 for internet access but the showers were free and power showers they definitely were.unfortunatley the gas straighter Michael brought for me are completely hopeless so my hair is a complete mess.
Km travelled so far 1810 wow! But when we look at Betty we are only actually 811 km from our home address if we go in a straight line. Hello to everyone back home and lots of love to all our family big hugs Laura I’m not sure if this diary will be so detailed in future as it has taken me ages. Au revoir!!!!
Just over a week to go and plenty to do. This is harder than organizing a wedding. Had a lovely email from Barry and Margaret at magbaz@magbaztravels.com this website has proved to be our saving grace and our holy bible as virgin European travellers.
Ran the van in a bit on Wednesday took a drive to Dorchester as I have never been there looks like a very interesting place but didn’t have time to look around. Also took the dogs along for the ride to get them used to van. Bear was a little scared on the motorway but its all good practice and he shouldn’t be such a chicken anyway. Boson just took it all in his stride; he was brought up in a caravan as a pup until he outgrew it. Blinking shame.
Michael has been hard at it again today. Starting the roof racking system with rails and decking boards. We had a lovely visit from our dear friends Tracey and Pete. Ella absolutely revelled in all her special attention and it was lovely to see them, it’s been so long but that’s the good thing about real friends, it doesn’t matter how long you leave between each encounter you just seem to slip back into each others company. Mind you we normally only see them when camping and after they had gone Michael said how weird it was talking to them without grass or a sea view.
01 Mar. 09
One week to go!
Ella slept at her Nan and granddads last night and they have had her all day today which has given us loads of time to crack on. Michael has been on the roof all day long. We had a slight hic up, the two roof boxes he brought don’t fit as he wants them to but we are going to have to make do. He’s finished his roof system. I have painted the van today inside and washed outside. From now on the lists start. We have lists to tell us what to do on other list! Things are actually starting to come together now. I should hope so with only a week to go.
Tuesday 03rd march 2009
Its seven o’clock and I just can’t sleep. Ella’s alarm going off every five minutes doesn’t help!
Poor Michael, last night he was out in the van till1 o’clock trying to sort out the water heater. Yes he’s got water in it but in the mending process he’s broke the pilot light. Sold the car yesterday so that’s another weight off my mind.
I am very worried about jabs. I didn’t even think that we might need injections for Europe, thought our jabs from when we visited Africa would of seen us through and now looking into it at far too late a date I see we should all really be having rabies but its not a simple jab it’s a course of 3. and there is an airbourne one too I actually got collars for the dogs for these mossie type things but didn’t think we would need protecting.
Taking Dick on the last leg of his running in journey today. Need to go shopping too so might pop to Exeter or beyond. Of course this has to be combined with the dogs and their exercise and training on how to get used to the van. It’s just all one big lesson for them.
Sunday 15th march
Everyone’s hi spirited moods seemed to have calmed down over the past few days and life in the Faulkner household is almost back to normal. Michael has continued with his D.I.Y and things are almost in order we even have a stereo and DVD player fitted now.
We eventually left on 10th March 9 days later than we originally planned. We got to Tesco Lee Mill which is only 10 minutes from our house and things had been forgotten so while Ella and I shopped for groceries, Michael returned home. As we drove on and on it became darker and darker so we looked for places to sleep.Morrisons car park was not top of my list so we found a national trust property that had spaces for motor homes which were all full. We parked in the staff car park had some sandwiches and wearily climbed into bed.
On Wednesday we awoke to mystical mist which was kind of enchanting. Ella and I walked the dogs around the property where horses grazed in the morning sun. we all left pretty stressed still, Michael unable to have his morning cheer himself up fag due to the fear of needing a poo and our toilet not quite ready for action!.
We arrived early at the tunnel where they aloud us to travel on the 3.20 train for free. Beware euro tunnel travellers once you take the tunnel turning there is no going back and at the check in machine they try to get you to pay extra for your earlier journey. be strong! insist you are not willing to pay any more and you will be directed to go see the lady inside who then changed our ticket for free. It worked for us. All the travelling was stressing Bear out, when we picked him up as a puppy the journey from Manchester to Plymouth was long and stressful for him and ever since then, he has not been a good traveller, only we could do a 6 month road trip with a dog that hates travelling. When we were on the train Bear slept like a baby while we had sandwiches and crisps and before I had even cleared away we were in France. What a wonderful, quick and exciting journey.
Yes we are actually in France we have made it! The sun is shinning and it stayed light till 7ish. We looked for the free Aires we had heard about where you can camp wild for the night but believe they are only on the motorways, only time will tell. So tonight we cooked spaghetti bolognaise in a supermarket car park with a lorry next to us. We walked the dogs along unfamiliar streets. It was a beautiful clear night with a full moon.
I awoke the next morning to chickens doing their morning thing which was surprising as we were in supermarket car park in a town. Boson had been awake moaning and scraping since 5.30 it was only when I got up to give him a wee did I realise that the ladder up to Ella’s bed had fallen on him. When I let him out I noticed the gothic looking church next to us and how beautiful it looked in the morning sun.
Prices here are outrageous. We refuelled and ended up in Doullens at a big local market. We all had fun trying to communicate with the locals and purchased
6 sausages €5.90
2 chicken carcasses (for the dogs) €1.00
Cheese €11.20
Bread €1.90
Strawberries €2.50
Cakes €2.00
Total € 22.50 bloody hell its expensive here
Our cheese and bread lunch was delicious. We then walked our so far well behaved dogs around a canal and small park.
We are 100km from euro Disney and we stopped for the night in a lay-by/picnic area. We are not sure if this is allowed but the view is spectacular and the sound of the nearby cow farm is a reminder of home.
Poor Michael has had his hand stuck in the chemical toilet for half an hour trying to fix the seal and true to form he has succeeded. He is like a greyhound after a rabbit when he has a job on and goes on and on till he has completed his mission or needs sleep.
In bed by 8.30 this travelling malarkey is tiring and lack of sleep makes us all irritable.
Friday 13th we woke to a drizzle much like England. We walked the dogs along a country track, where wildlife was somewhere out of our sight or senses but the dogs knew something was close by.
We stopped in an intermarche (supermarket) car park for lunch. I could not believe the extortionate prices except for wine which was €1.65 for a litre.
We drove on to Disney who wanted €13.00 just to park in their car park for the night and as we are not going there till Monday,( hopefully less people after the weekend). We are parked in another supermarket car park for tonight.
I haven’t tried driving yet as it looks chaotic and id rather be the bossy co pilot, not that we need a co pilot as Betty is more than capable of doing the job and getting us to our destinations.
The dogs have been good as gold and had a lovely play in the deserted car park late last night after the store had closed. I never thought id hear myself say this but I cant wait till tomorrow when we go to a camp site so I can have a shower.
We are in the Camping Club Le Parc de Paris
Rue Adele Claret
Montjay-la-Tour
Where we used our ACSI card for the first time and saved €10 on our 2 night stay costing us €30 instead of €40.a lot of bloody money but we needed to plug in and charge things up and fill up with water, shower and do some washing. and get some internet access. Little did we know these things are on top? Another €7.00 to do our washing,€7.00 for internet access but the showers were free and power showers they definitely were.unfortunatley the gas straighter Michael brought for me are completely hopeless so my hair is a complete mess.
Km travelled so far 1810 wow! But when we look at Betty we are only actually 811 km from our home address if we go in a straight line. Hello to everyone back home and lots of love to all our family big hugs Laura I’m not sure if this diary will be so detailed in future as it has taken me ages. Au revoir!!!!
Monday 2 March 2009
busy busy busy
hi everyone
just a quick note to let you all know things are in full throttle.so i am not going to be able to continue until we are on the road as there is still loads to do.tell you all about it later bye for now
just a quick note to let you all know things are in full throttle.so i am not going to be able to continue until we are on the road as there is still loads to do.tell you all about it later bye for now
Monday 23 February 2009
still stressed
It’s all NOT going to plan. Michael is still working very hard on the van. Ceiling still down. Still needs to be run in 500 miles and taken to the garage as there are no reverse lights
Michael has not kept to any of my timescales and to be honest I can’t see us leaving on the 7th march. There is nothing I can do all my work has been kept to schedule. I need to sell the car this weekend as the insurance runs out but I can’t how will I get Ella to school and do the running around. will ring the insurance in a bit perhaps they will give us another week such a control freak and I am totally out of control, how much more can I take? How much more can Michael take? Will we ever get away?
The roof is up, yahoo. Adrian my nephew came around last night to help Michael and it there it’s actually there just got to paper line it and paint it now. I could help with that but Michael is so finicky when he’s working and no one can do the job as well as he can so I just leave him to it.
Michael is still rebelling and insisting that our leave date is the 9th when in fact it’s meant to be the 7th. The van has to go back to the garage this week and it still needs to be run in 500 miles before we load it up. Another job I offered to do but Michael came back with no you can’t as he needs to keep an eye on the temperature and oil etc. what he thinks I can’t see these things I have been driving for 25 years!
Two weeks today till lift off going on Michaels time scale. Dick is looking much better! Roof sorted. Now for the roof rack and the inside. It’s got to go back to the garage on Tuesday evening and also has to be run in. hopefully this weekend. Then it’s just a matter of getting it packed up and we are off. Starting to feel excited now so fingers crossed we are on our way
so sorry if ive been a moaning moaner but its hard for anyone to realise what stress we have been under.its all right for rich people who decide to do this they just buy a new van and off they go.this is camping on a real tight budget and every penny counts.
Michael has not kept to any of my timescales and to be honest I can’t see us leaving on the 7th march. There is nothing I can do all my work has been kept to schedule. I need to sell the car this weekend as the insurance runs out but I can’t how will I get Ella to school and do the running around. will ring the insurance in a bit perhaps they will give us another week such a control freak and I am totally out of control, how much more can I take? How much more can Michael take? Will we ever get away?
The roof is up, yahoo. Adrian my nephew came around last night to help Michael and it there it’s actually there just got to paper line it and paint it now. I could help with that but Michael is so finicky when he’s working and no one can do the job as well as he can so I just leave him to it.
Michael is still rebelling and insisting that our leave date is the 9th when in fact it’s meant to be the 7th. The van has to go back to the garage this week and it still needs to be run in 500 miles before we load it up. Another job I offered to do but Michael came back with no you can’t as he needs to keep an eye on the temperature and oil etc. what he thinks I can’t see these things I have been driving for 25 years!
Two weeks today till lift off going on Michaels time scale. Dick is looking much better! Roof sorted. Now for the roof rack and the inside. It’s got to go back to the garage on Tuesday evening and also has to be run in. hopefully this weekend. Then it’s just a matter of getting it packed up and we are off. Starting to feel excited now so fingers crossed we are on our way
so sorry if ive been a moaning moaner but its hard for anyone to realise what stress we have been under.its all right for rich people who decide to do this they just buy a new van and off they go.this is camping on a real tight budget and every penny counts.
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