Gorges & a telling off...in French.

"I like this place Tanya." I've noticed this several times as we have travelled round and stopped in different places. A feeling, of  OK'ness or comfort in some places whereas in others you get an uncomfortable feeling. If its the latter we usually move on pretty quickly. This place though, I like. Belvianes et-Cavirac is a very small village just 3km south of Quillan. We arrived last night and a large, flat and empty square next to the church invited us to park right at the edge overlooking the pretty red tiled roofs of the village and out across to the steep, green and scrub covered large hills on the opposite side of the valley. It was warm and sunny and as usual there were very few people about and those that were took no notice or greeted you with a cheery "Bonjour".

I do not worry any more whether I'm supposed to be where we are or not and we settled in for the night. This is a leisurely affair with initially a little time spent levelling up Sadie and checking we're not obstructing in any way. I usually have a look around as well to see whether our presence overnight is overly invasive of anyone's privacy. All's well and usually by this time I'm getting pawing on my foot reminding me of a certain little dog's impatience and eagerness to explore this new location. She is very good and never goes running off on her own unless I get distracted and don't take notice of her request for exploring time.

The exploring here at B et C comprised a slow and leisurely amble around the narrow alleyways of this delightful small village perched as it is on the steep valley side. This leisurely stroll has an ulterior motive too. In this case I was not looking for a more suitable local spot to move Sadie too. Often on previous 'settling in' walks a better location is found and Sadie duly moved. What we did find on this walk, and what I regularly look for now, were the local fountains/taps where we could top up with water and the local public toilets, which invariably are clean,  respectable and working. These I have used on several occasions to empty 'the Telford'.

A good night was had. Very peaceful. A civilised rising, breakfast and then off we went for our planned walk up and onto the high part of the steep gorge we would later be driving through. (see photos) Excellent walk although extremely steep and literally on the vertiginous edge of the gorge.

We arrived back at Sadie suitably exhausted to be jovially met with a "Bonjour" from a very rat faced but charming middle aged lady.  I think she was boss lady of the village or whatever. She spoke rapidly in French for some time and I picked up enough words to understand two things. Firstly;I was getting my first, and very good humoured, slap on the wrist for overnighting in the village square. Secondly; I was welcome to stay in the village but would I mind moving to the cemetery where there was a big open area for parking. Well I thought it all rather nice and my mixture of mime, odd French words and beaming smile seemed to be doing the trick and eliciting ratty faced and yellow teethed smiles of agreement.

Tanya then appeared from behind Sadie and worked her charm too with Mrs rat faced yellow toothed official crouching down to speak universally understood doggie language. She of course received the obligitory hand lick from her lady dogship.

We all parted on good terms and it was not long before the tarmac was rolling beneath Sadies wheels and we were on our way down through the very gorge we had walked above earlier.

Boy oh boy and what a trip. I mean, I have done French windy up through the gorges and into the mountains roads before. The D118 from Axat is just that and more. Sadie being a 3.5ton 7ft wide motorhome is definitely not a car. I found it really enjoyable and a lot of fun but it required full concentration, a lot of 3rd gear work and the ability to drive with one or two millimetres only separating edge of wing mirror and rock face.

We finally reached:-

La Creu, 66210 Fontrabiouse, France

This is the Col, or top of the hill and is at a height about 1900mtrs. I was exhausted but we stumbled on a grotto or cave tourist attraction with a nice large car park and stunning views of the snow covered mountains

I quite fancy doing a cave visit and this looks a good one. So with a promise to be there for the 1030 am trip tomorrow they were quite happy to let us overnight in their car park.

All in all a good and busy day made all the more pleasant by a warm shorts and sandal type temperature and clear blue sky. Ahhhhh! Now that's more like it!

Pyreneen foothills & vets.

1 Sous la Serre, 

11240 Routier, France

Well that was last nights location anyway. Lovely little village but the Aire was at the top of the hill with none of it's services working. In particular the facility to deal with 'the Telford!' There was also a hooley blowing which turned into heavy overnight rain. This after some promising warm early morning sunshine near Toulouse where we had wild camped overnight.

Tanya was not quite right either. Nothing major just a bit lethargic and the odd wee cough which is just not Tanya. "OMG!" Goes I and promptly start winding myself up with the worst of scenarios. I'd done the google bit and there was no two ways about it. I had neglected the Front Line treatment which had allowed ticks and fleas to get on board and have a crackin good jumpin and blood suckin party.

"That's it! She's done for. She'll have all those hunreds n hunreds of ticky flea parasite thingeymajigs surfin all her red blood cells now till they decide to take retirement in liverland or kidneyvillage or somewhere where she's gonna be a gonna. OMG! OMG!"

To cut a long story short it was not a good night or morning. Once again I had to resort to 'action' to sort things out. "A plan, that's what I need. A plan!" Now, and I think I've said this before, I'm not to good at planning. This situation though demanded the attention of a non anxious and logically sane mind. OK; so a calming meditation dealt with the anxiety but the 'logical sane' bit? Ha! You gotta be joking. I challenge anyone. Have you ever seen Steve, logic and Sane in the same room together?

A plan however did emerge. I had decided that to relieve anxiety and also to be sensible Tanya did need to be checked out by a Vet. (££££££ - Gulp!) I had also decided we are going to keep going South till we do hit this elusive blob in the sky they call sun.

Now here's the good bit. Once Sadie's wheels were powered up and spittin tarmac, out came the sun! Ok; so I am now poorer with Aprils budget seriously challenged. Vet bills here also have the ability to numb and shock. On the plus side though the sun is still shining and just sinking behind these Pyrenean foothills surrounding the town of Quillan. A lovely warm evening and a quiet spot for the night right on the edge of the town by the rushing river Aude.

The vet was excellent. Another plus. He did all tests and examinations on the spot. He found a slight raising of something or other to do with liverland.  I revert straight back to OMG! and told you so did'nt I as I stood there with Tanya leaning heavily against me on the examination table. 

"Them little jumpin blood suckin b*****s! Well Haaa!" Says I. "Oi'll ave yu cos I've now got vitnary medicine and them injections wot vitnary done is gonna do for you lot good n proper like. See!"

To be fair he did say tick n flea infections are very common in France and it was a good early observation of symptoms on my part. It did of course also allow him to practice his English, dispense loads of medication and charge me a fortune. No matter. Tanya is worth every penny.

And the anxiety relief? Well; when I used to gently challenge my Counselling clients to name a price they would be willing to pay to be free of a particular worry or anxiety. 

A; it made them think and invariably comment they had never thought of in that way before. And 

B; The price they did come up with was of course an awful lot of money.

We stayed in Quillan and this morning did a super walk/climb to Pic de Bitrague which towers above the town. It was not what I had planned for the day but Tanya had a couple of nasty coughing bouts in the night so a shorter walk and staying local to the vet seemed a sensible course of action. As it turned out she was fine so this afternoon we've moved 3km to:-

Impasse de la Fount Vieille, 11500 Belvianes-et-Cavirac, France

We are parked in the deserted village square where we'll overnight and tomorrow do the originally planned 'Belvedere du Diable'. Looks a lovely 8km walk/steep climb!

Oh! And I'm fed up of the pink baler twine keeping my curtains in place. When I saw some yellow ribbon in a shop.....weeeell. I've just got to remember my Navy days now and tie some sexy looking bows!!

Fleas and Buddha

"Bloody hell Tanya I'm just going to have to give the pedal some wellie and hope we make it!" Such was my entrance to Plum Village Buddhist Centre and home to Thich Nhat Han (or 'Thai'). A venerated and well known exiled Vietnamese monk.

There followed a bumpy ride through a very muddy gateway and across a car park - read upwardly sloping soaking wet grassy field - to the highest and hopefully driest point. Good old Sadie. With a bit of side slipping and skidding she made it and this is now where we are perched until tomorrow morning when hopefully the downward slope will help facilitate a not too indelicate exit. The last two days have been wet though. Thoroughly wet. Thankfully this is a wine growing area and the land is light stony soil which although slippery on the top is firm and solid underfoot.

For 3 years I meditated with a Thich Nhat Han 'Interbeing' group in Glasgow. I was looking forward to visiting his community and once again spending a little time meditating with a community as opposed to solitary practice.

As usual Tanya necessitated compromises. This is a full Monastic community. These guys are serious monastics and 'into' community.  They are also very friendly and accommodating within the boundaries of their practice. I knew that dogs were not allowed within the centre. Hence my depositing 'us' in the, 'outside of the community' parking/camping field which is a lovely peaceful west facing location from which we have had 2 wonderful walks and one long and extremely muddy bike excursion. It really is a very picturesque area. Just a pity about the weather!

That is where the fleas come in. The centre and grassy field cum car park are on the top of a hill with a steep bank at the edge at the bottom of which is a large badger set where the vineyard starts to stretch away on down the slope.

To me it looked deserted but it stretched a long way along the bottom of the bank. I have a suspicion Mr Chateaux Vineyard owning Frenchie does not suffer the same, shall we say 'sensitivities', as farmers in the UK when it comes to large communities of night working, 'excavator supreme' black and white furry vermin.

What I do know is that our furry friends homes, which are often used by other furry creatures too, are usually full of little guys called fleas who of course find the regular passing by of furry creatures a superb taxi and mobile home service.

So; as I arrived breathless at the bottom of the bank still calling "Tanya" she was nowhere to be seen. It never occurred to me that my sweet little well groomed and cuddly Tanya would dive in to a Badger set tunnel after some unmentionable smell or furry being.

I soon figured out that is just what she had done and I had started to resign myself to the inevitable. I figured if Mr Badger plus his mates were down there Tanya was in big trouble. Then; all of a sudden, up she pops all a shaking and flapping her ears. I dived and grabbed her back leg as she attempted a second dissapearing act off down another tunnel. She was not happy at that and it took several minutes of dragging her away from the set before the madness started to leave her.

Then I actually saw what a state she was in.  Filthy, to put it mildly, jumping with fleas and with 2 more ticks in her ears! I tell you. That has been a wee challenge to deal with in a motorhome. Also a lesson learned and acknowledgement of the fact a Schnauzer, underneath the black fur and fancy beard is really a Terrier at heart and loves nothing better than an underground rat, cat, or fox chase and to boot if there is something down there that's been dead for about 6 weeks, they'll eat it!! I know, it came back up later. Luckily outside of Sadie.

Settling down to evening communal meditation and chanting after such a day, was also challenging. But good. Today, although wet, has been much better. We've managed 2 long walks, last of the fleas got their marching orders this morning (I think!) and this evenings meditation practice was 'the business!.

Next day.

That's it! We're on the road again and heading SSE to warmer climes. We were up early this morning in order to join the convoy to 'New Hamlet' where Thai, just back from his tour of the UK and Ireland, was giving a meditation/teaching. The journey was about 25km and New Hamlet is a female community.

Mmmmm. It was good. In fact it was very special receiving a teaching amid this large community, from someone who has had a big influence on both my practice and my journey. I need, in one form or another,  to regularly touch base spiritually. Throughout my years of counselling I found the same applies for most human beings. The way spirituality appears though is different for each individual. It knows no boundaries and never ceases to amaze me with it's infinite creativity.

The teaching/meditation was a good two hours and by the time I returned to Sadie the barking reminded me little dogs have spiritual needs too. And I'm her God/Guru/Guy who feeds me!!
Soooo; a quick walk and a sad exit from Plum Village Buddhist community. I have a feeling I will be back.

I'm not particularly a community type guy and I enjoy my solitary travel, adventures and meditation. It's just good to touch base with the Sangha (Community) every now and again.

It is also good to touch base with blue skies and warm sun. So Med coast here we come.

A wheelchair toting Motorhome

Thénac, France

David is the 75yr old husband of Ann, a paraplegic of 41 years. The original trauma was car related where they both got run over with Ann left close to death.  David is also a Morris dancer of many years

 "We both loved dancing and when I couldn't dance with my wife any more, well I didn't want to dance with other women, so I decided I would dance with men."

They both come from Jersey and as you can see from the photos have a motorhome adapted for wheelchair use.

Now my intention this morning was to get going quickly and early. (ha ha! some hope Stevey boy seeing as you have developed this strange habit of still being in bed at  well past back of eight o clock) 

I was moving on from 'Les Deux Vallees' campsite. However; meeting a couple such as Ann and David quickly pushes aside any 'plan for the day' and I am soon, and willingly, engaged in 'the fascinating experience' of someone else's life.

"Look how this works" says David as he demonstrates the rear mounted wheelchair lift which neatly folds and with a gentle electric motor whine disappears to its stowage underneath the Motorhome. Ann meanwhile is able to move to the front of the Motorhome where she transfers to the swivelling front passenger seat. 

She then, as she puts it, "Am settled and can order David to do everything else."

They travel from one wheel chair friendly site to another. Ann's rating for 'Les Deux Vallees? "Adequate but cold!" Well; it was rotten weather this morning and cold for all of us so called 'campers".

They were also proud grandparents (They had 2 young children at the time of the accident) and played me the cd of their grandson who, and I wholeheartedly agree after listening and being spellbound, was a remarkably gifted young chorister.

I've always said this journey is more about having, or collecting if you like, experiences. Well. You don't get better experiences than meeting and listening, for however long it takes, people such as David and Ann and the many others I have described throughout these blog entries.

This morning though that was not the end of the story. Take your mind back a little. Remember when I was in Brittany and people were arriving to gather the shellfish etc because it was a particularly high tide. At the time I did mange to gather and eat a couple of oysters for myself but wished I knew more about it so I could join in the fun too. I'd promised myself to look out a book on it when I got back to the UK. I'd seen a French one but couldna make head nor tail of it being written in the foreign n all that.

So; what a surprise to learn this activity is called 'Low Water Fishing' and the David I was talking too happened to be David Le Maistre author of 'Low Water Fishing, an islanders pursuit'.

He had been persuaded by his best friend, who incidentally did all the wonderful pencil illustrations in the book, to write down his vast knowledge and humorous anecdotes of this pursuit learned over a lifetime around the shores of Jersey. The book is exactly what an old, mad, landlubber, agricultural muckspreader selling peasant like me needs. Especially if his madness should require him to supplement his diet with winkles and cockles and slippery worms from the sand. Some of which can bite you it is reported! 

I tell you; synchronicity, coincidences, universal communication, God, call it whatever you like. They are coming at me thick and fast. I want a particular and quite obscure book one day. A few weeks later one particular and quite obscure book (one published run of 1000) is presented to me at a caravan site in the Dordogne valley by the author himself. Not bad eh! He was not slow mind you but I willingly paid him the £6.95 recommended price for the one spare copy he had.

And the days plan? Yes that worked too. My arrival though, at 'Plum Village' was a little later than planned. More on that later.

Hanging about.

Le Pradal, 24250 

Domme, France

I mean it is a very nice area to be hanging about in and over the last few days we have visited and enjoyed some quintessential picture postcard Dordogne villages. A popular area with the Brits too with English speaking people popping up everywhere. I've enjoyed lots of conversations and; "Oh! You must go to ...... etc, etc."

The weather is iffy though and I have made the decision to go south again toward Perpignon where the forecast for the next few weeks shows more promise. So I'm sort of itching to get on.

Hanging about is what I have got to do though for a few days yet. My credit card expires in May and they would not allow me to extend the 'end by date' before I left the UK. The new card duly landed on the doorstep at Chris and Michelles in East Kilbride (Son in Law) some days ago. It has now been sent on by Chris to the campsite I was recently at. Chris was informed it should take about 3 days. We are now on day 5 and it has not arrived. I am not particularly worried as I translated 3 days as meaning about 7. So another couple of days to go yet before I touch those; 'Uh ho! What's happenin here,' feelings.

We are not too far from the campsite tonight. I'm wild parked on the edge of Domme. I'm on a tiny flat bit of land where locals have been dumping rubble (not black plastic bag rubbish, you just do not see that here in rural France.) And there is a big notice plonked there by the Mayor threatening hell and dammnation to anyone caught dumping. Not sure whether one large white Rapido motorhome counts as rubbish or not. No one seems in the least bit concerned though.

The rain is lashing down and I just hope it goes off tomorrow morning and allows us to walk into and explore the Bastide town of Domme which is a 10 minute walk away.

..........

We did. Did manage our walk all round Domme. Well worth it too. We also got back to Sadie just before the rains really set in. No matter. For I am now on the campsite warm and snugly with new credit card all done and dusted.

Gonna be moving on again tomorrow. Not immediately South. I have one more visit to make before I head for sunnier climes.

Cold feet & coicidences

Well I was never so glad as to be able to pull a pair of thick socks on and feel my feet thawing and slowly coming back to life.

This was our second day at Rocamadour  (the place grows on you.) The sun was shining and Tanya and I were off up the deep gorge to see how far we could get. Bike was unloaded and we set off with me in shorts and sandals in warmish morning sunshine. A fun time was had too. The good track soon petered out into footpath and then after the second set of old milll ruins into narrow and not very 'push a bike' friendly footpath at all. By this time shorts and all terrain sandals had really proved themselves crossing, (meaning wading plus carrying/pushing said bike) the swiftly flowing babbling brook type stream several times. The bike was finally abandoned and we gave ourselves fifteen minutes to walk on before turning back. We managed to reach the third and by far the largest of the old, ruined and abandoned mills.

The weather was by now changing. My feet, now in wet all terrain sandals and with prospect of further stream crossings ahead, were starting to feel 'not warm!'

Several times we crossed paths with a young Australian couple on one of these trecking holidays where your baggage is transported for you from hotel to hotel. The girl was Thai and did not want to get her new shiny boots wet. Crossing the stream was a problem. I helped her negotiate one crossing by wading in while holding her hand as she gingerly negotiated some rather widely spaced and slippery stepping stones. Great fun (she was very pretty!!)

They went on ahead as we reached where I had left the bike. I put my caggle on (thin waterproof) which helped as the weather was now distinctly cool and occasionally raining. The luxury of the steep but dry diversions were not available to me with bike so I had to push on and ford the stream several more times. Feet were now not part of this world. They definitely did not belong to me. I mean I've never had a set of feet that are so peely-wally white that the only respectable place for them is sticking out the end of a sheet in a morgue!

The final insult to them was wind chill. My exit route placed me at the top of Rocamadour with Sadie being at the bottom. Tanya and I both enjoyed that exhilarating ride down the twists and turns of the cliff hugging descent.

My feet?

Hmmmm! They gave, on the way down, some sort of sensation which, if translated into words, painted me in a very bad light and warned me that being footloose and fancy free was just about to take on a very different significance.

My poor old feet did finally respond to more suitable attire and were then placed in smart shoes which along with jeans and clean jumper rendered me a handsome boy indeed. I was now ready for a good dinner plus wine in a lovely little restaurant in Rocamadour. I had previously lunched there and Tanya was allowed inside.

On the way down I knocked on another restaurant window and pleasant waves were exchanged with the Australian couple I had met earlier. I did'nt go in as I figured their romantic evening would not necessarily be enhanced by the invasion of a sixty four year old male last seen with a small dog, looking like a wild man and who had weirdly coloured feet and insisted on carrying a bike across streams deep in a forested French ravine.

As I walked on I mused to myself on the fact this was the second meeting with a pretty Thai female. The day before I had been stumped by not having a two euro coin for the turnstile onto Chateaux du Rocamadour's impressive and vertigineous ramparts. A young couple behind me were not able to change a note for me but the charming and very pretty Thai girlfriend very kindly paid the two euros for me.
How do I know she was from Thailand you ask? Well we managed a limited conversation as we admired the stunning views from the ramparts.

I arrived at the restaurant. Excellent meal was consumed along with a small carafe of wine. I left the restaurant very pleasantly inebriated with two fellow diners Rick and Teresa. They were from South Derbyshire but Rick had lived and worked in Toulouse for ten years. Teresa was, and wait for it, Thai. Yes. My third encounter with Thailand in just two days. More musing upon 'meaning of coincidence' for later methinks! Teresa had a Thai mother, was born in the UK but had been raised in Thailand. They'd been married for twenty nine years and were on a weeks holiday to the area.

They were also convivially inebriated and a pleasant walk up the hill to their hotel was enjoyed. Much of it backwards as we viewed the illuminated Chateaux. Farewells were then exchanged and Tanya and I staggered on to Sadie, conveniently parked at the Chateaux, and a welcome comfy bed.

These things pay you back don't they! No headache but a bit tired and irritable on waking. Not the day to realise you only have one half full gas bottle. Plan A. Drive to nearest LPG outlet only to find they've run out. Plan B did work but a frustrating day comprising a big unnecessary circular main road route of eighty five km. Tanya's dis-approval of the whole charade was vomited up by the door half way round!

Hmmmm! Maybe stay clear of the wine for a bit me thinks.

Bad day for Tanya & Rocamadour.

Rocamadour, France

I'd seen and marvelled at them soaring overhead along the ridge. According to Andy, My recent folk singing retired teacher friend, a couple of days ago, they were most likely to be Eagle Owls. He had also said there had been reports of them sometimes taking small dogs. "Yeah, yeah!" Thinks me. "I can just see that. Maybe one on a bit of the good stuff and who is a bit wobbly on the wing and can't tell a rabbit from a Miniature Shnauzer but hey, come on!"

So. When the sudden and unexpected  WHOOSH! Came, I instinctively and instantly jerked downwards uttering a sharp cry which thankfully Tanya must have heard as; "stop now, RIGHT NOW, cos there's a hulking great airborne maniac that thinks you're today's main course and he's just about on top of you!"

She was only about two or three metres in front of me but she too was surprised. Again more by the silent whooshing noise I think. So much so that she jumped up, whirled round a couple of times and gave a couple of vigorous barks which for Tanya is most unusual.

Now whether she was on the menu. Whether my shouting had slightly changed the odds and delinquent brown and very large bird had diverted at the last minute I do not know. Whether Tanya was actually 'liftable' by such a bird? again I will never know. It could just have been the case of two rather large and delinquent brown birds high aloft and one saying to the other. "watch this. I'm going to scare the shit out of those two below. That should git them off of our patch and let the rabbits come back out!"

Well it worked. We had wild parked Sadie right by the riverside, in the rain. Clouds had cleared and we had set off for a walk up a track into the woods. The track was steep and worked up through the forest. I had seen the pair of soaring and majestic Eagle owls (?) through the forest canopy. The close encounter came as we emerged onto an open meadow at the top of the hill.

I tell you. Our walk continued but we remained in the forest after that! One of the birds continued for a time to soar directly overhead, watching us and no doubt calling to his partner. "hey, hey Eddie. I got em. Buggers won't mess up our patch again!"

Unfortunately Tanya had another nasty scare later in the evening. Only about three hundred metres away from Sadie. A very quiet back road and we were just having a brief stroll before shutting up shop for the night.

"what the hell.....!!" Two vicious collies had suddenly come hurtling out of a driveway, bowled Tanya over and were just skidding sharply round, lips back and fangs showing, to have another go. Tanya, bless her, and before I could get to her, was back on her feet and defending herself. I  waded in and sharply booted the one slightly less agggressive collie out the way. I then hoiked Tanya out of it by the scruff of her neck and raised elbow to fend off bigger and more determined collie.

Thankfully the commotion had brought a female running from the nearby house whose shouting immediately turned large aggressive collie into slinking away, tail between legs, doggie who nevertheless was giving backward glances from an evil eye which was no doubt saying. "I'll get y next time runt!"

The only thing to do on such occasions, especially when you don't speak the language, is to shout a;  "Est OK, est OK," beat a hasty retreat while keeping a sickly but rigid smile in place, and keep waving bye bye while bringing under control adrenalin fuelled thoughts that in effect.... want to kill the bitch! (Owner of Collie, not Collie. Not a skooby whethet Collie was bitch or dog!)

Tanya was shaky for a while but careful examination confirmed no damage and within half an hour all was a distant and forgotten memory. She was snoring away on my lap after a couple of her special chews.

Today has been more peaceful. A very pleasant day in fact, spent at Rocamadour. Look it up on the web. A lovely meal in one of the many restaurants where Tanya was allowed inside. Again wettish and dull outside. And twice I came out of visiting the sanctuary chapels to find her the centre of attention where I left her secured to the railings. One with a family with two children and the second time with a group of Japanese tourists.

We are wildcamped nearby tonight. Rocamadour is, and I have to agree with all of you who have told me, a spectacular visual experience with it's Chateaux perched on the cliff top. We are going back for more tomorrow.

Oh!  And the only danger we faced all day was the temptation to buy from all the tat shops up and down the narrow alley ways. Yup! A much better day.

Folk singers & moving on.

The song 'In the early morning rain' has always been my favourite folk song. The original was written and sung by Gordon Lightfoot. My all time favourite version was by Peter Paul and Mary way back in the sixties.

Well it gets to be a perfect ending to a very good day when you find yourself sitting in the warm evening sunshine, glass of wine in hand, and listening to Andy Slater's liquid smooth voice singing that very song while beautifully accompanying himself on the guitar. 'Carrick Fergus'. Will ye go lassie go' of Joan Baez fame, plus many others were on the menu of this retired Hebden Bridge teacher who, I now know, is an excellent and well known folk musician. 

Andy and his wife Jane have made the stay at 'Les deux Vallees' campsite, Vezac, over Easter, which included my birthday, a time not to be forgotten. (A thanks here also for all the e mails, texts, & e cards I received. They meant a lot to me.) Evenings were spent together with convivial glasses of vino with Andy not only giving us some beautiful folk music but also regaling us with stories of his folk gigs and friends; his wonderful home and concert venue and of course his family. Also many stories of  his long career as a primary school headmaster. What a head that man has. Full to the brim of folk songs, stories and enough facts and educational ability to rival the mighty Google himself. Fascinating and lovely couple. Hebden Bridge is now another destination on my 'to visit' list.

Today though was moving on time so tonight we are once again wild camping by the river. It is quite difficult to move after a few days in one place. Feelings of familiarity, comfort and safety flood in suprisingly quickly. They start to build 'attachment'. Add in good company and an iffy weather outlook then leaving becomes emotionally taxing.

Not for long though. A few miles of Sadie's wheels rolling. A getting back into the 'us' of the three of 'us' together on the road with new adventures ahead and any emotional tugging is soon left behind.

Put it this way. I'm quite happy seated here, as I am now, comfy, warm and writing this while another mighty shower beats the hell out of Sadie's roof.

And Tanya? I hear you ask.  Awwww go on.... Yu did really didn't yu! Well she is snoring away on her bed on the swivelled round drivers seat after a good tea. She loves a pudding too. Cornflakes and some yoghurt. Not exactly a dogs diet but my goodness it does produce some lovely firm and healthy looking dog crap!! Bet you're glad you asked now eh!

Birthday Boy

"There's all my big birthday plans out the window then eh Tan!"

My big birthday plan was to be on a nice campsite, relaxed and enjoying the sun with a nice glass of Rose wine before a good evening meal.

Hmmmmm! Best laid plans an all that! Although to be fair I am on a nice campsite with a beautiful view of the magnificent Beynac Chateaux right there in front of me. 

It's just that there is no sunshine. In fact after last nights heavy thunder and gales I am amazed Sadie, awning, and us are still here this morning. I also have a headache, Tanya's been sick, I can't dry my washing, the so say 'wi fi' access on this campsite does'nt seem to work and the weather forecast says the bad weather is here for the next few days. 

Enough to make a guy feel quite low don't you think? Especially when it happens to be your sixty fourth birthday. Well that is exactly where I was headed this morning. Down and low. We got up to a dull grey drizzly morning. Tanya was sick and me finding two more ticks on her did not help. (I have tick removing kit so no problem just not nice. Although I love dropping the little sods in the gas burner and roasting them.)

A couple of words here about this journey. It is about fun and adventure but not completely. For the majority of my life I have been in relationships with partners/wives, family etc and sometimes wishing fervently to be as I am now. Free to do as I please. Those relationships, my family, children, grandchildren etc were/are vital in adding value, experience and enabling the best years of my life which were with Kate. All in all a pretty full and rich life. 

Circumstances are such that now I finally have time, health and wealth to get to know me. The ultimate relationship if you like. Oh! And it's great when the sun is shining and all is going according to plan. It is though surprising at how little it takes to pull that rug of secure'ness, or OK'ness, out from under your feet. Especially when for most of your life that 'insecure'ness' has enjoyed the supporting buttress of a good partner/wife.

So. How do you deal with a 'shitty' start to your sixty fourth birthday? Well firstly I remind myself that good or bad, like or dislike, up or down. All are just thoughts in my head. They come and they go and all involve the same two neurons (all I have left now!) rattling around the same old, and rapidly diminishing. neuronal pathways. I have choice as to which way I want to go. Whether it be up or down, like or dislike or, most importantly, action or inaction.

So; and secondly, I chose action. That's why I am now seated back in Sadie after having walked up to the Chateaux in the drizzly rain, paid the entrance fee cos Tanya was allowed in, and had a great time exploring this medieval and picture postcard Chateaux cum castle. It was the location for much of the filming of Joan of Arc and much of the re re-creation of medieval genuineness, or twenty first century ideas of medieval genuineness, has been left in place.

There is a certain strange type of humour comes as you stand in a fourteenth century barons bed chamber and note the outlet of the rudimentary toilet podium really did allow him to shit directly on his subjects way below at the bottom of the cliff. 

All in all a good outing and choice. I am back on track now and about to visit Andy, a regular at this site who is from Hebden Bridge. He is a folk musician cum guitar player and I am to borrow the cd of Jens Kommick, a german guitar player who sounded amazing as we listened to his cd yesterday while the sun was still shining.

A wee postscript.

It is now several hours later and after a wonderful time spent with Andy and Jane over a bottle of bubbly. Funny isn't it. How the sunshine I wished for my birthday did actually arrive. S'just that it didn't come from the blue sky above but directly from the hearts of fellow campers. Guess the right choice was made eh

More friends and to the Dordogne.

"you alright mate? Not broken down or anything are you?" Startled I looked up from my task of adjusting the sat nav. I was so engrossed I had not noticed Gary stop his van on the road and walk across to where we had neatly reversed into a conveniant track among the trees.

We were stopped for breakfast after having woken up to another cold and wet morning at Lac Vasiviere. It had been a disturbed night with wild and 'let's not go there,' thoughts and dreams. That's what you get for eating too much French hill billy concocted cheese. Who the hell needs mind inducing drugs when you've got legally produced stuff like that. I'd love to know what they put in it. Oh no! Wait a minute. That was cheese from the farm of pig butchery fame wasn't it Maybe best NOT to ask what went in the cheese!

Anyway. An instant decision was made. "Let's get the hell outa here Tanya." For as well as a cheese drug induced night of wild mind mischief. ( some of it quite unsavoury may I add and certainly not belonging in this blog!) I also had a warning light flash on in the night indicating the main vehicle battery was low. This was not suprising after having the airblown central heating on for most of the day before. I did not want to risk not being able to start Sadie as we were at the end of a downhill narrow track with the lake just in front of us. Ten metres down a gently sloping forest track into a lake was, I figured, not the best place to attempt to jump start a three and a half ton motorhome that, as far as I know, does not have amphibious capabilities.

So; it was out of sweaty pit, into yesterdays clothes, stow everything away, climb into drivers seat, cross fingers, touch wood for a moment and turn ignition key.

Phew! What a relief. Sadie fired into life no problem at all. All I had to do now was to reverse about four hundred metres to the nearest safe turning space. With big mirrors and a slow and steady reverse gear Sadie once again made easy work of it. She really is a delight to drive be it backwards or forwards.

Three quarters of an hour later and into this handy forest track on the side of the D69 for a quick shower, some breakfast and a plan of what and where to go now.

Gary, it turned out, was from Manchester and a few years ago he, Emma and their two children had swopped their suburban estate living life and work for a remote old farmhouse plus a small area of land in Remplant, Haute Vienne, France. Now when I say remote I mean 'remote like nowhere, like it's even outside of Remplant, like which is small small really small! I know this because Tanya and I having no firm plan in mind jumped at the chance to follow Gary back to his home to meet Emma and the children.

"It's only just down the road, follow me". Says Gary. So I do and in my haste do the usual of not checking everything is firmly stowed away and shut. "sh*t" I shout as the first deluge of items come spilling out of the food cupboard above the sink. Never mind thinks me, it's only just down the road. Gary disapears round the next bend and I follow only to discover that such a bend is fine for a little white Renault van but requires brute force and taking on alarming angles of repose for a well laden motorhome. Especially one where cupboards were by now enacting a scene out of a Harry Potter movie by flying open and shut while flinging goods all over the van.

Whoa, whoa, whoa! Sadie was brought to a halt and cupboards and goods were quickly sorted out. We set off again meeting Gary a little further on reversing to see where we had got to.

We did then very quickly arrive at Gary and Emmas old and 'in progress' remote rural home. I admired this yoing couple and their children for making such a leap of faith from the safety of a secure job and suburban living in England to this huge task of making a new home and life in the deepest depths of rural France. Gary was a worker and had secured a job with the local commune (council) but he outlined to me some of the many and considerable difficulties they faced in establishing themselves here in France.

Emma meanwhile was delighted her husband had brought home this English speaking waif and stray. She also chatted away as Gary busied himself with preparing a quick lunch of beefburger and salad (like beefburger and salad UK style with tomato sauce! Ohhhh heaven!) They were both OK with French as a language with Gary being the more fluent. He had chance to show me round and outline the formiddable 'to do list' before he had to return to work after his one and a half hour lunch break. I left as Emma returned to busying herself preparing for Leightons eigth birthday party later in the afternoon. Morgan his eleven year old sister, is top of her class at school, I was informed as I said goodbye.

As we set off I had a firm plan in mind. I reckon it is too early yet to be heading into the mountains. Hang it all I'm down here for the warmer weather. So Sadie was pointed in a southerly direction and Dordogne area here we come.

It is actually a couple days later now and the plan was a good one. It is warmer but with thundery rain. It is the Dordogne cos the area is heaving with motorhomes and tourists and I notice prices have risen somewhat. The plus side is it's a beautiful area and full of twee 'done up' villages, houses and quaint cottages. Many of them all shuttered up still and awaiting their owners to turn up in the holiday season.

Vesac.

On a campsite for Easter & 'other' things. Might even treat myself to a wee glass of vino tomorrow.
Photo is 'Chateax Beynac' out of Sadies front windscreen.

Oh! And Tanya happy on her daybed during this warm & thundery afternoon

Happy Easter all.

Nakedness!! Mon April1. It would be would'nt it.

"Well who would have believed it eh Tanya?" I'm seated and looking out at a dreek (Scottish for cold wet and windy.) Lac Vasiviere.

Yesterday it was simply gorgeous. A cool breeze which died later in the day but clear blue sky and wall to wall sunshine. We had arrived early enough to find this little track which came to stop right where we are on the lakeside. It will, I may add involve a quarter mile  reverse out as there aint no turning space for something as large as Sadie!

Settling in was soon accomplished and off we went for a delightful walk through the woods. We followed the shore line and stopped at some of the numerous tiny lakeside beaches. Again I was reminded of Scottish lochs and resevoirs and how delightful they are, in sunshine! At this time of year  there are also no 'no-see-um' type insecty things either. (here referring to the notorious Scottish Midge)

We returned to Sadie and out came the blow up canoe for it's first trial run on water. All in all a successful trial with Tanya quite happy to sit between my legs as I paddled away. We made it across to an island just opposite which was OK, but I have to say:  blow up canoe is more toward the kiddies fun end of the scale rather than any serious kayaking ideas.

Back on shore, warm sun, not a soul about as had been the case since our arrival, it's strip off wetsuit which was all I had on, and relax ,nee doze, in new lounger chair stark naked for five minutes.

Yup! You've guessed. I came out of my dozing to the sound of an elderly couple just getting back in their car struggling in the small space to turn it around and driving off again. I did wave to them but I should imagine the encounter has not done a great deal to improve French/UK relationships.

Today is very different with Lac Vasiviere definitely reminding me of Scotland. Waves whitecapping. Rain on and off all day, quite cool and dull. No gorgeous sunset to watch tonight. Oh! And not another sighting of a human being since the traumatised couple wobbled away unsteadily in their little Renault!

And no 3g phone signal either!

Ho hum eh!

The dog!!

The Dog

 

Honest! If anybody had seen us they would most certainly have sent for the men in little white vans that carry straight jackets.

Tanya was looking at me with head cocked to one side as I rolled about in the lush grass by a cattle water trough where I had lifted her up for a drink. The cause of the laughter was standing trembling with tail between it's legs about twenty feet away.

 
We were on our way to 'Lac Vasiviere', routed as usual through the wee back roads winding up and down through the hills and hamlets of this delightful 'Haute Vienne' area. I had seen a sign saying 'Barrage' (dam) where we parked Sadie and proceeded with lunch. We decided to do a walk as Google maps showed, as usual, plenty of tracks along and through the forest surrounding this long narrow EDF (Electric Dept France) reservoir.

 
Now, as seems to be normal in these rural and non tourist areas, there was not a soul about. A large, very friendly and lively dog however; seemed very pleased to see us and immediately adopted us. My walking poles soon had to be placed in an X across the door to prevent said very friendly and really quite well mannered dog from entering Sadie. One unexpected bound in and subsequent leap onto the bed, much to Tanya's surprise, was enough dog mayhem for one day thank you. Said dog was well groomed and belonged to the house just above where we were parked. I found this out when I knocked on the door to check if it was OK to park where I was. There was no reply so I presumed nobody in. But friendly dog appeared from round back with favourite toy!

Lunch over and off up to the dam and over the hill for our walk. Friendly dog decided this was great and bounded along with us. By this time Tanya had resigned herself to the fact of large boundy dog being an item for this walk. There was quite a climb and we were now crossing some grassy upland meadows toward a track into the woods. Cattle were around with their grazing controlled by electric fences. 

Now electric fences are no trouble for me. I can get over them. Electric fences are no problem for Tanya. She just goes under them. A slightly different situation arises for a large boundy dog. Especially one who at every bog or wet patch soaks herself thoroughly.

That was why I was rolling about in the grass clutching at belly laughter. Large boundy and wet dog had just done a leap twenty foot in the air with accompanying yelps after rubbing wet doggy hair quite firmly against the electric fence. Which, was mains powered so packed quite a punch. Large boundy dog was now standing, shitting itself, shaking uncontrollably, tail being shat upon as it was firmly between legs, and whimpering something along the lines of. "Good God, what the f**ck was that and is it going to hit me again!"

Eventually I got over my laughter and our walk resumed. Large boundy dog, after about five minutes, gave a classic demonstration of dogs ability to 'be in the moment'. She once again bounded after us oblivious to recent trauma and probably none the wiser about electric fences.

We completed our walk with no further incident. Tanya, exhausted clambered onto her bed and went straight to sleep. Large, wet, mucky and smelly boundy dog must also have been tired as it disappeared towards it's home and was not seen again. I decided to move on, as opposed to my original plan of stay there the night. I was just a bit nervous that householder was now in the house and at this very moment puzzling over how a smart looking dog earlier in the day had transformed into a downright filthy and smelly dog who had developed an aversion to people unwarily patting him on his back.

 
We quietly moved on before dirty dog and motorhome were connected. A few miles further on we found a delightful westerly facing spot on the edge of a wood where we watched the sun go down until the very last rays of deep dark rouge sank into darkness.

Lakeside.

Royère-de-Vassivière, 

France

Finally made it. Such a beautiful area I just kept stopping and going for walks. In many ways it reminds me of Scotland with two differences. It is populated. No savage and brutal land clearances in favour of sheep happened here. And it is sunny! Wild camped on edge of lake tonight but will look for campsite for a few days to do washing etc. But no hurry.

Love to all.