Last Supper - Friday 4th November - FINAL BLOG

On top of the world [almost] at Fuente De

It had to be done! Ever since spending time with Andrew and Shirley in Morocco, we have been craving a beef burger, and right opposite our Travelodge is a “Burger King.” So, supper tonight was beef burger and chips – delicious – I can see why people become addicted!

Look - no hands!

We’re back home tomorrow after nearly ten weeks away. It’ll be good to get back but it’s been an adventure that we’ll never forget. We’ve seen some great places and met some great people and neither will be forgotten. We’ve had the time of our lives!

Camp Gavin in the Pyrenees

Thank-you for reading this blog – hope it’s been enjoyable – bye for now!

Sunset at Essouaria

THE END

Return of the Goats - Friday 4th November

We bought a copy of the Daily Mail today and couldn’t believe our eyes – there was a photo of nine goats sitting in an Argan tree, and a full page article explaining just why the goats climb the trees [see our blog “Goats in the Argan Trees”]. The photo looks so much like the tree we saw with goats in it that we are wondering if someone in our group who has already returned to Britain has sold their photo to the Daily Mail.

Scanned in from the Daily Mail photo [courtesy of Will] but just as we saw it as we drove past in the van

For those not in the know, the shepherds encourage the goats into the trees to eat the berries[apparently, goats find them irresistible]. Once they have digested the bitter peel and sweet pulp, they leave behind the hard nuts in their droppings. Berber women collect these, remove the kernels and grind them up to produce valuable argan oil. Some of this is used in highly-prized cosmetic cream – but just think where it has come from? [and check your Christmas stocking!]

Picnic in Heather's Flat - Friday 4th November

Walked into Littlehampton, had a coffee then walked round to Heather’s. We decided to head for a nearby cafe on the front where Heather knew she could get a decent prawn sandwich and a glass of chilled dry white wine. Unfortunately, when it came to setting off, Heather felt rather wobbly and didn’t think she could make it downstairs to the taxi. So, we sat her back down again while David and I popped along to Waitrose and bought a selection of prawn sandwiches, prawns in mayo, smoked salmon blinis and some salmon sushi [and some dry white wine] and we had a lovely picnic in her flat.

We returned to the Travelodge, then went back down to Heather’s at teatime with the laptop to show her some of our photos, and to have a cup of tea and cake. 

Heather still looks her usual glamorous self but is definitely a lot frailer. We tried to persuade her to look into having carers in a couple of times a day like Nancy does, and I think perhaps she will. We left clutching three red balloons which Heather had bought in our honour – we left her with the other three and the rest of the lemon cake!

Lunch at Mike and Diana's - Thurs 3rd Nov

Drove up to Calais to get the Channel Tunnel train back to England. Listened to Tape 7 of my French course just before making the crossing – a bit late now, I suppose – although I’ve been surprised at how much basic French I’ve still got after barely using it for forty years!

Drove on to Mike and Diana’s house near Battle in East Sussex where they had prepared the most fantastic roast dinner [they are the couple that we met way back in the Picos de Europa]. They showed us some of their photos {Mike used to be a photographer with the Daily Mirror} including their 50^th Wedding Anniversary album which was beautifully put together with a mixture of old and more recent photos. 

Mike and Diana at Fuente De

After leaving Mike and Diana’s we headed off for our final destination of the day – the Travelodge in Littlehampton. We are staying here so that we can see Heather [an old friend of Dad’s in Spain] tomorrow. It seems rather strange parking a motorhome in a hotel car park but at £19.99 a night for the two of us, it’s a good deal. Apart from that, there are no campsites open near enough for us to be able to walk in to Heather’s.

Last night in France - Wed 2nd Nov

Drove on up through France past Chartres, Rouen and on to a campsite near Abbeville. It is situated in the grounds of an old deserted house with lots of trees and Nissan huts. Three children were busy sweeping up the Autumn leaves when we arrived and they swiftly called “Maman” on the intercom. A couple more Brits arrived as we were having a walk around the place – probably all making their way up to the ferries. It is much cooler now; we’ve been in long trousers for a few days but today, for the first time, trainers have replaced sandals. I don’t like to think how cold it might be up in the north of England.

Cooked ourselves a couple of nice steaks with onions and fried potatoes in the evening – our last night in France and in the van.

The last lap

1st November

We said our goodbyes to Jackie and Richard and set off once more. The adventure is nearly over now and we are back on familiar roads just making our way back up to Calais.

Tonight we are staying at a campsite in Cloyes sur Le Loir. It has grown dark while I have been updating the diary and I think we shall be having a meal and then an early night. David has tried his Sat dish to see if we can pick up a TV signal but we are surrounded by trees and he couldn’t find anything. Looks like we may be watching an episode of the Bill again tonight – it’s been weeks since we watched either TV or a DVD!

We have hardly seen any news but we do know that Gadaffi has been shot,and Jackie gave us an update on "Strictly Come Dancing"!

Richard and Jackie

After saying our farewells to Richard and Cheryl in Duras, David and I set off for St. Foy la Grande, once again reminiscing about our camping trip to Baillou and the invite to Dave Beattie’s 60^th birthday in the nearby villa that once belonged to Sinead O’Connor. We had planned to buy an artisanal “tarte de pommes” in the little baker’s we knew of next to the supermarket in St. Foy to take to Richard and Jackie’s [Richard being my former head at Barkerend] but had forgotten that everything shuts down in France on a Monday! Panic set in but we did manage to find a flower shop on the journey towards Angouleme, and a supermarket that was open.

We had more sat nav problems finding Richard and Jackie’s and found ourselves on some tiny lanes in the middle of the French countryside once again. Very scenic but also very time consuming. However, we found their house eventually and spent a lovely evening there. Jackie had prepared a chicken casserole which was very tasty, and after pineau, pernod, wine, brandy and cheese, we found ourselves still all chatting away at midnight.  We didn’t even stop talking enough to have a tour of the house – that took place the next morning.

The next morning, we had breakfast in our van, then went into Richard and Jackie’s where we all sat round the table in their kitchen once again. Richard showed us a book of recollections from the Polish community he grew up with in Hereford after the war. There were photos of him and his family as well. Times were hard for families who had lost everything they had in Poland and were having to make a fresh start in a foreign country. I noticed that, keeping to the old ways, the community grew a lot of their own food and had a communal cabbage slicer for chopping cabbage before pickling it. All very interesting stuff.

They then showed us around their house. It is very spacious, especially since they have converted the barn at the side and made it into an almost self-contained apartment. It had a beautiful curving wooden staircase leading to the upstairs. Our van [and even our house back at home] is going to feel very small again!