Newhaven

O.K. blog followers, get ready to shake, rattle and roll, Marge is on the road again, this trip, destination Portugal. Life can take you anywhere, if you seize the day.

At three thirty this afternoon, we left our home in Longwick, taking a last look at the garden, which has demanded many hours of our time over the last two weeks, to prepare it for our absence. The falling apples, a reminder that it is now late summer, and that when we return in November, winter will be upon us.

On route to Newhaven, we reminisced on the same date last year, when we sat off in Marge 1, heading for Spain, we knew after that trip, that we would want to return again and again to Europe, to explore and discover. Despite worrying times, we hope travelling there will be fairly easily in the future.

Changes are already happening though, this year, we have had to buy driving permits for France.

This evening we walked out by the water to The Hope Inn. Moored in the shallows, was a huge platform, which will be used to site wind turbines at sea. As we approached it, it seemed that it was sited in the car park.

Nearby, we spotted a young seagull, which was trapped by some fishing line it had swallowed, and now caught on a wooden structure high above the water. It frantically tried to free itself, to no avail. Despite being a nuisance, and known as flying rats, no one wants to see a bird or animal in distress, so John telephoned the R.S.P.C.A.

We then went into the nearby pub for a meal, expecting a man or woman to turn up in a small van with R.S.P.C.A. on the side. Time went by, and the lifeboat came by, surely not! But it passed by not noticing the bird. Suddenly, blue flashing lights bounced around in the dimming light, and low and behold the fire brigade arrived. After taking a look, it was decided a seagull in distress was not worth the risk to their lives. They spent a good hour, watching it struggle to free itself, and then left. Goodness knows what the cost of dispatching the fire brigade was, perhaps we'll find out John, they've got your name and mobile number!

Tomorrow morning, the ferry leaves at nine, so we'll be in France by two o' clock. Our aim is to be over near Nantes by Friday, and head to Northern Spain quite quickly.