Saint-Nazaire, Loire Atlantique

Angela knew it would be raining this morning, so she rose early to prepare Marge for breakfast. Her living space is a little compact. So organisation is key, especially when it comes to cooking inside. Our English neighbours hunkered down in their vans. Perhaps they didn't have far to travel today. The French van owners watched us, walked up and down behind us, and realizing we were watching them, decided to 'bonjour' us. Stare at Marge as much as you like. She's used to it. To be fair Angela stared a little as well. Honestly, don't believe chic is associated with the elderly French. Is a well worn coat, one we would once have called an anorak, joggers with a white stripe down the outside of the leg, and formal black lace up shoes a good look?  Well here, it's definitely a look! Today we drove Marge steadily, which means it takes us a while to arrive at our destination.

A late lunch stop at the Intermarche supermarket in Redon, an ideal place to take refreshment at the cafe bar before picking up a few items from the store. The problem with French supermarkets is they are sometimes they are fascinating, so they become a source of entertainment. Needless to say, by the time we'd lunched, we'd been there quite a while. Keen to be on the Atlantic coast by late afternoon we trundled on. Go Marge, go! The aire at Saint-Nazaire is just above the sea. We stayed here a few years ago in Marge II. Then the vans were allowed in the main, flat car park. Now, an adjacent piece of sloping land is all ours! Whoopee doo. Might be a pain for the larger vans, but our Marge loves a bit of rough, so she's parked in one of the more rugged spots in the aire.

Keen to stretch our legs after the travelling of the last few days we prepared to take a long walk along the beach. Angela using the facilities inside Marge could her John outside conversing with a French lady. Between her French, and his Franglais, she didn't have a clue what they were talking about. As she stepped out of Marge the women began telling Angela something about the monsieur's. Seeing Angela was a little baffled she proceeded to assume a squatting position multiple times whilst repeatedly saying monsieur's. After realizing we were probably a lost cause, she departed with a cheery wave. Angela decided she was either saying, the men squat in the bushes, or to John, don't sqat in the bushes. No fear of that, we have the trusty boxio toilet. Besides us, there are a Dutch couple here, everyone else is French. Say no more!

Villedieu-Les-Poeles-Rouffigny

The noise last night from the port didn't bother us. Having lived in Poole for nearly five years we were used to the sounds of this working port. Up just after the lark, we joined the check in queue for the ferry.

Marge sailed through security without attracting the attention of the staff. Well done Marge, not like you. Today is the official start of Marge's meandering, mesmerizing, marvellous, memorable road trip to Morocco. Did you hear that Marge? And by memorable we mean nice memories! With access to YouTube, the sailing across seemed to pass quickly. We are following a couple who are driving around the world over four years in their TD5 Land Rover Defender. Known on YouTube as the 'Jammy Gits' Mitch and Martha keep us entertained and inspired every week when we catch up on their travels. Normally upon arriving in France we tend to do a supermarket shop, and stop overnight some where not too far from down the coast.

This time though, albeit tired, we were keen to get some miles under our belt so pressed on down the Contentin peninsula to the pretty little medieval town of  Villedieu-Les-Poeles- Rouffigny. Known as the city of copper because of its many talented copper artisans.

Marge secured the last space on the aire.

Our neighbours are thankfully both English, as Angela had forgotten the corkscrew. Asking the English to borrow theirs saved the humiliation of being laughed out of town by the French. Honestly. Who forgets to bring a corkscrew to France! 

Poole, Dorset

Here we are back in Poole.

We left Thame mid morning  to carry out a quick painting job at one of our rentals in Poole. When we arrived the weather was fine, but this afternoon the heavens opened, resulting in a beautiful rainbow arching over the harbour.

 We decided to seek refuge down by the waterfront, where we enjoyed some down time whilst eating delicious food at a pub down at the quay. Tomorrow morning, at eight-thirty we will be on a sailing to France, so for our convenience we are staying overnight at Poole Ferry Terminal, Marge holding her ground amongst the posh motorhomes and caravans.

Our destination is Morocco. Do you hear that Marge? We'd really like you to get us there, and back. We have been home just four days, and in our haste have forgotten to purchase headlight deflectors and the breathalyser kit required for European travel. But that's not a problem, if the adjacent cafe with a small shop is open in the morning we'll buy them there, otherwise we'll have to purchase them on the car ferry. No worries. When we arrived home from Scotland John was surprised how much his courgettes had grown. He planted them from seed with one of our grandsons.

Before leaving for Scotland 

Before leaving this morning

That grandson is now in charge of watering, and we are hoping when we return the plants will be bearing produce. If all goes well we'll be returning home towards the end of July. Do you hear that Marge? We'd like this trip to run smoothly please, no wobbly moments as on your last trip to Europe.

Thame, Oxfordshire

Yesterday had been a difficult day. John was exhausted from the long drive from Oban to Kendal. With a few hundred miles to drive again today we left this morning at nine, stopping at the Lancaster services for a Greggs breakfast. Fortunately the roads were running freely. At the service area on the M6 toll Angela took over the driving. She had not driven the landrover for two years, and was now used to driving our VW camper with an automatic gearbox. After a couple of hiccups, John telling her with urgency to put her foot on the clutch as she nearly took out the barrier at the toll booth. After that all went well. She just needed a little practice. Our drive home today had turned into a mission. Angela had dislodged a large filling whilst eating chicken yesterday evening. Her dentist in High Wycombe had an appointment available just before five this afternoon so we pressed on making the appointment with half an hour to spare. Back at home Margery was unresponsive. Her vehicle battery totally dead. Fortunately we could unlock her manually. So it was Muddy Marge to the rescue with a jump start. And then a run out. She seems fine for now, but we have the battery charge connected just to be sure, and this morning we ordered an AA 13 watt solar battery charger to sit on her dashboard to keep her battery topped up whilst we're away. There's a saying. 'Events happen in life for a reason'. Our Scotland trip curtailed means we now have the opportunity to go on another even bigger adventure! Sorry Margery, you're not coming along with us on this one either. Morocco, requires Muddy Marge! So followers, stay with us. Our trip begins early next week.

Kendal, Lake District

Hang on, you might well ask. Why are you tonight in the Lake District, and last night you were out on the Outer Hebridean island of Vatersay. Well, we think Margery may be a little put out that we've left her at home and gone  away in Muddy Marge. Late yesterday afternoon her vehicle alarm set off for around twenty minutes. Because of the intermittent mobile signal out on the islands, we didn't see the message from our next door neighbour to tell us until around nine in the evening. Long story short, we are in possession of the vehicle keys, a spare set wasn't accessible for Angela's son to take a look. At this moment in time she hasn't thrown another wobbly, but we couldn't risk it happening again. Our neighbours were probably not best pleased. So late last night we managed to book ourselves on the early morning sailing from Barra back to Oban. And early it certainly was.

We were up at four-thirty, away by five-thirty with only the sheep to see us off.

As we drove along the narrow roads we felt sad our Scottish adventure had been curtailed. Last check in for the ferry was five to six, we couldn't be late. So as the sun rose over Castlebay, the vessel slipped its berth and we began the start of what would be a very long day.

Fortunately, despite spending six hours on board the trip across was calm, unlike our journey over. The wind of the last few days had abated, the sky once again postcard blue.

On the approach to Oban we were informed there would be a lifeboat practice, which we watched, glad it wasn't a real evacuation. Marge second vehicle off the ferry at Oban headed south with a purpose. The road wound through the mountains, pine trees carpeted their slopes with a pallet of greens, and then the waters of Loch Lomond, sparkling and dancing in the sunlight. We stopped for lunch at The Green Welly Stop at Tyndrum where we bought hot scotch pies, John's dad would have loved them as they were his favourites. We needed comfort food in abundance.

Our original plan was to stop overnight at the Corner Campsite near to Dumfries, but on reflection John thought it best not to divert and carry on down to the Lake District.

We made sure we stopped regularly, it being many hours since we got up after only a few hours sleep.

Eventually we arrived at Kendal around seven. It was now fourteen hours since we'd set off.

So here we are at Kendal Cricket club, a favourite stopover of ours. A chinese take away purchased we reflected on the last twenty four hours. This is the third time now something has happened whilst we've been away and we've had to return early. Let's hope it will be the last. Hopefully Margery's problem will be just a low battery and can be easily rectified, so we can pack up and set off again in a few days. As inconvenient as this all is, it is what it is. That's life for you!

Vatersay, Outer Hebrides (day 4)

This morning John was out of sorts, so Angela wrapped up and walked out along the beach and around the headland at the end of the beach that faces north. As clouds rolled across the normally stunning turquoise waters turned dark and moody.

The wind a little stronger again today made for difficult walking, but she persisted. The tiny yellow primroses that covered the hills here clung on, shaking in the wind. On the return to Marge she crossed the road and walked back via the beach that is more sheltered. Here the sand on the shore washed clean from the tide, smooth and inviting to walk along. But once again care must be taken for it is very soft. Angela loves this beach, especially the way the wind has sculptured the sand dunes.

Today being Sunday there has been hardly anyone around. The cafe is closed and the cold wind is keeping people away, so for most of the day it's been just us and a lone cyclist who arrived yesterday. His friend is due to arrive on this evenings six o'clock ferry from Oban having missed yesterday's as his train connection in Glasgow was delayed. We have a feeling he will have wished he hadn't missed that sailing yesterday, the wind today will make for a rough crossing. The wind had it's uses though. It pushed the dark clouds up over the mountains towards Castlebay which meant we only experienced a few brief light showers. This afternoon another walk out for Angela up onto one of the other headlands.

This one a little more difficult, requiring a little scrambling. All good practice for our West Highland Way walk. This evening the sun is shining, lighting the small cruise boat that is sheltering in the bay. We don't envy the people on it, riding the waves in today's wind. So tonight we will batten down the hatches. We feel Marge may be rockin' and rolling a little.