Watermelons in Venice

After making it across the French Alps in blizzard conditions we have popped out the other side into a very hot and dry Italy.

The trusty car tootled up the Alpine Cols at a speed that would almost put a”G-Whizz” car to shame. We even had to come down les Alps d’Huez in first gear. Unfortunately the view of Mont Blanc and the whole the Alps, from the top of Col d’Iseran, was obliterated by cloud. At the Col du Petit Sant Bernard we visited a delightful Botanical Alpine garden, although most of it was covered in snow I had lots of fun finding the flowers that were in bloom and Gavin just got cold.

Nearly blowing away at the top of the Col de L'Iseran

The difference once we started to descend into Italy was marked. Suddenly all the snow was gone and my toes began to warm up. Before long we had to stop to change out of our winter thermals. From the Italian Alps it was long way down to the Po valley, passing vineyards, rice fields, maize crops, ancient castles and being passed by crazy drivers.

In Piacenza we met up with friends of Granny Annie, Isabella and Fulvio. They took us to their summer house in the hills south of Magnano feeding us with fruit and Fulvio’s refreshingly sweet sparkling white wine. He is particularly proud that he produces wine that is 15% alcohol rather than the more traditional 12.5%. After showing us their archaeological remains, Fulvio excavated, underneath the house we were taken to lunch at a local Bar. Imagine Gavin’s surprise when after a big plate of pasta with bolognese sauce he was asked what sort of meat he would like for his main course. We surely ate well.

View from the terrasse in Magnano

After a beautiful night camping in the Magnano hills- we even used the solar shower for the first time, it was delicious, we made an early start for Venice.

Venetian canal

What a magnificent city. I do not really think that I should try to describe it. Yes there were hoards of tourist and we did do our usual thing of eating and drinking our way round the city, but there was so much to explore and turn a corner and all the other tourists have disappeared. Also, in my heart of heart I did in truth want to dress up in a stupendous 18th Century gown, don a terribly ornate mask and make my way in a Gondola to a masked ball. I think Gavin thought it was all a bit too hot for such a carry on.

Gavin has just made friends with the Australian owner of the campsite and the All Blacks vs South Africa are playing. So once we have finished watching the All Blacks win we will be off, back to the Alps direction Austria.

36 hours with no rain

Yes we did have 36 hours with no rain but it is raining again in the French Alps. However, it is warmer- so warm that the car has been trying to overheat going up some of the Cols- such as Col du Menee.

La Chapelle Notre Dame du Haut

Our visit to La Chapelle Notre Dame du Haut in Ronchamp, designed by Le Corbusier in the 1950's, was inspired by Gavin's sister's namesake, Claire (from Auckland). The Chapel is quite unlike any church I have visited before and found it to be exceedingly peaceful.

Le Puy en Velay

The Ballon des Vosges I understand affords wonderful views across to the Alps- alas we barely saw the other side of the valley. Yesterday we visited a quirky town in the middle of the Massif Centrale, Le Puy en Velay. The town is surrounded by the remains of 60 extinct volcanoes and has churches and statues on all different high rocky outcrops.

Table for two in Massif Central

Now we head on to L' Alpe d'Huez and Gavin's nemesis (although he did actually conquer it on a mountain bike) the Col du Galibier. Sadly we are too early for the Tour de France this year. From there on to Italy.

Sunshine in Luxembourg

At last the sun has come out from behind the clouds this afternoon! Luxembourg is quite a dramatic city. Time running out on the internet so short and sweet! Heading further south tomorrow.

View from Bock Casemates, Luxembourg

We had a great time in and around Delft with Richard, Caroline, Christine and Francesca at the weekend, going for a cycle ride on Saturday and then to Zeelend on Sunday. In Zeeland there is a profusion of well preserved Dutch towns and villages which were quite impressive.

Raining in Antwerp

We both had a fantastic time on Sunday afternoon, catching up with lots of friends and family before our departure. Last to leave was Ben Griffiths at 10.30pm, showing that the Welsh really can foot it with the best. Unfortunately we didn´t win the pub quiz.

Little Jasper, our nephew and my Godson, was all dressed up in his best safari suit for the day.

As you saw from the text entry, we were clamped in Brixton on Monday! Expensive to release, so will have to shorten our trip by a month.

So far we´ve tootled around Belgium, drinking beer and admiring racing pigeons. Today we are in Antwerp, and yes, it is raining... Tomorrow we head to Delft to see Richard and Caroline, formerly of Queenstown.

No probs so far with the Land Rover, however had to go to the petrol station last night halfway through cooking risotto to get more petrol for the stove!

Leaving Britain

Great day on Sunday. Camel clamped in Brixton on Monday! With Newmans last night. Now in Dover for ferry. Will try and post proper entry soon. Bye bye England!

Radio with Pictures

It feels a bit more like we are on our way now, or nearly anyway. The Land Rover is packed with pretty much everything we are taking, with a place for everything and everything in its place (much to Catkin's horror!). We are now in London with Rob, Ruth and Jasper, looking forward to our afternoon at the pub tomorrow. Hopefully some of our friends turn up to wish us well! Before leaving Catkin's home county of Buckinghamshire, we went to the orchard in Little Horwood, where we celebrated our wedding nearly three years ago, and took a few photos (see above).


We now have our visas for Syria, and all the others we can either get at the border or will get at embassies enroute. Our crate of spare parts is bulging at the seams, even more so after a visit to Frog's Island 4x4 on Thursday afternoon. Recovery gear is stowed in the hardest to get spot - hopefully we don't need to get to it very often. The toolbox is fully kitted out (or at least as fully kitted out as I can currently justify). We have whittled down our personal effects to just one crate and one small bag each (for a year!). The massive first aid kit is stocked to the satisfaction of a District Nurse with a healthy interest in Expedition Medicine. The kitchen and food crates look full already, but we still need to swing past Sainsbury's on Monday to do a proper shop and redeem our Nectar points. The fridge is up and running off it's own dedicated switch on the dashboard, and chills beer perfectly as we drive along, (as well as keeping the milk fresh for the weetbix in the morning). The custom-built water tank behind the rear wheel is full of 40L of fresh cool water ready to drink, thanks to our on-board pump and ceramic filter. We have so much fuel capacity (210L) that we can no longer afford to fill it up in the UK and are waiting until we get to France were we hope it is still a bit cheaper. And best of all we have nice loud airhorns to frighten the locals (although not as cool as the "Dukes of Hazzard" horns we had on the Mongol Rally last year!).

So as you can see, everything is well packed in the back. The Camel itself has benefitted from a change of all lubricants and filters - this was the last job done before departing from Kerswell Green on Wednesday - the official end of preparation, and beginning of the journey I suppose.

So, tomorrow at the pub to see friends and family, Monday to Kent, then across to France on Tuesday.

The final countdown

Only seven days now until we finally depart. It feels that we have been driving around the UK in ever decreasing circles, but I think we are on the final lap now. After a few days in London we are back at Dad and Sue's to add the finishing touches to the car. Such as sorting out the air-conditioning so that it does function in the middle of the Saudi Arabian summer.

I think we are all set up for our "gathering" on Sunday at the Windmill Pub. If we still had our house we would be entertaining all our lovely friends and family there, but seeing as we sold it- I don't think the new owners would be too impressed.

We head out of London on Monday 25th and sail away to Boulogne the follwing day. Once on French soil we are not quite sure whether we will turn left or right or just continue straight ahead. We have spent so much time planning the more complex parts of the journey we seem to have forgotten about Western Europe. I guess we will have to see where our four-wheeled camel takes us.