Chi's Travel Log - Bouchemaine, France 13-04-2009

Portraits of some people I met on tour

adventure@chi11.co.uk

Week20

090413 Mon. m&a 7:30 quick coffee and off on our way to Angers at 7:45 stopped about 9 for breakfast then trucked on the roads were lovely today plenty of room good surface and very quiet so got to my destination at about 11am parked up in a riverside position, beautiful location, had a walk to the village and bought some bread for a bacon buttie. Decided to get the push bike out, took some doing but got it out without moving the moto, had a chat with Ashley and English guy with a Burstner 747 Argos then went down river for a nosy, came back for a snack then went venturing up river to Angers, all in all a fab day sun way shining most of it had my t shirt & shorts on and ended up covering about 40km of riverside great scenery and nice ride. Got settled back about 6pm so made dinner and had it by the riverside with too many glasses of wine soaking up the last rays of sunshine. Now writing a few notes before falling into bed and into a blissful sleep, and its only 9pm so good night!

090414 Tue - Bouchemaine, Pays de Loire - m&a 8 had a coffee and got rolling arrived at the aire near laval about 9:30 it was very quiet and secluded there was only me their so I made breakfast and decided to move onto Mayenne by the river, got their about 11 parked the van and went for walk about round the town, it was very nice, lots of little shops and restaurants, with people eating out in the sunshine, I noticed a few other campers parked in various places along side the river. After my walk about I used the aire facilities then decided to park up at McDonalds to use their Wifi, parked in the car park but with no joy, it's a bit difficult with the size of the van, on the way into Mayenne I noticed a full in on the other side of the road when I passed McDonalds so I headed for that and parked up, not sure about the legality of my parking so only stayed long enough to upload the web site pics for week17 & 18. Returned to the riverside and parked up for the night, had a coffee and decided to explore the other side of the river, it was quite a nice afternoon. Settled down now to do a bit on the computer and send some emails out along with some pics I hope. Well web site updated again but requires uploading, also sent my emails had dinner chilled a bit now ready to retire so good night Bells just chiming 10pm.

090415 Wed - Mayenne, Pays de Loire - m&a 6:30 coffee and off for 7 roads were lovely and quiet with a morning mist hovering over the landscape, made good time and arrived at my supposed destination at the waterside, however nowhere did i see the name of Malleraye but other names I couldn't find on the map, so I parked up and had breakfast. At this point I decided to go on to the next destination, so I input the co-ordinates and it showed the destination out at sea which i thought may be as the aire is on a pier. So off I went and it was taking me along the coast road where I was continually trying to id any of the villages, after about 30mins I realised that I was about 150km away from my initial destination. This seems very strange and I thought maybe the book had the wrong co-ordinates specified, added to that the next destination would not re route me so I parked up and had lunch and finally sussed out that I had been putting all the co-ordinates in as north & west as std which they were, but now they had changed to north & east and I had not noticed so input them wrong, finally a solution to my problems operator error, what a day certainly explored a few new places. Well finally arrived at St valery en caux to meet an English guy coming out of the entrance telling me it was already full, I told him I was already committed to entering could not reverse back so in I went quickly parked jumped out and had a look for myself if there was anywhere I could squeeze in, lucky for me there was three vans parked behind all the others with a space in front right at the top I knew I could get in so I quickly ran back to the van and moved to the spot, there were a few vans behind so I was really lucky, not a proper parking space but it will do for the night. I noticed a couple of English vans parked up so after settling I went and had a chat to Frank & wife who had the same van as me a 747-2 Burstner also met Roy & Sue. Frank gave me a light weight Spanish bottle he didn't want making mine up to six now. Made dinner a couple of wines and wrote up my notes then retired about 10pm a tiring day.

090416 Thu - St Valery-en-caux Pier - a 7:30 coffee and got my Fiat book out, yesterday to cap it all a warning light came on intermittently so looked it up and will double check the levels this morning.

First shower, shave and breakfast having another lazy day. Went for a walk round the town for 30mins realised the main camera battery was low so went back to the van for lunch and changed it up. Set off again about 2pm had a walk up the cliffs over looking the harbour noticed two guys with binoc's up their, took a few pics then headed for the town got a few good snaps of a crane picking a ship out of the port, also determined that the two guys I saw were French Customs and later saw them checking all the documentation and fish catch of a local trawler which was interesting to watch. Bought some drinking water and went back to camp where I met Steve & Kate from near Sheffield, had a couple of glasses of wine at mine and a good old chat before we all retreated to have dinner. It was a lovely evening had my pasta and ventured out to take a few more pics before making some final notes then retiring about 10pm.

090417 Fri -St Valery-en-caux Pier - m&a 9 coffee and quasants for starters, then went walk about round the town, found the library had free internet so looked up my P&O booking to change the return date but seems I need to phone up to do it. Got back to the van about noon had a coffee and another chat with Steve & Kate. After lunch tried phoning P&O but no luck, so charged the camera and went to do some more sight seeing and a walk. Had a really nice walk round also found the fuel stop for morning, after dinner relaxed with some music and a little work on the computer before retiring about 10pm.

090418 Sat - St Valery-en-caux Pier - m&a 7:30 coffee and away to the supermarket fuel station, got there about 8 but not open till 9 so settled down and had a full breakfast, got served and on my way to Bercks Plage as I passed through Dieppe I clocked a McDonalds so turned round and parked up so I could use there Wifi, thought I better buy something as I was using 4 parking places, so had an egg McMuffin and a coffee €2.5 not bad for a good hour uploading the web site got some good pics on their now and full size www.chi11.co.uk after that got rolling and arrived at Bercks Plage, not much their felt a bit unsure so decided to go on to Le Touquay only 20km further, had lunch and filled up with water before going on. Got to the aire no problem, parked up and went for a run round on the moto, still as nice as ever, got the place mapped in my mind riding a bit and walking, also got a street map that always helps. Sun still shining at dinner time made one of my chorizo specials for dinner enough for two and ate it all with a few wines, it was lovely now in recovery mode so writing these notes up 8pm already its been a lovely day all round will chill a bit then retire.

090419 Sun - Le Touquet Paris Plage - m&a 9 had breakfast and checked my emails to find one from P&O giving me a different phone number to ring from outside the UK, so rang the number and after 10mins on the line all sorted out, sail back 22:35 27 April. Just getting ready to go for a push bike ride round Le Touquet for a few hours. Had a chat to a German couple with an ex Italian black Maria 4 wheel drive he had converted he had just started his 3 month trip. Great bicycle ride round the town and on the promenade, past a few shops doing freshly cooked chickens couldn't resist so bought one took it back to the van and had half of it with a glass of red, it went down a treat for lunch. Glowed for a while after lunch then packed up to move down the beach to another free parking area. Met a French Guy who told me he was selling his van for €18k its a pretty big one looks good from the outside a Euromobile, gonna check it out later. Slight breakdown in communications he is selling it for €80k not much difference if you say it quick, anyway Jilles & Carol showed me round the vehicle yes quite impressive but not that much. So made chicken in cream peppercorn sauce far too much for one so have to have a bit for supper, updating the web site again bang up to date now, just need to find another McDonalds for the Wifi, maybe Tues., cleaning day again tomorrow. Its been another good and eventful week, see you soon and take care everyone!

adventure@chi11.co.uk