Shocking Figures!

Paleo Summer: Part 1

42 degrees Celsius, Beaufort 7, 52 per cent Leave!

Greyrocks has been in Paleo some five weeks and things have not been quiet!

Having left Chania in a wind-free heatwave we were expecting to find a cooler environment, but were told it had been unusually still on the South Coast too! Soon after we arrived we were with chums catching up on the news and agreeing not to - except with chosen fellow-travellers - discuss the UK referendum which would take place next day!

We spent the next day on various jobs and the evening - until late - with interesting non-Brits. Ruth discovered the awful news in the early hours and Greyrocks hid away to nurse the wounds. We did however make contact with Steve in order to reclaim our stored items including sunbeds, so we had a short but emotionally-charged discussion before taking the beds down to the beach to try not to think about it!

Down at the beach "our tree" was available as an anchoring point with Yiannis the beach guy positioned even closer that last year. It was hot, and a bit windy, but the sea entry was difficult and the sea very cold (unlike on the North coast). There followed several days of very strong wind (sometimes from the South) so there was glumness on both fronts until strikingly on July 1st the wind dropped, a remarkable amount of sand had been shifted over the rocky shoreline to give good ingress and the water was lovely! we spent plenty of days down at the beach and some days were "scorchio" registering into the 40's mid-afternoon. winds were a problem on 4th and 5th but otherwise not so, then Ruth made a swift decision to fly back to help with her father's welfare and house-clearance. The Norwegian flight on the 7th was very cheap (and comfortable) but the return with Easyjet on 12th was another shocking figure! It was a busy, wet, cold and miserable trip but highly productive. Bob spent two days in Chania before coming to the airport and we returned together to resume the lifestyle.

After a few days the extremes also resumed with the period 16th to 20th having record-breaking winds. Greyrocks took themselves out of town on the worst day to a bolt-hole with a swimming pool and no sand, but the Force 7 gusts were inescapable. As the predominant direction was NNE it also undid the earlier sand coating and up to this point improvements to the shore have been slow!

Meanwhile the shifting sands of Brexit ...........

"What goes down in Matala ......."

We stayed four nights. The quality seems to have stabilised to a level well below the early years, but still worth the relative discomfort (even in a decent hotel), gross adolescent behaviour and limited eating options for the free music and festival atmosphere. The local Brits from the north coast gave a spectacular performance on the first night! On the Saturday we were walking the back streets when hailed by Barry (ex- Paleo-Calypso), one if his twins and Anidri Alan visiting fo the first time. Many hours and Amstels followed accompanied by barely(!)-acceptable remarks about passing buttocks (tattooed, painted or otherwise!) Later in the weekend we spent time with Barry and Judy who had peeled off from the ever-increasing Kalyves Krew. Down at The Lions Georgios was back after last year's absence and it was a good place to be!
It was very, very hot and wind-free, and one glitch was that our AC didn't work on one night:- the one when the nearby music went on until 5am!!
As they cleared up on the Tuesday we took a gentle drive over to Chania and the Nea Hora where we managed some sunbathing on the beach and a dip in the warm sea, followed by dinner and the move on the next day (the one before the referendum) to Paleo. The Nea Hora was having some problems with no Blue Flag and issues over illegal sunbeds. What we find down South?

"Are we there yet? - Migrating south in June

Departure day was blighted only by some thunderstorms on the M25 and an absence of pubs near Dover for time-killing. We have noticed this latter lack before and should know better, but we found an interesting farm shop instead and had the bonus of a look round their museum dedicated to the Land Army.

Back on "The Continent" it was five modest  hops to the ferry from Ancona:

Saint Quentin, Nancy, Luzern and Bologna

OK- this is Austria - but hey!

The first was a re-visit to a hotel used on the way "up" so uneventful. In Nancy we had great difficulty finding the place and then got lost again on the outskirts afer getting stuck in a hypermarket in a torrential downpour. This disorientation was as bad as any in UK and involved going in the wrong direction on the autoroute in the rush hour. We eventually hunkered down in the Campanile and ate one of their dinners for the second night running, which was never the intention. We had allowed plenty of time for the route into Switzerland and so diverted in Mulhouse (a place where we had stayed before) in order to collect Euros in cash in the run-up to the UK Referendum. More navigational errors!

Crossing at Basel, coughing up the 40 euros for the vignette and finding the Ibis were all simple. The nice manager sorted out parking that could handle the bike rack, the room was good and the WiFi strong. We set off in search of a drink and a place for dinner in the absence of Swiss francs. Oh dear! A McDonalds, a kebab house that was cash-only and a posh club/restaurant whose prices brought tears to the eyes!! The Kandonites, who also use the hotel en route,  now tell us we were warned! We ate from the very short microwave menu at the Ibis and sought out Del Shannon's "Swiss Maid" which had become an ear-worm! Greyrocks set off early next morning with much less impressive views than on the last such trip because of low cloud. and mist. We were through the St Gothard Tunnel with a wait of less than twenty minutes, entered Italy and made it unscathed round the racetrack that is Milan! Our one night on the outskirts of Bologna must be one of the best value deals yet! Pretty easy to find huge, new and almost deserted on a Saturday night! We had a huge luxury room and wallowed in it taking dinner in the restaurant and were off next morning after a great buffet breakfast for a simple journey to the ferry in Ancona! We made good time and had to kill time at a very tatty autostrada stop before check-in, The sky was darkening! We were told the ship might be a little late but we must queue at the appointed hour so we hung around the terminal and it began to pour with rain! We found a spot almost in the shelter of a bar parasol and waited! We then had to drive to the queue in spite of the weather. We waited and waited and waited! We eventually left about two and a half hours late and in poor weather and sea conditions. This was going to scupper our plans for an afternoon drive to the Chania ferry from Piraeus.

One aspect of the Greek stereotype is the refusal to give true but unpopular facts involving some loss of "face"! Well done, ANEK:- true to form the staff kept insisting the drive could be done in an hour and a half and all would be well! Greyrocks reflected for half the voyage and then emailed the nice person in the office in Venice and re-booked for the following night's ferry. We booked into a hotel we knew of old in Patras, told Lefteris in Rethymnon that we wouldn't arrive until the Tuesday morning and cancelled a scheduled coffee stop in Kalives with Judy and Barry. Then we relaxed and watched a film!

So we stayed overnight in a hotel we have used before, but it has been taken over by a group and is now all-inclusive and the few guests there were Russian,  The catering was very good for a one-night stand and the room and balcony very comfortable. Next day on the leisurely drive we saw the state of the National Road works and knew we could not have done it the evening before, so a wise move!


In Rethymnon for now just two nights we realised how foul the weather had been on the way down as we had to completely change our wardrobes! And we were soon in the sea! Two good meals - including at the excellent Noodle Bar - cheap sunbeds and a bit of a walk. It was good to be back and Lefteris helped us get the washing done!

England (and accidentally and momentarily Wales) for business and pleasure

Greyrocks started this phase with an act of characteristic meanness! We arrived at Calais port ludicrously early (having passed and viewed with compassionate amazement "The Jungle"). We were offered the next ferry at just 20 (pounds or euros?) and refused - opting instead for the one after that (still a change!) for nothing more. The down side was that the waiting area had very basic amenities: just a toilet block and a vending machine, but nice cleaners supplied a drink and then we fished out the folding chairs and wine box and the hours in the sun flew by!

Part 1 

The itinerary for the month began in Canterbury as Yvette had to have an immediate MOT to stay legal. The attempt to find the Travelodge just outside the city wall put Canterbury first on a list of "English places Greyrocks has no desire to drive in"! The hotel is not the group's best:- old, no lift, terrible parking, and then on top of that it poured with rain! Next morning Bob got lost taking the car to the garage, but got a lift back and we started routine shopping until the car could be collected and we could get out of Canterbury and drive just into Sussex to meet old friend Josiane for a late lunch and to visit the grave of her late husband (in a very soggy cemetery). We stayed two nights and were stranded by appalling rain, but did manage to take them out to a nice country pub for dinner before heading South. The next two/three days were dedicated to sorting a variety of issues for Ruth's Dad who is moving into residential care and needing to clear the house. (Bob also took a completely fruitless trip by bus to Portsmouth to try to organise a blood test. A few weeks later the news was that Portsmouth NHS Trust is officially a shambles.. not a surprise to us!)  Then it was back up to South London, where were given a bed for four nights with Neil and Maggie. Significant events there were Sunday lunch with them and other old Labour Party friends, sight tests, new laptops from PC World with a rude salesperson, and a day out "up town" with a five pound bus pass each. It was a bit cold and Ruth's other knee was playing up so we did a lot of bus travel on that Tuesday seeing the sights and much of South East London too!

Wednesday was the start of South West London with two nights in Balham so that we could meet our new (Lithuanian) tenants, get all of our clothes out of the loft and into the charity shop, have a visit to the solicitor in Putney, tour IKEA and as usual take our old neighbour and gardener out for a pint or two. This was all to be done whilst keeping our parking legal, Unfortunately the weather was not kind and so loading, sorting, pruning, and delivering the vast load of stuff was done in torrential rain! There were other disappointments too beyond the weather: no films worth seeing on a wet afternoon and the Wetherspoons pub being too full for us to go there for Curry Club!

Next it was off to East Anglia, with a stop for lunch near Ipswich with John and Carol who are also part-year Corralejo residents! Confusion over joining the A14 meant two unnecessary traverses of the Orwell, wasted diesel and a late arrival. Ipswich was added to the Greyrocks list mentioned above! A jolly few hours and improving weather!

In Suffolk we were staying in the house of a cousin who works off-shore and was away, We met up with other members of the family and went to see the resting place of Ray, who had died over the winter. This led to Tony - the genealogist - taking us to some churchyards with family history. By now the sun was truly shining and we saw some glorious countryside at its best.

Wheels, spirals and strange encounters in Yarmouth!

On the Sunday we felt drawn to Great Yarmouth! So did many, many others! We parked up and rode the bikes along the sea-front. We stopped at Britannia Pier to pay homage to "The Snails" - a ride much used when  Chloë was young! whilst we were dithering over safely taking a photo we heard a call of "Bob and Ruth!" and saw a leather-clad and beer-bearing individual racing towards us!

Chris and Jann are September Paleo people (see last year's September post)! They live twelve miles away and had come out for a trip on their magnificent Harley-Davidson trike. Needless to say Greyrocks spent several sunny hours with them, meting other owners, and seeing a posse of classic scooters also on a jolly! We had to - reluctantly -  turn down the offer of an evening barbecue as we were to head North next morning!

Monday to Friday was spent with Chris and Penny in York. They were freshly returned from a rail trip to Russia and Scandinavia, so many travellers' tales were shared along with good real ale, old films, nostalgia and short circuits by foot and cycle around the city. We also went together for a day in Leeds - primarily so Ruth could go to a branch of Bravissimo! It was a very wet day! We went by bus - sitting front top-deck like kids, but seeing very little through the rain. Sight-seeing was curtailed too, but Bob got to Lock 1 of the Leeds and  Liverpool Canal. Culturally we went to City Screen to see the new Le Carré film, and to the theatre on one pound tickets to see "King Lear". Greyrocks loves York!

Next stop was Coventry. Not an obvious choice, but in making a change to the plan we found that we could catch Fairport Convention there on the Sunday!  They were playing at The Albany Theatre, about which we initially knew nothing except that it is close to a Premier Inn, so we booked two nights there! (En route we stopped in a suburb and balanced a sunny pub garden drink with getting our washing done!) On arrival we discovered that the two are in the same beautiful old building, which was once the technical college. It was not too far to walk into the shopping and historic parts and it didn't rain, so we got to see some sights. Fairport was exceptional and the audience very old. "Meet on the Ledge" had extra poignancy as we all knew former-member Swarb was close to death (and did in fact go to the ledge within ten days). At the other end of the spectrum Greyrocks was much amused by this Steeleye Span pastiche! Next day before leaving Coventry we looked for the place where Bob had lodged in 1965! We found it but not before hairy moments on the ring road and confusion with one-way residential streets! "The List" grew:

Canterbury, Ipswich, Coventry .. and still ten days to go!

Part 2

.. but this was only the start! We were doing well (and avoiding the M6 toll) until we came to the outskirts of Lichfield. It was Bank Holiday Monday and there was a significant (and still unidentified) event on in the (small) city causing complete traffic meltdown. Attempts to avoid it resulted in another Greyrocks navigation crisis and late arrival at our destination  and lunch appointment.
John and Tracey (Goa and Fuerte) had come from Derbyshire to meet us at our next port of call. This was a country inn almost beside the Trent and Mersey Canal and not far from Rugeley and the Armitage-Shanks factory (as in W Cs!) The accommodation and food we had for three nights was excellent. All very relaxing and time to ourselves. After the lunch we four walked down to the smaller pub which was right beside the canal and gongoozled! The sun shone, but it was not warm!

The choice of location for a three-night stay was to give an opportunity for some canal-side cycling; but we had not done enough research! Whilst UK canals will always have a towpath there is no guarantee that it will be properly prepared for cyclists.We set off eastwards and it was all there:- moored and mobile boats, wildlife, pretty roads and bridges! But it was cold and the path was just a rough gully in which Ruth felt unsafe, so she ended up wheeling the bike and retracing steps back to base. Bob continued to Alrewas and beyond. It was re-think time - made yet more necessary when the rain came, so it was drives out to notable canal-side spots- all delightful, from Burton-on-Trent to Stone. The latter is a charming little town where we wandered the streets as well as visiting the famous Star pub.

Burton was rather different! It is - of course - famous as the home of British brewing, and Ruth remembers mooring there in the seventies, but all we found was poor signage, unhelpful traffic systems and grim industrial estates. We put the place on "the list" and left, needing to use the A38 which is also most unpleasant and has peculiar interchanges! We went to see the waterfowl in soggy conditions. Ah the delights of a British May!

But even though the rain was never far away we found Fradley Junction and a great place for real ale and gongoozling. This, with Great Haywood and its farm shop/ cafe was worth the trip.

We left Handsacre on a gloomy day having checked traffic conditions, for what seemed a simple M5 journey down to Bristol. There was big trouble between two junctions, but we thought we could see a short diversion. and that is how we ended up in Wales crossing and re-crossing the Wye in order to reach the Severn Bridge. (For which we were expecting to pay a toll, but they let you out of Wales for free). The day was further complicated by an incident near Leominster. Suddenly Yvette tells us she has "Engine Failure". There was no obvious problem but we had to make contingency plans for Fiat garages in every town we passed through. The problem was rectified next day by a great dealer in Bristol; but the the whole journey goes down in Greyrocks annals as wasted hours and nervous energy,

We stayed once again at the Premier Inn at Cribbs Causeway, which is sensible if not exciting, meeting Chloë and Jack for dinner at Cafe Rouge. Next day we dealt with the car, shopped in the city centre and then went to Easton for dinner chez les amoureux.  Ruth's birthday was a series of treats, starting with brunch at the Easton Thali to which we invited her niece and family, then a train trip with Chloë and Jack to Cotham and a walk for a view of the Suspension Bridge and a drink on the terrace of the bar of the Avon Gorge Hotel. In the evening we met again with Jack's parents for a very posh meal at the Hotel du Vin. 

The penultimate leg in this mammoth trip was back to Hampshire to spend a  a bit more time helping Ruth's Dad prepare for his move. Tt was a textbook drive on a sunny Sunday with a family meal and we then spent a couple of busy days before the ferry back to Calais.

(Summary: 30 days, 60 per cent wet, about 1600 miles!)

Gongoozling and gone guzzling:- a drop of Burgundy!

From the Med. Greyrocks headed North for more French leave. May this year has the maximum possible bank holidays, but two are on Sundays so plenty of scope for confusion over opening times and traffic conditions!

A great restaurant in Lesterps

First we spent two days getting to St Germain de Confolens for a short stay at La Grange Terrou uphill from where George is renting pending completion of his new house and with whom we spent a lot of time. It was - unusually - sunny and dry, and we - once again - were made very welcome by the owners on the upmarket BandB, where the other guest was a French racing driver. With George and Gee we spent a pleasant Saturday taking lunch in Lesterps, viewing the emergent new home (not a pavillon!) and visiting the charity shop run by some of his friends. This last was a bizarre experience - rather like stepping into the same in Middle England! It was a special day with stalls being erected for a May Day fete next day. Bob and Jenny have transformed the premises into a warren of well organised rooms with vast quantities of donated books, clothes and bric-a-brac, and space for taking (English-style) tea and coffee. Ex-pats came and went, there were tales of ex-pat exploits and all the chat was in English. French customers came and went buying lampshades and unmatched golf clubs, and we had a chance to talk about where the money goes:- humanitarian truck runs from UK to crisis hotspots, the next being a second visit to Lesbos. Greyrocks having a clutter-free lifestyle left without purchasing anything, but having willing made a donation!

There is now a link between this short stay and our next one, which was in Cravant. The link is the current ubiquitous French phenomenon of the vide-grenier:- best translation "boot fair" but with more to it! Maybe it is the time year ("or maybe it's the time of Man") but villages all over were having one. The local press is full of schedules for them and great is the chaos caused in a location on their day! We had an easy drive to the old town (village) where we had booked a chalet on a small riverside site. We had a good map and it is not a large place, but it was mid-afternoon on vide-grenier day and half the roads were closed, so once again Greyrocks spent ages seeking its temporary home. Even asking folk on the street didn't help much:- half of them were only in the village for the said v-g!

For half the week we were the only residents but as Ascension and VE-day weekend loomed it filled - largely with two huge multi-national extended family groups. It also became clear that eating-out was going to be an issue! One place disappeared, one allegedly opening occasionally but not so in reality, and one requiring an advance reservation for a set meal. This was going to be a challenge - not helped by the bank holidays! On the first night we set off in hope and started to realise the situation, and as a result ended up in Vincelottes outside a restaurant about which we had read and were interested in visiting at some later stage. As we stood dithering and wondering about it the chef came out and engaged in conversation. He offered us his last table for the evening. and thus started one of the most lavish dinners ever experienced by Greyrocks. The basic price for the cheapest menu was OK, but we were lured into wine choices - including Cremant de Bourgogne - then there were the freebies! A three-part amuse-bouche plate, a three-part pre-dessert and a silver stand full of macaroons and home-made confectionery. This last came with a box for taking things home (which we forgot in our parting chat with le patron about the celebs he had cooked for, including HMQ and Paddy Ashdown)! We vowed to be more measured in our dinners thereafter and largely managed to do so! We did, however, drive to Chablis! Unfortunately it was on a holiday afternoon and parking was impossible. A box was ticked!






But the reason for staying in Cravant was neither food nor wine, but the Canal du Nivernais, and we had ample opportunity for gongoozling! There was a nasty cold wind for most of the week, but we managed a series of rides up and down the tow-paths nearby, and a day in glorious Auxerre (including a laundrette visit and carting biles up street stairs!) Greyrocks had been inspired to explore this canal when watching actors-cum-canal-nuts Sir Timothy West and Prunella Scales navigate a section as part of a TV series


Some aspects of the rides were problematic in that canal and river meet and part in a complicated way necessitating changes of side for the path, in places the road is used, and the general pattern of closing rural watering holes cuts back options, but all is meticulously maintained and the locks provide a charming break. These are all staffed often by women - and they jump on mopeds to beat the boats to the next lock. Greyrocks gongoozled at numerous locks, and at the marina at Chateau-Censoir, and also watched in amazement at the rock climbing alongside the canal. Bob did longer rides and managed to cover quite a length of this section.

All in all this was a great week, and we are now Burgundy fans (the region as well as the wine!) and are planning the next canal-side stay. We made stop overnight in St Quentin (Picardy) on yet another bank holiday. It was a beautifully sunny day and the autoroutes were HGV-free but full of Brussels-bound cars. Some terrible administration by Premier Classe led to us sitting in the sun in the centre of town. Another place to visit again!

Next day it was "Au Revoir, La France!"

Greyrocks left Calais for a month of touring England. Read on!

More Ups and Downs, and A Bigger Splash!

Part 1 of the Spring Migration was two weeks in the Sud-Ouest - namely on the Languedoc-Roussillon coast. Rationally this would have been first Canet and then Lattes, but Camping Brasilia would not open until 23rd April, so we expended extra miles and diesel carrying on up the A9 and then coming back down for the final 5 days. As soon as we arrived at Camping Le Parc we realised there was something different about the prevailing conditions! It was busy.. very busy and we are used to real top-and-tail of the season desertion! Two thirds of France was having school holidays until at least the coming Monday, and half of them - including the local area, would have all of the following week as well! There was a bitter North wind, but the sun was shining, and indeed our campsite friends had filled the swimming pool, and hardy sorts were using it.
 A shopping trip to the huge Grand Sud Carrefour confirmed that this was not going to be a quiet week or so!

The original Alain Delon film

After the great car-clearance and associated tasks Bob took himself off for a bike ride and exploration of how the A9 improvements were affecting cycle routes into the city. Ruth promised to try her bike the next day. This proved to be deeply depressing! In spite of eventual success in Fuerte she just couldn´t get onto the saddle of this bike and then turn the pedals. We borrowed tools and tried all manner of saddle heights but it was in vain. In deep despair we went instead by car to Palavas by the sea in Yvette. The town was heaving with visitors - entirely French - and the wind was cold, but manged some moules frites and a short stroll.

Next day being Sunday Greyrocks went for their treat of a trip by tram to Montpellier, a late lunch near Comedie and a discounted entry to the cinema for a V.O. film. In contrast with seaside locations the city was almost empty! We had no trouble getting into the usual restaurant, enjoyed a good feed and the only "fly in the ointment" was that they had run out of discount cinema tickets so we had to pay the full EUR7 each! We saw "A Bigger Splash" in great comfort and enjoyed it!

On a different evening we followed up an advertising postcard we had acquired and took the tram for a couple of stops past the station in Montpellier in order to find a music venue. The are turned out to be predominantly Arab, with few likely bars or restaurants, but lighted upon a Moroccan place and had a wonderful meal. Afterwards we got a good seat at Plein Lune and eventually saw Lazy Sundaze, which was a ten-piece band playing "UK Funk" and was very, very good.

In terms of daytime activity luck was not with Greyrocks, and by the time Ruth was riding adequately the weather had turned. The big achievement was a ride into Lattes itself for a menu du jour lunch. That went very well, as did a ride round the marina, but we parted company for diffent routes back to the ranch (easy and harder) and the heavens opened. The next few days were dogged by such weather.

Then it was south again for the opening day at Le Brasilia. We had booked a cheap mobile home, but it had been renovated and was very comfortable. The site was very busy with Dutch families, so not exactly peaceful, and there were gale force winds, so again cycling was largely limited - until the last day - to solo excursions by Bob. There was a bizarre incident in a promenade restaurant which had run out of food, but we had two excellent meals on other occasions.

After being in France for two weeks we had not spoken English to a single Anglophone and we had seen fewer than ten GB cars  - including on a number of autoroute jorneys. This was to change as we headed for Charente at the end of the month!

Ups, Downs and a Big Splash!

Impressive waves off Bristol Playa

After the disappointing weather over the main Easter holidays there was a steady improvement, and during Greyrocks´ final week there were some beautiful days, but also impressive surf conditions and high winds. One evening we were eating at La Luna next to an Irish family of which part were regulars to Fuerte (in fact the parents of Ed Byrne) and part had come over from Lanzarote for the day and had been stranded by the Armas ferry being unable to dock.

Ruth contined to grow in confidence on the bike. We were keen to use as many spa sessions as possible before departure - having purchased season tickets that would expire soon after our planned return, so on a coupke of occasions she rode to the Bahia Real and back:- something that would have seemed unthinkable until late March!

So there was legitimacy to that theme of the party Greyrocks had arranged:-

 Forty or so people attended on a sunny day. In view of the restricted space the catering was limited to pizza and finger-food from Pronto round the corner plus empanadas from the bar itself and yummy muffins made, as ever, by Eileen. The best pictures are on the Blue Rock Facebook page (sorry about that.. no.. we don´t do it either!)
but here is one of Pete and Dave who also did us proud, playing all afternoon - with a few numbers generously also offered by Mel and Johnnie Dale.

Then it was the run-in to departure. Head colds and a range of other niggles, put paid to the plan for several spa sessions, but the sun did shine and we managed some lazy afternoons at the The Rock with friends, some modest bike rides, and some classy meals of the Canarian variety. The migration itinerary was also refined to a high level of precision. On the day itself such was the state of readiness that we went for a stroll, watching the dramatic swell off the promenade, and taking a swift half at La Lonja. We looked out at the blue sky and beautiful scenery and said it was good to be leaving whilst wishing we weren´t. It all seemed very relaxed!

We strolled back to the apartment and started to get things down the stairs. This included our new luggage carefully chosen at one of the Chinese shops in town and - admittedly - rather cheap. Windows Dave arrived and helped us finish off and we set off for the airport with oodles of time, but well after Parque Hollandaise Bob realised he had left all is worldly wealth on the dining table. We were on the bit of road with no possibilities of last-minute turning, but Dave managed to get us back home and then down to the airport with about five minutes until check-in would close.  We had had to negotiate school turn-out time and swarms of beach-bound hire cars so it was a tour de force!

Then it was Ruth´s first security check with the new knee setting off the metal detector! No real problem!

In Barcelona we had to stay at a different hotel, which was closer to the airport but came with mediocre reviews. Our key cards didn´t work and we were up and down in the lift numerous times to get that fixed. They also don´t offer reservation of the airport shuttle and the breakfast price was extortionate, so we had some more stress before arriving at vthe airport very early to start on our experiment with the Sagales coach. Once a day (at 10 am) it is possible to go all the way from Barca airport to Girona airport in one cheap journey, so we did. A neat move, and within two hours, with no Line of Fear and easy luggage handling both ends we were within eyeshot of Yvette! Ruth insisted on walking, rather than calling the minibus, and during this little stroll a wheel came off the case! This is addition to the faults developed the previous day on Bob´s version: lost stud meaning a protruding nail and a ripped security strap, and Ruth´s cracked plastic. As we limped into the office at the parking they knew what had happened and it was clear we were not the first clients who had fallen foul of a case of Chinese case failure! Yvette had been lovingly cared for, as ever, and we headed off France-bound, but at the toll-booth on the Spanish side of the border we sat for a long time frustrated that the credit card wasn´t being accepted by the machine. Understandable:- this was the bank-note hole!! Grr! Calm down! You´re on holiday! The rest of the journey was without event, and we began our French sojourn!