Winter sun?

[Fatima Saysell]

The pre-festival build up sounded good, however, the actual event did not live up to expectations I am unsure what this actual event was all about as the main 'Sardine Festival' is in July ? But the weather was superb, 21 degrees(c) and very sunny Slept in the van by the Marina and have woken to lovely blue sky and warm sunshine again. Going to have a stroll around the Sunday market, after we have had our coffee.

Yes, it looks like the weather is settling down now and temperatures are more in tune with this time of year. We had a very blustery day yesterday, but all is calm now.
Hope market was good. We went for a long walk to the Port and back this morning and this afternoon along the beach with the dog. Will stay here one more week and then we're thinking of going to Toulouse. Enjoy the sun.

 

[Fatima Saysell]

Thanks for the concern but no, nothing wrong (other than being even more grumpy)! Alan misread my lack of posting and assumed I had problems.
I see you are in France, are you on a grand tour?

I am glad you are well. We sold our house in November, but have been on the road since July. So far we've done eastern and Northern coast of Spain, Portugal and a lot of France. Back to UK for MOT end of May and then Holland, Belgium and Germany.
We have given up our jobs in the UK as Peter is recovering from after effects of chemo and radiotherapy to kill tumour, which has disappeared now. We are thinking of settling down either in south west of France or north of Spain after our year-long trip is over.
All the best.

 

[alf&m]

Pleased to read everything's going well for you both!enjoy your travels and enjoy the next adventure in your life,regards Alf&m

 

[Merle]

I am glad you are well. We sold our house in November, but have been on the road since July. So far we've done eastern and Northern coast of Spain, Portugal and a lot of France. Back to UK for MOT end of May and then Holland, Belgium and Germany.
We have given up our jobs in the UK as Peter is recovering from after effects of chemo and radiotherapy to kill tumour, which has disappeared now. We are thinking of settling down either in south west of France or north of Spain after our year-long trip is over.
All the best.

Sorry Fatima, I missed your post! Yes you are on the grand tour aren't you, I must admit to being a bit jealous of you.
Hopefully the specialist will give me the all clear next month and we can start touring about a bit in the UK for the summer, I'd like to think the winter sun will win 2018/19, it seems to have been a long drab staycation this UK winter.
We liked what we saw of northern Spain and hope to return sometime, but there are so many places it's probably best to just enjoy what you find rather than go looking!!

 

[vwalan]

its like most countries dont rush slow down stay off main roads and m,ways . aim to go to every village on route . for spain i do like the mapamax map book it shows the little coves etc and shows churches ,castles balneario,s etc gives lots places to look and usually park.
i liked it best when it was sold by cepsa the fuel folk as it also showed their fuel stations . ideal if you use cepsa gas bottles .
but really its like where i live ,you could be at landsend in 45 mins . but take the coastal lanes it could take weeks as there is so many places to stop at and have a look round . bit difficult for larger campers . but with care still lots to see.
unfortunately the question is very often how long does it take to get somewhere ?
it should be how long can we take to get there?

 

[Fatima Saysell]

Sorry Fatima, I missed your post! Yes you are on the grand tour aren't you, I must admit to being a bit jealous of you.
Hopefully the specialist will give me the all clear next month and we can start touring about a bit in the UK for the summer, I'd like to think the winter sun will win 2018/19, it seems to have been a long drab staycation this UK winter.
We liked what we saw of northern Spain and hope to return sometime, but there are so many places it's probably best to just enjoy what you find rather than go looking!!

Yes, it is all about the journey, not so much the destination. Hope you get the all clear and can get back on the road asap. Lovely, warm and sunny the last 3 days here. Bonne route!

 

[Fatima Saysell]

Pleased to read everything's going well for you both!enjoy your travels and enjoy the next adventure in your life,regards Alf&m

Thank you both. Best thing we've ever done! Don't want it to end.

 

[Merle]

Yes, it is all about the journey, not so much the destination. Hope you get the all clear and can get back on the road asap. Lovely, warm and sunny the last 3 days here. Bonne route!

Sunny?? That's rare commodity here this year. To be fair we did get some sun when the snow was laying which made for a picturesque scene, but boy it was bitingly cold

 

[Fatima Saysell]

Sunny?? That's rare commodity here this year. To be fair we did get some sun when the snow was laying which made for a picturesque scene, but boy it was bitingly cold

We got a bit of that too, but nowhere near as bad as in the UK.
I've taken a couple of photos for you, but can't seem to be able to upload them here. The icon above asks for URL! FB might be easier, at least I know how it works!!!

 

[Merle]

If only I could learn my way round FB '":;!?

 

[vwalan]

been nice here again . was a bit of drizzle first thing but here you are .
http://www.newquayweather.com/
nice pics as well.
was a bit snowy for a few days last week but here been ok really .
hi merle , google google maps and have a play . i use google maps uk then drag over to france ,spain etc . street view gets you into most places .
have fun , but drive slow then slower then slower .

 

[vwalan]

hi fatima take it your on here or are now . not in the pic .
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@44.0983947,1.0933609,139m/data=!3m1!1e3

 

[Fatima Saysell]

hi fatima take it your on here or are now . not in the pic .
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@44.0983947,1.0933609,139m/data=!3m1!1e3

Yes, that's exactly it. We are on the 3rd pitch on the left, so photo must be old. We've been here since Tuesday, minus a couple of hours shopping on Friday morning. Great place, only 6 euros a day!

 

[vwalan]

does look ok. we always stopped in montauban on an indistrial est. by a big supermarket then on to toulouse ans just past saverdun then come back on a road .
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@43.2257297,1.6043393,3a,75y,217.31h,73.88t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1suJjM1sI5s3vmCoYaclfTwg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
got picnis tables ,bbq , there is a cafe and bar sometimes . plus tourist info.
mind havnt been for ages but used it alot when heading through france for spain .

 

[Fatima Saysell]

does look ok. we always stopped in montauban on an indistrial est. by a big supermarket then on to toulouse ans just past saverdun then come back on a road .
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@43.2257297,1.6043393,3a,75y,217.31h,73.88t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1suJjM1sI5s3vmCoYaclfTwg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
got picnis tables ,bbq , there is a cafe and bar sometimes . plus tourist info.
mind havnt been for ages but used it alot when heading through france for spain .

This is one of the best aires that we've come across in our 8 years of motorhoming. Some of the people we met at Xmas are still here!!! On top of everything else, it has a very friendly atmosphere and the have welcome us with open arms. We were wearing t-shirts and shorts yesterday! We haven't tried Montauban yet.

 

[vwalan]

here is a good place near gourdon . stopped here loads times as well.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@44.7489977,1.3791978,3a,75y,112.9h,84.77t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sEeplZZNLG1QcW5FALlR7rA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
used to do perigueux then on to sarlat la caneda then gourdon this is on the hill going up to gourdon town .

 

[Fatima Saysell]

here is a good place near gourdon . stopped here loads times as well.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@44.7489977,1.3791978,3a,75y,112.9h,84.77t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sEeplZZNLG1QcW5FALlR7rA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
used to do perigueux then on to sarlat la caneda then gourdon this is on the hill going up to gourdon town .

We went camping to Sarlat la Caneda when our song was still young. Great for canoeing down the Dordogne. We have stopped at many places around Toulouse since October: amazing area with stunning medieval villages like Mirepoix and Lautrec. So much History!

 

[vwalan]

yes once you get off the main routes there is another world .
same thing is going on in spain . northern raider is just drifting around and is finding lots of the quiet little places no one goes .
toulouse was another place as you come out on the south side there is or was a good narbonne accessory place . really helpfull in there on the left going south.
i say never use a sat nav use a good map. and have a compass. your never lost just finding a different way.
just be like a child and have an adventure even if your only going to the shops .
luckily i normally travel with purple bob and we both think alike .
when you come to a y junction which way is the right way?
well the right can be wrong , the left can be right and possibly you were going in the wrong direction to start with so turn around and start again .
cant have satnav as we never do as we are told . hee hee

 

[Fatima Saysell]

We have endless arguments with sat nav, but it comes in handy sometimes, especially when navigating our way out, through or around a city and to get on the correct lane. Mind, sometimes it leaves it a bit late, so I am always on the map just in case...

 

[vwalan]

i use compass when in a big city.
might try and glance at map for signs to another place in the area i want to end up. some times look at city maps ,they come in the mapamax . but ideally the compass is all you need .
mind you do need a map to see the direction you are going .
not saying you just follow satnavs .
many do just scribble in where they want to go and only follow sat navs .
more and more when away seem to not have a proper map these days .
i have a dashboard mounted compass and have proper sylva map reading compass.
used to have a handlebar mounted one for on the m,bike but its gone now .
very often heading straight through a big city is easier than trying to go round .
madrid is really easy. yet so many try going round it.
just go slow and off you go.