08/09/09 5.45 AM and at last we are off to Calais, we don't know which way to go when we get there,but favourites are Germany or the South of France as we only have just over 2 weeks.

Stayed at Calais Verdun Lesbreuils overnight and found our Dometic fridge freezer had done the dirty on us and all our food had defrosted, we were really gobsmacked as it was only 18 months old! So OK lets get in touch with our dealer who got in touch with Pilote who got in touch with Dometic. First we were sent too Calais caravans,they were closed for holidays. We were then sent to Le Touque, and when we found the place were told they were too busy come back next week. They wouldn't even look at it. So back on the phone and we were sent to Lyon (as we had by this time decided on the S.France,having forgotten the German campsite book). We travelled till very late at night as our appointment was 9AM and we stayed the night in an aires. Of course the repair shop was very difficult to find (so thank you again Tom). After looking at the freezer they decided it would have to be taken out for repairs in the workshop which would take 2 days and of course we would be required to pay for it there and then,perhaps we could claim it back off our dealer. I don't think so!! By this time we had worked out for ourselves if we bypassed the auto switch and turned it on & off manually when switching from gas/battery/electric it worked.So off we went & pulled into the nearest Aires for breakfast where we had Scampi.Well Scampi tastes good whatever time of day, we spent the next couple of hours cooking all our defrosted food and refroze it all except a couple of things with red beans in, that done we set off for the South.

10/9/9 Arrived in Sete and stayed at Le Costella for 5 nights, it was very noisy there with the train running at the back of us day and night and the huge air con unit on the supermarche in front of us. We could have asked to move but didn't bother as the weather and beach were absolutely wonderful, so we weren't that bothered. Kev spent a lot of time out on the sea in his Kayak fishing,he made a friend of a frenchman doing the same, so that was great. (Wish I knew how to upload photo's)

15/9/9 left to go to Narbonne & stayed at Guisan for the night as we thought we really ought to see more of the area. Left the next day and went back to Sete as we liked it so much.

We stayed at the Yelloh! Village,Les Mediterranees,found it an excellent campsite with entertainment most night, Wifi in the MH if parked next to the bar which is right on the beach. If it had a fault it was the security,as with most of these big sites they think if they put a bracelet on you that is the security job done! The Dutch couple opposite us had their chairs stolen one night & another couple told us a couple of weeks before some vans had been broken into. But we still had a wonderful time there and would go back tomorrow.

21/9/9 Set off on our way home via the Millau Viaduct,yes that was awesome,took a video going across which was dissapointing,but we stopped at the spectator place at the end and found that very interesting. We will probably go back and stop at one of the campsites below the bridge.

Stayed the night at La Grange Fort near Issiore, not a lot to say about that really. The electric went in the night, Kev got told off by the old Dutch woman for putting his bread order in the wrong column and the Germans got the hump with the Brits next too us, happiness all round then.

Last stop before Calais was Les Bords De L'eure, Chartres, this was a lovely place right by a river with a lovely walk into the town,it also had free wifi at the reception. This is definately a place to go back too for a longer stay.

23/9/9 saw us back at the Calais site for our last night before the ferry home and back to Devon to get the fridge sorted out.We have been told by our local repair agent that it doesn't need removing, it is a common fault and we won't have to pay.

All in all a wonderful holiday,but was it really only last week?

So where next and when?

Went to Watermouth Cove for the w/end,not far down the road but what a lovely time we had. We explored the caves below and footpaths up over the cliffs,it was quite an adventure and of course the weather helped.We will be going back there for sure,there are some lovely sites along that road but the pity is they close at the end of October. November saw us on a cruise to Grand Canaria on the Independance of the Seas, good job it is such a big ship as the storms raged & the waves swelled to a magnificent 38ft!! That said it was a wonderful cruise and we did get some sun. Stayed home for Christmas this year (2009)so that we could spend it with the family. 2010 and our first real trip out March to Woolacombe,changed campsite from last year but wasn't impressed. Both my brother & my sister died within 8 weeks of each other at the beginning of this year, so it has been a lousy start to the year, hopefully it can only get better. After the funerals we took ourselves off to Dorset for a few days, stayed at West Bay in the Parkdean site must say it isn't as nice as Ruda, but we enjoyed the break. Saturday 19th April and we are booked on the ferry from Portsmouth to LeHarve.