canal du midi à la chaser Feb 2017

laird of Dunstan said:
I see that you have a Bottle of "Harris" gin for your evening ,my wife informs me that it is one of the finest gins that she has ever tasted ,the distillery had run out of bottles when we visited it ,there was plenty of gin ,but no bottles to put it in
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nice but far from the best we have had

we actually were finishing off a bottle of Brecon Botanical thanks again Mr and Mrs Mousy (y)

that Harris bottle was in the way for the replacement bottle of Tanqueray, Bev kept it for the patterned bottle ( I don't bother asking any more :))

one of the best gins we have has was from Islay, can't for the life of me recall the distillery name right now, will be more sober in the morning will have another go :):)(y)(y)
 
DavidG58 said:
nice but far from the best we have had

we actually were finishing off a bottle of Brecon Botanical thanks again Mr and Mrs Mousy (y)

that Harris bottle was in the way for the replacement bottle of Tanqueray, Bev kept it for the patterned bottle ( I don't bother asking any more :))

one of the best gins we have has was from Islay, can't for the life of me recall the distillery name right now, will be more sober in the morning will have another go :):)(y)(y)
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there appear to be a lot of micro gin distillerys popping up in Scotland ,Gin may have even taken over from whisky as Scotlands number one export
 
laird of Dunstan said:
there appear to be a lot of micro gin distillerys popping up in Scotland ,Gin may have even taken over from whisky as Scotlands number one export
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its to do with the time taken to get ready for sale, whisky takes years, gin takes months :)

Bruichladdich is the place I couldn't recall, (google sorted it) :)(y)

Botanist gin, definitely recommended by us, but unless you do go over there to try and buy, do not buy from them, disappointingly cheaper on line elsewhere o_Oo_O

we asked for and got discount for a box of 6 bottles (y):)
 
DavidG58 said:
its to do with the time taken to get ready for sale, whisky takes years, gin takes months :)

Bruichladdich is the place I couldn't recall, (google sorted it) :)(y)

Botanist gin, definitely recommended by us, but unless you do go over there to try and buy, do not buy from them, disappointingly cheaper on line elsewhere o_Oo_O

we asked for and got discount for a box of 6 bottles (y):)
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might try to get a bottle for the wife then (y)

quick edit,ive gone and ordered a bottle of Botanist for the wife,valentines day approaches :whistle::whistle::whistle:
 
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Unlike in the UK you can get really beautifully warm days:sun:at this time of year in France.. delicious fresh veg....and lovely cheap wine....have a wonderful time:D....if you go down the west side of France you will find a fair few campsites open.. most campsites are open for Easter....we'll not be far behind you, heading down to Spain on the west side of France.....mid March until beginning of June:D

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laird of Dunstan said:
I see that you have a Bottle of "Harris" gin for your evening ,my wife informs me that it is one of the finest gins that she has ever tasted ,the distillery had run out of bottles when we visited it ,there was plenty of gin ,but no bottles to put it in
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Quick trip to the hospital and put the gin in bags to take intravenously.
Cant believe i had to tell a scotsman that!
 
Pia said:
Unlike in the UK you can get really beautifully warm days:sun:at this time of year in France.. delicious fresh veg....and lovely cheap wine....have a wonderful time:D....if you go down the west side of France you will find a fair few campsites open.. most campsites are open for Easter....we'll not be far behind you, heading down to Spain on the west side of France.....mid March until beginning of June:D
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Might see you there. Crossing 2/4. Day or 2 at Berck for kite festival. Possibly via that oregon village near Limoges (in one day) then across to Royan and doing the Vendee for 12 days or so before back on 21/4. Not much travelling whilst there as only going up as far as St nazaire or we may go from top to bottom.
 
suavecarve said:
then you check the front of your van and see it has bugs all over it
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Now we haven't got our M/H yet but we did have this trouble with our towcars the grey one was worse than the red one ? why

To remove said bugs was easy you use a waterless car cleaner (cheapish one in the Range) they come off quite easily according to Stephanie (well I get them on so she removes them)
 
suavecarve said:
Might see you there. Crossing 2/4. Day or 2 at Berck for kite festival. Possibly via that oregon village near Limoges (in one day) then across to Royan and doing the Vendee for 12 days or so before back on 21/4. Not much travelling whilst there as only going up as far as St nazaire or we may go from top to bottom.
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That would be lovely. We'll be crossing on or around 18th March and going down the west side stopping at Montreuil campsite, Pont de l'Arche Aire, Montreuil-Bellay Aire and Bordeaux-Village du Lac then into Spain to a campsite we like at Orio..we hoping to cross into Spain toward the end of March. We're then going to the south of Spain and up to Barcelona until the middle of May when we shoot back up through France to the tunnel a day or 2 before the end of May Bank Holdiay. Happy travels:D
 
Pia said:
That would be lovely. Well be crossing either 11th or 18th March and going down the west side stopping at Montreuil campsite, Pont de l'Arche Aire, Montreuil-Bellay Aire and Bordeaux-Village du Lac then into Spain to a campsite we like at Orio..we'll take abut a week or 10days to get there. We're then going to the south of Spain and up to Barcelona until the middle of May when we shoot back up through France to the tunnel a day or 2 before the end of May Bank Holdiay. Happy travels
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You ll be travelling to quick for us to catch up.
Have a nice one

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so day 2 or holiday -1, we spent the day in Taunton while our motorhome was sorted by Vanbitz

Met them all now (I think)

Eddie gave it the chat yesterday :)

James added technical input (y)

Ash amongst technical input also did the business in taking us and 4 others with Lola into Taunton (y)

Lynne raised the invoice :):)

We are now alarmed, and think we understand how to use it, brilliantly explained (several times for some aspects) by the fitter, whose name I either didn't have or more likely have forgotten, lovely chap, very patient :)

While in Taunton, we walked out along the river side and back, nearly finished Lola off, she was delighted when we found our chosen (by recommendation) thanks Ash (y)(y) lunch stop off, The Ring o Bells, dog friendly, great food (y)(y) Lola had a burger with us and 2 bowls of water

wasted a good few minutes while Bev geocached (if you don't already know about it don't ask right now :)) a clue was near the tree that has been eating bricks o_Oo_O

brick tree.jpg


well this one really has, apologies for my presence, a close up of the bricks I think would have been better, it was Bev's idea to include me :)(y)

So now scoffed, took ages to get MH warm tonight, been stood outside all day no heating on, now back to 22C :):)(y)(y)

Curry cooked for tomorrow night when we get to 'somewhere'

Just the final decision on route to take and then will we make the 18:50 Eurotunnel final check in?? watch this space :):)
 
Looking forward to reading about your trip, have a good one(y)
 
Have a good trip, looking forward to the updates. Hope you keep a tally of the number of times you set the alarm off. :)
 
Neilfg said:
Have a good trip, looking forward to the updates. Hope you keep a tally of the number of times you set the alarm off. :)
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funnily enough we were just discussing that very same thought

biggest risk we foresee is first thing in the morning, if alarm set with internal sensors off, we open the door to let Lola out and everybody for 1/2 mile around knows were are awake o_Oo_O(y)

edit - so yes we will record and report :)(y)

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DavidG58 said:
funnily enough we were just discussing that very same thought

biggest risk we foresee is first thing in the morning, if alarm set with internal sensors off, we open the door to let Lola out and everybody for 1/2 mile around knows were are awake o_Oo_O(y)

edit - so yes we will record and report :)(y)
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Do you not have a bright flashing light on the dash when the alarm is set? I find it a very useful reminder, even when set to "dim". Or does something cover that?
 
oh yes david,the alarm can be fun ,ive set mine off no end of times (y) its when your phone rings you when you are trying to start it:cool:
 
TJBi said:
Do you not have a bright flashing light on the dash when the alarm is set? I find it a very useful reminder, even when set to "dim". Or does something cover that?
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pretty sure we don't have a dim option on ours, but James own words were, if the red light inside is too bright just put something over it :)(y)(y)

edit - and we have a late rising dog, I hope it will be sunny when we get up :):)(y)(y)
 
just programmed the sat nag for tomorrow

its preferred route says

212 miles

3:35 mins

this is a bog standard car version, decidedly optimistic but almost judged the journey down minute perfect, so either I drove down too fast or it is not as daft as I think

But average speed over 50mph is going some for any journey involving the M25

Just twigged though it thinks I am leaving now o_O

will see if has added any more time in the morning (y)
 
Morning all, beautiful frosty start to today, Lola seems to have recovered from her 4 mile walk yesterday, now waiting for the awning man to sort the new awning before we set off

Looks like I was right with Tom Toms estimate of time for journey to Folkestone, now gone out to 3:46 mins, still seems optimistic, but it will be what it will be

The route

My gut says M4

My head says do as those that live here and do it regularly A303

my heart just wants to be in France with minimum aggravation

so A303 gets it, it will be a new journey for us and even if we add an hour to the TT calculated time, if we leave by 12, we will be there by 5, works out around 40mph average speed, which with mainly dual carriageway and motorway should be OK, even the M25 bit will be around 3-4 so hopefully as quiet as it can be during the day

It will be what it will be now, biggest unknown is the awning repair (which will still get its own thread when sorted)

Big kids the pair of us, we still get excited about going away :):)
 
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DavidG58 said:
funnily enough we were just discussing that very same thought

biggest risk we foresee is first thing in the morning, if alarm set with internal sensors off, we open the door to let Lola out and everybody for 1/2 mile around knows were are awake o_Oo_O(y)

edit - so yes we will record and report :)(y)
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Been there, done that and got many, many t-shirts. :blush: . We now put a tea towel or scarf on the door catch to remind us. Not quite a failsafe option but has only failed once!
 
Morning you two:hi:
A303 is a pretty road but lots of humps & hollows from what I remember:LOL:

Hope the awning is sorted super quick & safe travels:)
X
 
Enjoy your drive today
Hope you make it on time

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David, there are risks going either way. The A303 can get very sticky around Stonehenge. And you end up on the M3 heading North to get onto the M25 and that stretch has roadworks at the moment. But at least you miss the busiest part of the M25, which is the bit between the M4 and the M3. On balance I would risk the A303, but I would still check the traffic on Google maps before I left.
 
Well the majority, so far at least were absolutely right, not surprising when most of them live near and use it

the A303 has been excellent, and a nice thing for us a new route, to my knowledge I have never driven on the A303, although I did go to Stonehenge when at school, so maybe was driven on it then

we are now as near exactly half way, parked at Fleet service for lunch, driven 210 miles, average speed on computer 50 mph, 101 miles to 1:45 mins

At this rate it will still be light when we get to France, then a whole load of new decisions :)(y)

probably Cite de Europe

but might got to Montreuil sur mer

or even La Mailleraye sur seine, by far the nicest of the three to wake up at :)(y) may be a few too many miles to do today
 
I would get back on the road ASAP. The southern bit of the M25 starts to get busy from 4pm onwards and you will hit the M20 around Maidstone at the busy period too!

Hurry hurry rush rush ......... anybody would think you were on holiday. :D2
 
DavidG58 said:
Well the majority, so far at least were absolutely right, not surprising when most of them live near and use it

the A303 has been excellent, and a nice thing for us a new route, to my knowledge I have never driven on the A303, although I did go to Stonehenge when at school, so maybe was driven on it then

we are now as near exactly half way, parked at Fleet service for lunch, driven 210 miles, average speed on computer 50 mph, 101 miles to 1:45 mins

At this rate it will still be light when we get to France, then a whole load of new decisions :)(y)

probably Cite de Europe

but might got to Montreuil sur mer

or even La Mailleraye sur seine, by far the nicest of the three to wake up at :)(y) may be a few too many miles to do today
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Never mind exotic places if you are early get over to gravelines, and a nice drop of wine in the pmu bar, or even a meal at au cap compass tother side of t water

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