Wednesday 29th August (Day 0)
The trip begins, well a late start it must be admitted. We left about 9.00pm after Chris had her hair cut. So for the first time we were driving in the dark. To leave the night before proved a good decision as we may have missed our 8.50am train due to a lot of roadworks on the M20 which, even at the quite late hour, slowed things down. We had identified a stop over about five miles from the Channel Tunnel. It was a layby on a 'B' road. We arrived and deemed it suitable, initially. By now it was quite late, around 10.15pm and there was still a steady stream of cars. It was thought that, with a long drive tomorrow, we needed an undisturbed sleep and this wasn't the place to be. (If we were not on a long drive this was a good, free, stop.) So we opted for plan B, a pub called The Black Horse Inn at Monks Horton. The approach was single track with passing places and the pub itself was very nice and very quiet. A pint plus £10 for parking!!! and then sleep.
Thursday 30th August (Day 1)
We woke up early - too early for the Chunnel , but decided to move and see if we could get an earlier train. Result - 7.50am instead of 8.50am. The 'usual' bacon roll and tea before loading. So, with the hours differnce, 9.40am we were on the road. After a while Chris had a turn driving, her first time ever and, as expected, there weren't issues and she drove as well as she would normally. However, part of the way her comment of "50, that is lower than 40" was said. We both burst into laughter. She was correct as she was converting kmh to mph. We swapped over driving as her wrists were hurting after just over an hour. A short lunch stop and we were off again as we intended to 'break our rules' and drive for around five plus hours. We had a good run until the motorway junction about 45km from Luxembourg as it was closed. A detour with a major traffic jam. Hey ho we looked at the map and sorted a way around it. Unfortunately 'all roads lead to Rome' and we ended up back where we started. So suck it up and join the queue. The next stop was still in Luxembourg and with less than 20 miles in the tank. A fill with 'posh' diesel at €1.20 a litre (one pound six pence). Leaving Luxembourg was a slow journey with very heavy traffic which was all the way to the border. Our target was a stop by the river / port at Pont a Mousson. We eventually arrived and took one of two last places left. The last space went just a few minutes after we arrived. Having settled in we had a walk around the town for some excercise as we had been sitting / driving for almost six hours. Pont a Mousson is 'famous' for several things but for the UK it is drain covers. Certainly around where we live many of the covers for water and other utilities have the Pont a Mousson logo on them. Back to the Motorhome and dinner before a relax and bed.
Friday 31st August (Day 2)
We awoke in the night to close the roof vents as it was raining. I say in the night as we felt we had been asleep for hours but it was only 11.30pm. Later, "What's the time?" I ask. "Look at the clock." was the response. I did and it was 7.30am so so another 30 minutes dozing at least. About fifteen minutes later I realised the clock had not been put forward the hour - we were late. A quick shower and fresh bread from the shop and by just after 9.00am we left. Within 10km we stopped as there was a 'panne' on the road (a breakdown). Twenty minutes to crawl past the obstruction. From then on a good run with stops for food shopping; diesel; lunch; and food shopping again. We got to the Swiss border at Vallorbe and purchased the Heavy Vehicle Pass and were soon off. The two roads we wanted to take were both closed and, unusually, no detour was shown. We consulted the map, plumbed in an alternative destination and had a lovely drive through the mountains still arriving at Ash and Hayley's house by 4.30pm. We arrived and as all were out so we had a cup of tea. Then slowly all arrived. Even in just a few weeks, both Chloé and Olivia had changed; so grown up. We then sat and played with the grandchildren until a late dinner and a chat. Then we retired to the Motorhome for a sleep.
Saturday 1st September (Day 3)
8.00am and we are up and in with Ash and Olivia. Soon after Chloé joined us and breakfast was made for them. Ash and I loaded the car for the decheterie run (dump). On way a quick stop for some fresh bread. After breakfast we decided to go to a park where there were some animals to feed as well as swings. No one said it was up in the hills and so I didn't take a top as it was a reasonable temperature where we were. However, up there it was several degrees colder and windy. Fortunately, Ash braved it and I wore his jacket! There were pigs, goats, chickens, ducks and donkeys all to be seen (and fed), despite 'no feeding animal' signs. Some veg cannot harm them surely? Back home and the two children had a sleep while sausage sarnies for the adults were in order. The afternoon was grass cutting, football watching and cooking. Curry for evening meal and bed.
Sunday 2nd September (Day 4)
A cup of tea in bed and both grandchildren for a cuddle was a good start to the day. All had breakfast and then it was the daily trip to 'somewhere'. Today it was the Botanical Gardens in Geneva. We were soon there and parked up and walking past the UN building and the 'three legged chair'. Just past this was the entrance to the gardens. Here we wandered around the hot houses and other themed gardens, like herbs for medicines and eating. A ride on the unusual merry-go-round followed. We then sat in the grounds with a pic-nic before going to see the animals - deer, flamingoes, ducks etc. It was then time to return home. The afternoon was filled with sorting the garage, inflating all the inflatables (what else?) to see if they had holes and, eventually, a BBQ. Chloe then sat and watched (for the 100th plus times 'Frozen') before bed.
Monday 3rd September (Day 5)
Well today is Chris' birthday - a significant number plus 2! I left the card at home (in the shop). Ash went to work, we all had breakfast; Chris opened a few cards and a present from a 'special firend' (not me). Then Hayley, Chris, the two grandchildren and I piled into one car and went to ballet dancing lessons - not Chris but Chloé. Afterwards it was the swings in Nyon then home for lunch and sleep (no not us). This was followed by a trip to some different swings before the birthday meal - 1.3Kg Cote de Boeuf; Dauphinois potatoes and green beans. We had cake with a candles in so the girls could blow them out.
Tuesday 4th September (Day 6)
Up early to say goodbye to Ash before he goes to work. We then pushed Olivia in the pushchair (she needed a sleep). Chloe decides she doesn't want to go to school so is 45 minutes late. We then intended to leave for 'southern climes' but were convinced to wait until Chloe returns from school at around noon. We then say our goodbyes and set off for Italy. We drove almost all motorway in Switzerland to Brig which is the start of the Simplon Pass. Then a slow climb to around 2000m with several alternate working traffic routes due to road works, one of which was over 1.5km long. At the top we stopped for coffee and then the next 20+kms was all downhill and I never needed to touch the accelerator for the whole distance just the brakes. The downside is that now being in Italy roads are rubbish. The Romans were world renown for their road building; the Italians are world renown for having no money to maintain them. Pot holes is the watchword making UK potholes look silly. However, both going up and down there were spectacular views with snow, waterfalls and narrow twisty roads between sheer rock faces. Eventually (after three attempts) we found the stop over we were trying to find. It is just a car park but right next to Lake Maggiore at Arona. We had a walk to Lidl for some essentials and then a very late dinner, around 8.00pm, which was a long time from breakfast. Afterwards a walk along the lake through the town and people watching as the restaurants were, nearly all, very busy. At one point we found a church still open, the church of Santa Marta. It was unusual in that the church had another small building inside. The outside of this was an altar but inside was another altar. It made quite a large church very small for a congregation. It is relatively new as building started in 1592. On the whole Arona is a pretty town and lake, at least at night, we may look around in the daylight..
Wednesday 5th September (Day 7)
So after a nights sleep with trains and dustmen we decided to walk back into town and see it in the daylight. We opted to walk to the castle which, unsurprisingly was at the top of the hill. Great views followed by a good coffee. Back to the Motorhome and a drive to the statue of Saint Charles. This was completed in 1698 and took 84 years to build. It is 24m tall and on the plinth 35m. The plans for this were used to design the Statue of Liberty which is only about 15 -20m taller. You could climb inside it and look at the views from the eyes, ears and nose but as we had great views from the castle we saved our cash. We then drove about four hours to Desanzano del Garda on Lake Garda. A long walk into town and a beer in near 30 degrees before back to the MH for a cooked meal and a chill in the late evening warmth.
