Our last stop in the UK was in Canterbury. Motorhomes can stay overnight in the Park and Ride for £3 and this includes unlimited bus rides around the city for up to six passengers. An incredible deal don’t you think? The only problem was that the rain was torrential that day and even the dogs were unwilling participants on their afternoon walk. We were all soaked to the skin so we didn’t get to visit the Cathedral or go on the boat ride I’d planned as part of Shirley’s Birthday celebration. We did however go to the pub next door to the park and ride and eat a mahoosive dinner and an equally enormous pudding. A bottle of Pino Gigglio went down a treat and we trotted back to Holly in grand spirits.

Tuesday morning we woke up at 3.30 a.m. all excited about our morning crossing via Eurotunnel to France. Shirley was also excited because it was her birthday so she ended up opening her presents and drinking tea at 4.00 a.m. Another couple of hours sleep and we were up and getting ready for the real start of the big adventure.

The tunnel, if you haven’t tried it, is both fast and very simple. They give you a letter for the train you are to catch, a sign comes up telling you to get in line and before you know it you’ve driven onto the train and you’re speeding under the sea to France. It takes about 30 minutes. Long enough for us to not finish a crossword. The dogs slept through the whole thing,

We could hardly believe how quickly we were guided off the train and onto the motorway. As we swept by Calais we noticed a few forlorn and cold looking men wandering around looking for ways through the massive wire fences. Sad.

Two hours on brilliant French roads and we pulled into our stopping place for the next three nights. Neufchatel en Bray in Normandy has been recommended to us as a place to chill, walk and cycle so here we are chilling. How lucky are we?