Day 4 Tuesday - In French France - Wow!

The plan had been to get up at the crack of sparrow fart (Louise being our very reliable, if grumpy, alarm clock), and get on our way south. However not only did we all sleep in, through all the pole clanking and swearing of seasoned travellers on the move, but by the time we'd breakfasted, (not well but quickly), and packed up it was high noon. We were the last ones to leave the site ...

We headed out on the road for Orleans via Chartres and Jo cried most of the way - she was so miserable, a normally very happy little person, I began to wonder if it was just the cold or if she was coming down with something else. Had to stop for petrol and to tighten the roof rack; then we noticed one of the back tyres must have a slow puncture. After pumping it up, the car suddenly sounded funny, very throaty and pffutting like mad. I listened for a bit and thought - exhaust - press on. We only got as far as Chartres not because of the car but because Jo was so upset, we had to stop and find a site. We found a sports field that was being used as an overflow site for the summer. Good facilities and very safe for them to play. Jo cheered up a bit, but still not like her.

Met a nice New Zealand couple who had worked in London for 9 months and were now on a tour of Europe - lucky them! Shared their wine, as I said - nice people! Had to go to bed in the dark because I broke the lamp - didn't have to fumble about for pjs though. Too cold to get undressed, went to bed fully clothed!

Expenses Francs
Food 3.50
Petrol 67.00
Site fees 6.50
Provisions 20.00

Day 3, Monday - France or bust

woke at 4.30 am full of anxiety but lay quietly until 6 when Louise woke. At least David had recovered. Got all our gear packed and got off on our planned ETD of 8am. We made good time and got to the services just before Bristol by 10.25.
Stayed only to feed and water and got away at 11am, left the M4 10 minutes later and then ... crowded roads, village bottlenecks, roadworks, Louise needing a wee. Jo was very raggy and didn't sleep, both of them had colds, the grizzling adding to the tension in the car. Touch and go whether we got to the boat in time - eventually we were saved by the last few miles to Portsmouth being motorway and got there with 10 minutes to spare.
We were late into Le Havre because of a wreath laying ceremony halfway across which fascinated the girls and prompted the usual unanswerable questions from Louise.
It was late by the time we got to the campsite and we started to put up the tent which was beginning to look as though it had 10 sides and twice as many poles as when we packed it. We had an audience of experienced campers eating leisurely evening meals and loving the unexpected entertainment. Joanna wouldn't stop crying, and a woman in a caravan offered to look after them while we wrestled the tent into something resembling shelter and it was 11pm before we were ready enough to put them to bed. Only then did a jobsworth rock up and tell us we'd pitched in the wrong place and would have to move - did we? did we 'eck as like!

Expenses £
Petrol 4.00
Services 0.97
book 0.95

Expenses Francs
lunch on boat 26.00
dinner on boat 20.00
Cigarettes 4.00
Site fees 12.00