Wednesday, 8 September 2010
Wed 8th sept 2010
Well we're still here, by that I mean at the hotel! The AA assistance are now dealing with the garage (and getting equally frustrated, not answering the phone, 2 hour lunch breaks!). Yesterday we went for a walk through the village, had lunch sitting in the sun in a park near a school, brought back memories for Lynn! Had a lovely walk along a canal all the way back to the hotel. Sarah was convinced we were lost! Hopefully I'll add a photo! This morning we walked to the garage only to be told they had spoken to the "assistance" who would ring us, it was obvious the reception staff didn't want to tell us they still hadn't touched the van and weren't going to until tomorrow! The AA phoned and explained the garage would drop the fuel tank, drain and flush the system and hopefully that would do the trick! But not until tomorrow! Still we collected some fresh clothes from the van and made our way back to the hotel to book another night. The hotel staff have been great and made us a coffee to cheer us up! Thanks for sending the rain over Matt, still warm and looking brighter now so may go for a walk. Lynn and Sarah's french improving rapidly! I'm improving..........slowly! Keeping our fingers crossed for tomorrow, bye for now!
Sunday, 5 September 2010
Sunday 5th September 2010
Had a great few days in Paris. Managed to find our way in using bus, metro and not so fluent French! Friday morning we visited the masters in the Louvre- the Mona Lisa has a lovely smile but the Venus de Milo looks odd without her arm! We resisted spending along the Champs Elysees, 8.50 Euros for a diet coke!
On Saturday the bus driver actually understood us and we arrived in Paris in record time. As we had walked quite a way on Friday we decided to make great use of the Batobus. Loved walking around/ under the Eiffel Tower but couldn’t bring ourselves to go up. SO high! Had baguette lunch soaking up the sun near the tower and Sarah and I then did plenty of people watching while Rob practised his snoring techniques!
Sunday- sat on wrong train for ages while others went past (we weren’t the only ones!) Once realised mistake we managed to arrive in Paris for our last exploration. Had a good look around Notre Dame and enjoyed looking, or rather spending , in the small surrounding shops (Sarah and I couldn’t resist the ear-rings). Then we spent a leisurely time having Sunday lunch overlooking the Seine.
Now back in our room hoping that tomorrow we will have good news about “Bella” and that we will be back on our travels enjoying the great weather.
Not sure when we will next have internet access but we will continue our updates as soon as possible.
Lynn
xx
On Saturday the bus driver actually understood us and we arrived in Paris in record time. As we had walked quite a way on Friday we decided to make great use of the Batobus. Loved walking around/ under the Eiffel Tower but couldn’t bring ourselves to go up. SO high! Had baguette lunch soaking up the sun near the tower and Sarah and I then did plenty of people watching while Rob practised his snoring techniques!
Sunday- sat on wrong train for ages while others went past (we weren’t the only ones!) Once realised mistake we managed to arrive in Paris for our last exploration. Had a good look around Notre Dame and enjoyed looking, or rather spending , in the small surrounding shops (Sarah and I couldn’t resist the ear-rings). Then we spent a leisurely time having Sunday lunch overlooking the Seine.
Now back in our room hoping that tomorrow we will have good news about “Bella” and that we will be back on our travels enjoying the great weather.
Not sure when we will next have internet access but we will continue our updates as soon as possible.
Lynn
xx
Saturday 4th September 2010
Well its been an interesting few days! Not quite what we had planned! We got off to a good start on Wed (seems so long ago!) short drive to the ferry where we drove straight on to an earlier ferry, didn’t even get time to put the headlamp deflectors on. Said our farewells to England as the ferry left Dover, then had our last English Breakfast for a while, so made it a big one! Good crossing and no customs/Immigration at French end! Picked up the motorway to Paris and set off.
Made good time and decided to stop and fill up with diesel just outside Paris so we wouldn’t have to worry when we left. Pulled into service station and due to our height had to go to the lorry pumps. Found the ones marked Diesel and worked out how to operate the pump. It only put in 1/3 of a litre so we planned to move it to another pump. I began to move the van whilst Lynn went into the kiosk to explain. Big mistake! I pulled forward and the van coughed and died! Now between the pumps exit and their favourite parking places! We the found out the diesel was an organic version or something for some lorries! The garage staff were very helpful and called a mechanic who they said would suck out the wrong stuff and get us on our way. After 30mins a large recovery arrived and we explained the problem. Long story short, he did nothing for an hour and a half said someone else was coming to fix us. Then wanted 400 euros before rushing off to an accident! French lorry drivers getting really “peed off” with the stupid English blocking there route!
After a few mins another recovery truck arrived who spoke some English, we again explained the problem, he said it was very bad, couldn’t be fixed here and needed to go to a garage. He towed us, very slowly to his yard where we had trouble getting the van in, due to the low ground clearance! The owner agreed we would not have to pay for the first recovery driver, but charged us 500 euros for the second! We did argue but to no avail and speaking to the AA this is the going rate for anything our size! The AA aren’t allowed to operate on the motorways or service areas it’s only those garages authorised by the police!!!! They wouldn’t let us stay in the van in their yard so towed us back out and into a lorry park next door, where we spent the night.
Managed to get through to the AA who were great, but couldn’t do anything until the morning. Updates from them the following morning suggested we may have to wait two days for a specialist recovery truck! But in the afternoon the “competent” recovery driver returned and explained the AA had asked them to move us to the garage. Which he did again very slowly, but got us there in one piece. Relief!
The garage was a large IVECO dealership that specialises in Fiats and is authorised to work on motorhomes, great they know what they are doing! Really really helpful and friendly, but couldn’t do anything until Monday when the technician returns from holiday! Apparently the stuff we put in is “very bad” and all the injectors etc have to be checked! A French couple in there having their motorhome serviced offered to take us to a local hotel. They even called their daughter who teaches English. She interpreted for us and after grabbing a few things from the van we went in search of a hotel. The daughter found us a nice but cheap one! They couldn’t have been more helpful.
We decided that, as we were here, we would try and make the best of it and see Paris as planned, plus when we pick up the van and leave we want to head into the country for some peace and quiet ! The next instalment will be by Sarah about PARIS, and should be a more positive one and may even have some pictures!
Made good time and decided to stop and fill up with diesel just outside Paris so we wouldn’t have to worry when we left. Pulled into service station and due to our height had to go to the lorry pumps. Found the ones marked Diesel and worked out how to operate the pump. It only put in 1/3 of a litre so we planned to move it to another pump. I began to move the van whilst Lynn went into the kiosk to explain. Big mistake! I pulled forward and the van coughed and died! Now between the pumps exit and their favourite parking places! We the found out the diesel was an organic version or something for some lorries! The garage staff were very helpful and called a mechanic who they said would suck out the wrong stuff and get us on our way. After 30mins a large recovery arrived and we explained the problem. Long story short, he did nothing for an hour and a half said someone else was coming to fix us. Then wanted 400 euros before rushing off to an accident! French lorry drivers getting really “peed off” with the stupid English blocking there route!
After a few mins another recovery truck arrived who spoke some English, we again explained the problem, he said it was very bad, couldn’t be fixed here and needed to go to a garage. He towed us, very slowly to his yard where we had trouble getting the van in, due to the low ground clearance! The owner agreed we would not have to pay for the first recovery driver, but charged us 500 euros for the second! We did argue but to no avail and speaking to the AA this is the going rate for anything our size! The AA aren’t allowed to operate on the motorways or service areas it’s only those garages authorised by the police!!!! They wouldn’t let us stay in the van in their yard so towed us back out and into a lorry park next door, where we spent the night.
Managed to get through to the AA who were great, but couldn’t do anything until the morning. Updates from them the following morning suggested we may have to wait two days for a specialist recovery truck! But in the afternoon the “competent” recovery driver returned and explained the AA had asked them to move us to the garage. Which he did again very slowly, but got us there in one piece. Relief!
The garage was a large IVECO dealership that specialises in Fiats and is authorised to work on motorhomes, great they know what they are doing! Really really helpful and friendly, but couldn’t do anything until Monday when the technician returns from holiday! Apparently the stuff we put in is “very bad” and all the injectors etc have to be checked! A French couple in there having their motorhome serviced offered to take us to a local hotel. They even called their daughter who teaches English. She interpreted for us and after grabbing a few things from the van we went in search of a hotel. The daughter found us a nice but cheap one! They couldn’t have been more helpful.
We decided that, as we were here, we would try and make the best of it and see Paris as planned, plus when we pick up the van and leave we want to head into the country for some peace and quiet ! The next instalment will be by Sarah about PARIS, and should be a more positive one and may even have some pictures!
Thursday, 2 September 2010
Tuesday 31st August 2010
Just a quick thank you to everyone who braved the weather to come to the BBQ on Sunday! It was really great to see you all and make it such a special “Farewell”. I don’t know about you but I thought the boys did a fantastic job with the BBQ and enabled us to have a chat. Hope you all had enough to eat and drink, the beer in the barrels seemed very popular! Thank you so much for the gifts, we are enjoying the wine and the huge bag of sweets from Sandi & Ian was, according to the girls, a touch of genius! We must also say a big thank you to Mac for the loan of the Gazebo and all his help, it really was a life saver with the weather and great entertainment putting it up! All you need is a bottle of 57% single malt and it’s a piece of cake!! Whilst we’re saying thank you, we have to thank Peter and Rachel for the loan of their drive as well as Neil and Frankie for letting us store the van at theirs. It made life so much easier.
Well the day has finally arrived; Matt and I collected the van and filled her up with diesel, before taking her home to load the final bits and pieces. With all the storage space I didn’t think we would fill her but we have! The weather was kind for a change, must be the end of the school holidays! After spending the morning packing we took the first of our tour photos, said our farewells and began our adventure! All the way to darkest Kent! Found the campsite just past a pretty village and via some very narrow lanes! Arrived, chose our pitch, parked, turned the engine off and got the chairs out. Sitting in the sun with a beer within 5mins! This is the way to do it! With practice I think we can get this down to 3! Spent the afternoon planning our route to the Paris campsite, Lynn has promised me no “Arc de Tri”! Opened our prezzies, the photos are a brilliant idea and the books perfectly chosen! No wifi here so can’t update the blog or use skype, will try from Paris.
Well the day has finally arrived; Matt and I collected the van and filled her up with diesel, before taking her home to load the final bits and pieces. With all the storage space I didn’t think we would fill her but we have! The weather was kind for a change, must be the end of the school holidays! After spending the morning packing we took the first of our tour photos, said our farewells and began our adventure! All the way to darkest Kent! Found the campsite just past a pretty village and via some very narrow lanes! Arrived, chose our pitch, parked, turned the engine off and got the chairs out. Sitting in the sun with a beer within 5mins! This is the way to do it! With practice I think we can get this down to 3! Spent the afternoon planning our route to the Paris campsite, Lynn has promised me no “Arc de Tri”! Opened our prezzies, the photos are a brilliant idea and the books perfectly chosen! No wifi here so can’t update the blog or use skype, will try from Paris.
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