The Last Post

As we whistle through the French countryside on our way to Calais, attempting to catch the earlier ferry, it gives me time to reflect on the trip. Well, when I'm not hanging on for dear life with Eileen's London style driving or attaching the bungee to the gear stick that is. 

We started route planning for this trip as we returned on the ferry from the last one. Needless to say, the rough idea of that route changed a bit. No, actually it changed direction entirely. Several times. I had things that I really wanted to see and do. Roads that I really wanted to drive on. Oh well, they will still be there for future trips. 

There is a saying, "It is either a good experience....or it is a good story. ". I think that very much holds true from this trip. Yes, we've had the odd mechanical issue. We've found the odd slightly ropey campsite. All part of the rich experience of the trip though. Most of the campsites were excellent. The positives easily outweighed the negatives. My personal highlight was the Haro wine festival for its brilliant atmosphere and ridiculous wine fight. I think I'll be back there sometime. I hope so anyway. 

So, from Sully-Sur-Loire we drove north east. Eileen and I were in the slightly disconcerting green campervan of Sarah's (the green is disconcerting rather than the van, though Sarah can have her disconcerting moments too). Jezebel had chosen a different route, with Marc, Kath and Jayne, via central Paris. I've been there. It's great to visit, but I've climbed the Eiffel Tower three times now, Champagne sounded more appealing. 

We stopped with Jeff, Laine and their dog Ellie at a small bar in a small town on route for a coffee. Well, it was called coffee. More like a thimble full of black treacle. Eileen was more sensible and had the first beer of the day. 

Lidls in Epernay, the capital of the Champagne Region, was odd. I found it hard to believe a supermarket in Epernay sold absolutely none of the local produce ! We found a L'Eclerc that did though and stocked up on oysters, smoked salmon and steak as well. 

And so, the last night shenanigans. 

The fancy dress theme was 'millionaires'.

A tough one I'll admit, but we had an inventive lot in tonight. 

Champagne and beer flowed. Certificates were issued, speeches made, goodbyes said and at some point, after the noise police had made sufficient efforts to shut us up, we drifted off to bed. 

So, here I am, passing through the area of the Somme (another poignant European destination if you've never been) where there was so much bloodshed 100 years ago to the day. Already I'm plotting the next trip (or two). Where are we going, I hear you ask ? For Gods Sake ! How many times ? It's a mystery tour ! You'll find out the day before we get there ! 

I hope you've enjoyed reading the blog as much as I have writing it. I hope it has provided a good idea of what a Windy 500 Mystery Tour is all about. If you feel that you might be interested in the next one, if you think you have a sense of adventure, a sense of humour and a desire to fix unnecessary LED lights to an inappropriate vehicle of your choice and head off in to the unknown, well drop us a line or follow us on Facebook. We're always looking for fresh lunatics. 

It's been a blast. Signing off.  

Spooky

Buzzing

Sully Sur Loire. As the name suggests, it is on the bank of the Loire. Prime winemaking and Chateau building country. In fact there is one within view of the campsite. 

Around here the majority of the population live in Chateaux, have several acres of vineyard and go by the name Compte. The closest we have to aristocracy in the Windy gang is Compte Robin Mann in his mobile chateau Gilbert. 

Although the Justices do have a limousine and their chauffeur lives in servants quarters. 

This is our penultimate stop on this year's Windy journey and the weather is already becoming a lot more British. Drizzle and cooler temperatures acting as a taster for our return to reality. We are north of the Loire, which is virtually Blighty isn't it ?

Team Midlife Crisis and Team Mini have headed for the bright lights of a night in Gay Paris, skipping Sully Sur Loire entirely. We shall see them at the next stop. 

As for Team Jezebel (and the Little Green Bus and Team Flo), our first stop of the day heading north from Montpon was the town of Oradour. A place with a fairly gruesome history. In 1944, almost the entire village of 630 men, women and children were rounded up by the Nazis and slaughtered. The village was burnt. 

The village has been left as a memorial to the dead and to what man is capable of doing to his fellow man. 

Well, say this our first stop. Not technically true I guess. We had a mechanical failure in Jezebel, requiring some remedial work and ingenuity. The accelerator cable snapped. It's now held together with an electrical connector. 

Does the job ok. Hopefully it will get us home. 

Sully was also the last port of call for Team Haggis, Joel and Fraser. They have a ferry to catch from Amsterdam. I heard them leaving at around 5.30am. Should give them plenty of time to shop for local Amsterdam produce on their way through, assuming they need Edam cheese, clogs, unusual tobacco based products or latex. See you chaps, it's been a blast. 

So, a quiet night (apart from Team 9 and their mobile 80s disco and the Wales v Belgium match on my phone) sat around smoky fires to keep the mosquitos at bay, wine and rum the favoured tipples. Compte Robin and I, plotting ideas for an event in Blighty and planning the next stop on Le Tour De Windy. Epernay, in the heart of the Champagne Region. Well, where else could you finish a wine tour ? 

Drifting Away

From 15 teams who left England 2 weeks ago, we were temporarily up to 17, but over 24 hours two teams have left us and we are due to lose another one on Saturday morning. 

Nik and Gemma of Team 27 in their reconditioned air cooled T25 called Bob have been dragged away to a Chateau for a wedding. 

I think they've enjoyed themselves. They've visited two Formula One tracks in Monza and Monaco. We've shared a few beers, a few laughs and a few pickled eggs. Accidentally sent them to the fictional town of Steirscheisse in Germany and dragged them kicking and screaming around 10 different countries. Like bad pennies I expect they'll be back. 

The other team we lost were Ian and Ann. Carburettor issues meant they didn't feel that mountains or motorways would do them any favours. They were with us to Switzerland, then across the bottom of France and in to Spain, but the Pyrenees may have been a step too far. They drifted north in to familiar territory of France and should arrive home on Saturday. I hope they take some fond memories of fondue night under the North Face of the Eiger. 

As for the progress of the others ? Well, after 2 nights at Haro and having washed the majority of the wine out of hair and orifices, we had a long haul up north in to  France. Montpon near Bordeaux to be exact. Cracking camp site on the banks of the River Isle and a fraction of the price of the site at Haro.

A three course lunch on the way with wine, then a nap as Eileen took us on a dubious non toll route for the last hour or so.

I found some oysters for our evening starter. Now there is a puzzling creature from a theological perspective. If Mr Darwin is right, what on Earth has an oyster evolved from ? An animal who's sole existence is to filter poo and look like snot. But if the religious side are right, well what was God thinking when he made that one ? If Noah did get two on the Ark, wouldn't they just go off in the sun ? 

It was a relatively subdued night around the camp fires. Milly limped in a bit late due to a cracked part in their cooling system needing to be replaced. Team Swede linked up with us again after 3 days break with an exhaust and spark plug issue. 

We are heading north. The weather is cooling down. I'm led to believe it is raining in Blighty. Oh joy.