Since we started travelling in 2013 we have stayed in hundreds of places, so many that Google 'Mymaps' is now refusing to to include them all on one map. So I've split them up. Each stopping place has a brief review, most link to a longer blog post. Of course the older places' reviews are somewhat dated now, best to double check on Campercontact to read the latest visitor feedback.
Early Days
Our first trip in 2013 took us to to Disneyland Paris then onwards to Bavaria and Austria. We bought a van with a transverse double bed in the rear and a big over the cab bed in the front. Perhaps our off-spring might like to join us occasionally we thought. Our youngest tagged along on this trip on the basis we would include Disneyland Paris in the itinerary. She liked Disneyland but hated the motorhome.
Our first big trip - France, Spain and Portugal 2014 - 2015
We did not buy a motorhome in order take the odd trip to Europe - our plan was to travel for months on end. That had to wait until Gill retired. In September 2014 we set off on a slow trip around France and Iberia returning the following March. Somewhere along the road we changed; this was not a holiday, we realised that travel was becoming our way of life; time at home merely the bit in-between.
Spring 2015, A trip to the Moselle
Italy, Greece and Sicily 2015 - 2016
Our autumn journey down the length of Italy then around the Peloponnese was unforgettable. After flying home for Christmas we returned to Sicily and drove home very slowly, arriving back in late May.
A Trip to Ardennes - August 2016
After two months at home the dullness of the Pennines prompted a quick trip to Europe. The cycle trails beside the Meuse in the French Ardennes were a delightful surprise. Inexpensive aires and camping municipal equally so, proving you can, even in high season, find uncrowded places where it is possible to travel on a low budget.
Spain and Portugal, Autumn 2016
Leaving the UK in September then returning the following March, but flying home for a six week break at Christmas seemed a good compromise; it allowed us to wander through the most of winter months but still be around for a family get together in the holiday season. However, as Gill's dad became ever more frail it became clear that very long trips were no longer an option. We opted to return to Spain on the basis that if a crisis did occur Iberia was well connected to the UK by plane and ferry.
Languedoc and the Costa Brava, Spring 2017
In January 2017 Gill's Dad's health declined rapidly and he passed away a few weeks later. As well as being a very sad time it was also stressful - many months spent split between home and the Northeast to clear his house and sort out the estate. While we waited for probate to be approved we squeezed in a brief visit to Languedoc and the Costa Brava - we needed the break.
In January 2017 Gill's Dad's health declined rapidly and he passed away a few weeks later. As well as being a very sad time it was also stressful - many months spent split between home and the Northeast to clear his house and sort out the estate. While we waited for probate to be approved we squeezed in a brief visit to Languedoc and the Costa Brava - we needed the break.
France, Spain, Portugal - Autumn 2017
Circumstances conspired to make our planned trip to trip to Corsica and Sardinia impossible. We felt we had to be close to somewhere easy flights home while we waited for the house sale to be finalised - so back to Spain. Also, our daughter Sarah and her partner Rob had just given up permanent jobs in London to work freelance in Lisbon. A bold move. Heading back to Iberia meant that we could visit them. We complicated matters further by booking a long haul trip to New Zealand for the following January and February.
Corsica and Tuscany, late Spring 2018
About 10 days before we were due to fly to New Zealand we managed to complicate everything by swapping our motorhome for a newer model. It was sad to say goodbye to 'Maisy', but in the end reliability has to take precedence over sentiment. New Zealand was fabulous. Five weeks after our return, come the warmer weather. it was time to test out the new van. We decided to do part of the journey originally planned for the previous autumn. - a quick trip to Corsica, returning through Tuscany and Emilia Romagna. - highlights? The spring flowers of Corsica and the arcades and food markets of Bologna.
Portugal and Spain, Autumn 2018 - Spring 2019
The planning spreadsheet for our return trip to Greece was complete - this time overland through the Balkans. Then Sarah texted from Lisbon,' you must come and see our beautiful apartment, lets go camping together'... how can you say no? People matter more than places. Back to a winter journey with a Christmas break. Slow travel after the New Year; it took us 45 days to travel 450 miles from Malaga to Valencia watching springtime unfurl slowly as we sought quieter places among the Costas' sprawl.
Denmark, Sweden and Finland, Spring/Summer 2019
Finally, we resume our mission, to visit new places, for once heading north rather than towards the Mediterranean. Denmark came as a compete surprise - a truly delightful place. The Danes' welcome reminded us of the New Zealanders, the landscape was more familiar, reminiscent of Suffolk. In Sweden we headed east more than north ending with an unplanned foray into Finland - not the mainland but the Arland archipelago. We were lucky with the weather - day after day of sunshine.
Languedoc and the Costa Brava, Autumn 2019
Our long awaited dining room extension was scheduled to begin in October. We planned a short five week trip with our daughter and her partner to Languedoc and the Costa Brava. It was great. In the end an accident befell our builder and the project was postponed to next spring. Ah well, such is life.
Spain Portugal and France Jan/Feb 2020
With work not scheduled to begin on the extension until early spring we headed off for a couple of months chasing some winter sun. During the first half of the trip the news was all about Boris 'getting Brexit done'. Then stories began to appear about flu epidemics on cruise ships, then outbreaks in Spain and a few at home. A bit alarming, but it all felt quite distant and not an immediate threat. How wrong we were.
Elba and Tuscany amid a pandemic, Sept/Oct 2020
Was it safe to travel? We weighed the risks and decided to go, scaling back a planned trip to Sardinia to Tuscany and Elba.
2 comments:
Hi, just wanted to say that enjoyed the blog entry and studying the various maps.
We tend to not plan too much but have a couple of destinations in mind for a tour, each day we decide where to go, usually a plan A, B and maybe C and where to stop overnight. If the stop is nice then a few nights. Using bigger sites once a week for laundry etc..
Had planned on heading to Germany/Austria and maybe further about now, will have to wait till next year. So Wales and Northern England will be our destination when allowed and weather permitting.
Stay safe ..... oops Stay Alert!
Thanks,
I admire your spontaneity! I'm afraid I am a bit of a compulsive planner, though to be fair we don't always follow our plans to the letter. In particular we find pre-planning necessary when you are travelling in the South during the winter as sites can be few and far between. In France the new(ish) Camping car park app. is a bit of a game changer as features a network of aires which can be pre-booked on a smartphone and they are open all year. https://campingcarpark.com/en/map/.
You are right, it's not at all clear what the situation will be about spending time away from home over the next few months. In a sense we are lucky as we live in the Peak District so we have lovely places nearby. Still, we can't wait to be able to travel more widely. We are both smiling about Matt Hancock's comment this morning about 'lavish international travel' being impossible this summer. How exactly do you travel lavishly in a moho? It could be something we all can aspire to!
Anyway, glad you found the blog useful, wishing you and yours large dollops of alertness,
Pete & Gill
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