Ahhh, Paris.

Wednesday 25^th May – Fill It Up Jens

Welcome to my cool world by Mondo Rock could easily describe how cold the nights have been here at the Chateau. Our stay here has been great and it has been a fantastic base to explore the region from. The other bonus is that it cost only 60euro for our four night stay. One problem that we have to overcome is to fill Jens’ camper with fuel. There has been a major fuel shortage due to strikes by the union for refinery workers. This was evidenced by the long queues at those stations that still have fuel. There have been reports about fights breaking out as some people are beginning to panic.

We decided to push on and attempt to fill up if an opportunity arose. About 100km down the road there was a service station attached to a supermarket that was open for business. The queues were not too long so we pulled in to top up. I already had ¾ of a tank so I only needed 18.5euro worth of diesel. The irony was that the older lady who was in front of me topped up with 5euro or about 4 litres. There was a limit on how much you could purchase and Jens could only put in 19.5euro. Still it was a start and will definitely help the cause. Another 50km down the road and the same chain was selling so Jens bought another 19.50euro. Now he has half a tank and will probably start singing the old Hollies song, ”Gasoline Alley”. It was well after lunch and we were looking for a place to pull over when we spotted the same supermarket servo open for business. We pulled over in the car-park and prepared lunch while Jens joined the queue for fuel. He managed to get 30euro worth this time which gives him ¾ of a tank and a peaceful mind. While we were having lunch the chain went across the entrance to the servo as they had run out of fuel.

Over lunch we decided to push onto Versailles as it was just over 100km away. During the drive we have been pleasantly surprised by the amount of land that is turned over for farming and nature. About 40km from Versailles we found another servo on the highway that was open for business. We both topped up our tanks and probably have just enough fuel to reach Belgium if the fuel crisis worsens. There is a lot more traffic on the road as we are getting closer to Paris and it is close to 4:00pm. We have decided to stay at the Huttopia Versailles which is only 3km from the Palace. The campground is on the side of a hill adjacent to a forest which means that the sites are not what you would call level. We managed to get ourselves set up reasonably well however after the recent rain the sites are still damp and sticky. Our friends the mosquitoes are also out in force and over dinner which we took at a camp table quite a few of them were sent off to meet their maker.

Thursday 26^th May – Paris

After breakfast I took a walk to check out the local train station, Porchefontaine to try and work out how easy it would be to travel into Paris. One good thing I discovered was that the ticket machine had an English function and that it was 3.55euro for a trip into Paris. Back at the camp Jens has decided that after a bad night he is not up to a trip to the Palace of Versailles. Alice and I decided to go into Paris and check out the d’Orsay museum. Luck was with us as just after we purchased our ticket from the vending machine we heard a train pulling into the station. We sprinted up the steps and jumped breathlessly into the first carriage. As we took our seats I checked to make sure we were on the correct train, we were. Less than 30 minutes later we pulled into the Musee d’Orsay RER station and were in the queue to enter the museum. After clearing security we thought we would splurge out on a six day Museum pass. At 74euro each it will be good value if we decide to visit al the sites that are of interest to us. The other advantage is that you can queue jump with the pass and come in and out as many times as you want.

The museum is the home of France’s national collection from the impressionist, postimpressionist and art nouveau movements, spanning the 1840’s and 1914. It is housed in the glorious former Gare d’Orsay railway station, itself an art nouveau showpiece. The display is like a roll-call of Masters such as Van Gogh, Gaugin, Monet, Lautrec and Cezzane. For me the highlight was Van Gogh’s, Starry Night and self portrait. It was enough for me to start singing Don Mclean’s haunting song, Vincent. The collection is huge and we had spent a couple of hours inside and still had one more floor to go. The museum pass came in handy as we went outside for lunch and then returned to finish our visit.

Time was marching on but we decided that we could not head back to Versailles without embarking on a Seine River cruise. We walked up to Du Pont-Neuf which is near Notre Dame where we boarded a barge (12euro) for a one hour cruise. The young girl who was providing the commentary in French and English gave us a good description of all the sites and added her own comedic anecdotes. The Alexandre 111 bridge with the Paris coat of arms in the centre and gilded statues is the pick of all the bridges crossing the Seine. The barge turned around at the Eiffel Tower and Tassie jumped out of the bag for a photo opportunity. He really is into selfies! Our tour finished just after 5:30pm so we headed off in search of our RER station which thankfully was only a block away. There were a few trains leaving our platform that were heading to different destinations. It took a few minutes to decipher and we managed to choose the correct train and made it back to Versailles by 6:30pm.

It was nearly 7:00 when we arrived back at camp. Jens wasn’t worried however he was just about to make himself some dinner. No need to worry as the trusty Weber was brought out and soon in action. A couple of beers while I was cooking the beef and pork skewers was a nice way to end my first trip to Paris.

Friday 27^th May – The Louvre

Jens does not want to risk his health so Alice and I will travel into Paris again today. We are going to try and tackle the third largest museum in the world, The Louvre. Public transport should not be an issue however there have been indications that the railway workers may join the strike action. Finally, we got away around 10:30am and managed to catch the same train as yesterday. We must be experts now as we did not have to consult the map once for the entire journey.

The lineup for passing through security at the Louvre is quite long however we were able to join a shorter queue which took about 10 minutes as we had the museum pass. Once inside it was a little daunting due to the huge scale of the museum. Armed with a Louvre plan we went in search of a toilet and the recommended highlights for each section and floor. We were a tad confused as we could not even figure out what floor we were on. In the end we went forth into the unknown area of the Sully section. I figured out later that we were on the lower ground floor and that we had been following the wall of a Medieval moat. In the end we were following the signs that were directing us to Michaelangelo’s beautiful sculpture of Venus de Milo. After admiring the perfect lines of Aphrodite we moved onto another of his masterpieces, Captive (The Dying Slave) which I thought was more emotive. By this stage I was dying for a p… and for the life of me I couldn’t find a loo even though they were shown on the floor plan. After searching in vain for what seemed ages I finally located a set. They were difficult to spot as they blended seamlessly into the wall. There is no need to call me Kenny!

 There are three wings to the Lourve Museum, Denon, Sully and Richelieu and you just about need a cut lunch to traverse one floor. The museum curators are a crafty bunch as they have placed major works of art in each wing on every floor. We now had a purpose and decided to tick off the major works and along the way enjoy all the other offerings of the Lourve. We finished off the ground floor with a look at the statues depicting a Winged Bull that was framed by an archway. From here we headed up to the first floor and joined the masses who were trying to get a look at Da Vinci’s masterpiece, the Mona Lisa. We had a reasonable look but you could not get close due to the hordes of Chinese who want to take a selfie with every piece of art. Absolute chaos! On the Daru staircase the headless statue, The Winged Victory of Samothrace had the place of honour for another round of selfies. We finished off the first floor with a slow walk through Napolean 111’s apartments.

Lunch beckoned so we descended down to the lower ground floor for some respite. Over lunch we had an amiable conversation with an Indian Couple who hailed from Chicago. With lunch over we ascended to the second floor in an effort to see the rest of the highlights. Along the way we gazed at works from Rembrandt, Renoir, Monet and a Frenchman who went by the name of David. The major pieces of art on this floor was Gabrielle d’Estrees and Her Sister which was a little risqué for the time and The Turkish Bath by Ingres. By this time I was completely knackered and decided that I had enough art for one day.

A little tip if you are visiting the Louvre and want to reduce the queuing time for the security check you can enter via the underground shopping centre Carrousel du Louvre. The entrance is just to the right and left of the Arch which faces the Grand Pyramid.

We finished our day of with a leisurely stroll through the Tuileries Gardens. It is a significant green space and the gravel paths lead you past a number of ponds where you can take a seat and catch a few rays. It was a bit hot for us so we took the path less travelled and stuck to the edges of the path where there was some shade. We ended up at the Place de la Concorde where there is a huge Ferris Wheel which is flanked by Paris’ oldest monument. You guessed it, an Egyptian Obelisk dating from who knows when (3000BC) sits in the middle of the square and as an added bonus it can also tell the time. This sundial was purloined by Napolean when he ransacked Egypt. A walk across the bridge and along the left bank brought us back to the RER line. Within 10 minutes we were on a train and speeding back to Versailles, happy and tired.

Saturday 28^th May – Versailles Conga Line

Well today we are going to travel 3km down the road for a look at the Palace of Versailles and the Gardens. The guidebook said to avoid Sunday and Tuesday so at 11:30 we all hopped in the camper for the short trip. I had heard that you could park the camper in with the tourist buses and luckily this proved to be true. The 15euro cost was well worth it considering how close we were to the entrance. After clearing the first security line I could not believe the length of the queue waiting to pass through the security for entrance to the room of the palace. We took a seat near the entrance and contemplated going back to the campground. I could not imagine how busy Sunday would be. As I was bemoaning the length of the line a lady with two young girls took pity on us. She said that her husband was in the line and not far from the front and that we could join in with them. I was reluctant to begin with then thought what the heck as it was a chance to save us an hour. I thought that this nice person was French but her family was on holiday from Hungary. After we entered Alice and I thanked them profusely and then headed off to climb the first staircase. The only trouble was that there were hundreds of visitors heading in the same direction.

Work on the Chateau commenced in 1661 under the reign of Louis XIV and was the royal court from 1682 up until the fateful events of 1789. The revolutionaries massacred the palace guard and dragged Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette back to Paris, where they were ingloriously beheaded. That is what I felt like doing to the Chinese tourists that were blocking everybody’s path whilst they indulged themselves. I had to settle for photo bombing and physically lifting one lady out of my path. The grandeur of the rooms is ostentatious: frescoes, marble, gilt and woodcarvings with themes from Greek and Roman mythology. The only room where we had any space was the huge Battle room which is decorated with large paintings depicting victorious battles. All in all it was a disappointing visit due to the large number of visitors that are channeled into small viewing places. As Alice said it felt like we were in a huge conga line.

We did not visit the Gardens as there was a fountain show on today which meant another 9.50euro admittance fee. It was tempting however Jens was waiting outside and we could also see some large ominous grey clouds scuttling towards us. It turned out to be a good decision as it started to rain before we arrived back at the campground. Alice prepared a very late lunch while I secured the camper. Later in the afternoon we received a large downpour which was accompanied by a bit of thunder. It did however give us some time to do some planning for further visits into Paris over the next three days.

Sunday 29^th May – There Is Such a Thing as a Free Lunch

The French weather has decided to turn nasty. This morning our campground and most of Paris is shrouded in fog and the threat of rain is imminent. With our umbrellas in tow we caught a train that had us in Paris just before 10:00am. After alighting, it was Shanks’ Pony to the Musee Rodin about twenty minutes away. Rodin donated his entire collection to the French state in 1908 on the proviso that it dedicated his former workshop and showroom, the beautiful 1730 Hotel Biron to displaying his works. They are now not only installed in the mansion itself but also the rose-clambered garden. When we walked in the first statue we saw was “The Thinker” and thought what a place to contemplate his famous work. A great museum which takes around an hour to visit.

A short walk past the huge Army Museum which houses Napolean’s mausoleum brought us to one of the many Paris metro lines. In no time we were on the right bank and heading off in search of the Musee Picasso. Along the way we spotted a café doing a brisk business so we decided to try our luck with an early lunch. I grabbed an inside table while Alice bought a couple of rolls at the counter. Only problem was that it was table service however they were gracious enough to let us eat our purchase there. We ordered two cups of coffee which would have had my brother Edward scratching his head in disdain. The coffee itself was great however at $7.60 for a small lukewarm cup you could say it was a tad overpriced. It wasn’t a tourist rip off as the majority of customers were local. When we went to pay it was too difficult for them to work out how to add our lunch to the bill so they gave it to us for free.

The Picasso Museum has a collection of drawings, engravings, paintings, ceramic works and sculptures by the great master, Pablo Picasso. It is housed in the renovated mid 17^th century Hotel Sale. This is another collection that takes around an hour to visit. Some of his works I just don’t get and to me could have been the work of a child. For example some of his metal sculptures would look at home if they were placed next to one of those country letterboxes shaped like a cow or a pig.

With our visit over and a few spots of rain falling from above we headed off on foot in the direction of the Centre Pompidou. The centre makes a radical architectural statement and from the outside my immediate thought was that it was an active construction site. The museum itself houses the largest collection of modern art in Europe. Paintings by Igor Stravinsky, Matisee, Warhol and others lined the gallery walls. Again I just don’t get some of the modern art exhibitions. In one large room you walked to the centre on a boardwalk that resembled a jetty where you could watch fluorescent lights dim from one to another in a prearranged sequence. I have absolutely no idea what the artist was trying to convey. It is definitely worth a visit though if not for the paintings but the great panoramic view.

Alice thought she had enough energy to visit a couple of shops so I gave her twenty minutes of freedom and went grocery shopping. We met again opposite a fanciful fountain that had a heap of water based modern sculptures. As we walking to our next metro station I worked out that Les Halles roughly translated was a market place. We followed the signs and in front of us stood an edifice that should be a shoppers delight. I weakened and asked Alice if she would like to spend an hour here. To my everlasting surprise she said no as she did not have any energy left to shop. We ended up down in a metro maze and after a long walk found our line and travelled two stops to the left bank. We could not have timed our run more perfectly as we boarded our train within 30 seconds of arrival. On our walk back to the campground the rain started to get heavier. We no sooner had reached the camper when it came down in bucket loads.

Tuesday 10th May – TGV Disaster

Tuesday 10^th May – TGV Disaster

There is no action in the camp this morning as Lilian is preparing for her afternoon adventure on the TGV. We had prepared well and arrived at the station at 2:00pm. I dropped the girls off at the front of what looks like the entrance to an airport and went in search of an elusive car-park. After reversing out of a couple of boom gate controlled entrances and clutching a wad of car-park tickets I managed to find a spot at the rear of the station for short term parking. With yet another ticket I took a short walk and quickly found the girls. All the signage was in French but we found a board indicating Lilian’s train number and it matched her departure time of 2:46pm. When the train pulled in just after 2:40 I loaded her suitcase onto the train and watched her as she went upstairs to her allocated seat. The TGV pulled out promptly at 2:46pm and we waved to each other as it pulled out of the station.

Feeling satisfied we drove off to the hospital. After a fruitless search for a parking space we decided to find something off-site. We had a little bit of luck and found a spot about 1km from the hospital. When we arrived Jens was looking fine but had a pensive look on his face. He had just had a text from Lilian that stated “The ticket inspector says I am on the wrong train. This one is going to Paris and not the airport”. I can’t imagine how she felt as she is a stranger in a strange land and surprisingly very few people admit to speaking English. The only positive thing was that she was going to Paris where she could easily connect to the frequent Metro service to the airport or so we thought. On arrival at Paris she would have approximately 4 hours before her flight. The other piece of good news that we received from her was that a young Frenchman was going to assist her when they arrived in Paris.

I was beating myself up for putting her on the wrong train, how could I the Transport Planner have stuffed big time. It turned out that the train she was on was running ten minutes late and that her train would be following. All the announcements at the station were in French and in hindsight I should have checked with someone. I hope Lilian forgives me?

We stayed with Jens for another hour and he said that he would text us any news from Lilian. Back at the camper we waited patiently for any news but nothing was forthcoming. Apparently her troubles were not over as the station in Paris was being renovated and it was difficult to find the right platform. She followed the signage and four times she ended up back in the same spot. She was sweating profusely but eventually she teamed up with an American man and made it to the airport. Her troubles were not quite over as the security line was very long and it took her over 30 minutes to get through. Before we went to sleep we received the text that we had been waiting for – she was at the boarding gate. What should have been a relaxing journey for her had turned into a nightmare. So glad that she got through it.

Wednesday 11^th May – Check Out Time for Jens

After the trouble we have had finding a parking space at the hospital we decided to take the ferry over to Avignon. We decided to spend some time looking around prior to catching the bus to the hospital. Our first priority was to escape the drizzling rain and have a croissant and a shot of coffee. We ended up walking randomly through the pedestrian only laneways gazing into the multitude of shop fronts. At the Place Pie we found that the Halles Market was open so we went inside to see what was on offer. What a pleasant surprise it was as they were selling all manner of Provencal produce. Wandering through the various sections had my taste buds salivating. Needless to say we purchased a few products that should feed us for a couple of nights.

Over at the hospital Jens was sitting up and almost ready to be released. It is not a prison and he could have easily walked out without settling his account. They did have his contact details so we had to find a counter on the ground floor where he could pay. I went to reception and although there was a language barrier I managed to convey something which got us some assistance from an English speaking staff member. She was fantastic and her accent sounded like she was schooled at Downton Abbey. With her help Jens was able to pay his 990euro account for seven days accommodation and have all his records sent to Denmark. The cost of the stay was very reasonable considering the care and CT scan he received. I can’t imagine what this would have cost if it had occurred in the USA. We should have enlisted her help in organizing a taxi as this proved to be the most difficult part in getting Jens off the hospital premises. I had meanwhile caught the bus into Avignon to get Jens’ prescription filled and some much needed cash from the ATM.

The good news was that they eventually got a taxi and Jens managed to walk a considerable distance from the front gate to his camper. Hopefully this will continue to be the norm and he can finally enjoy himself. I know that he will miss Lilian’s company but Alice and I are not a bad support act.

Thursday 12^th May – On the Road Again

Well we are on the road again but it did not occur until about 11:30am due to our slow effort in packing up. After a week in Avignon it is time to say goodbye to what is a very beautiful town and camping area. We are going to travel on some minor roads to avoid the dreaded tollways and enjoy some of the French countryside. Our trip will take us north through the small towns of Bagnols and Barjac. There are plenty of roadside stalls selling fresh strawberries and asparagus and some of the scenery is breathtaking. One thing we have noted with the GPS is if you select the shortest route then there is a strong chance that you will be taken along some very narrow roads. At Barjac for example we were saved 200 metres off our route by being diverted through the centre of the old town. We just managed to get through.

We then travelled through Vallon-Pont d Arc where there is a plethora of camping grounds situated in close proximity to the river. Judging by the number of canoe operations there would appear to be a booming trade in river activities when the season warms up. Our destination is the Caverne Du Pont D’Arc which is situated on the Plateau du Razal about 10km further on from Vallon. The car-park had plenty of room for campers so whilst Alice was preparing lunch I went and bought our tickets (13euro)for the Caverne. I managed to secure a booking for 3:30pm which gave us plenty of time for lunch.

The good news is that Jens is able to join us for this excursion into the cave. Now here is the twist, it is not a cave but a replica not far from the original cave. I have to say that once we entered you felt that you were in the original cave. The paintings are said to be from the first artists in the history of humanity and have been carbon dated to 36,000 years ago. The detail in the charcoal paintings is amazing as they captured animals such as horses, rhinos, lions, mammoths, bears and bison in action and running. Given that we are in southern France Alice and I pondered the fact that lions and rhino were predominant in the paintings. There was plenty of walking involved and Jens pulled up fairly well after his excursion. He just has to remember the old nautical term “Dead slow ahead” and he should be fine.

As it was getting close to 5:00pm we chose to stay in Vallon at the International Camping Ground (23euro) on the banks of the L’Ardeche River. Sitting in our deck chairs, sipping wine and in my case guzzling beer as the river flowed swiftly below us was a great end afternoon. None of us felt like cooking so it was off to the restaurant for some steak and chips. At 9:30 we hit the sack and the last sound I heard was the thundering sound of the river as it crashed over the weir. It reminded me of the sound of crashing surf at Double Island Point, sweet memories.

Friday 13^th May – Aven d’Orgnac

We have really enjoyed this location so we have decided to stay an extra night and spend the day exploring the local region. About 20km away there is the Grand site Aven d’ Orgnac which is a huge limestone cave. Arriving just before 11:30 we were lucky enough to secure tickets for a tour at that time. Jens decided not to descend into the depths of the earth as there are over 700 steps. A lift has been installed that conveys visitors back to the surface. Did I say lucky our group consisted of another couple and about 30 excited school children. We descended down a flight of very wet steps to 55m where we could see the opening for the natural passage into the cave. It was discovered in 1935 by a team of speleologists led by Robert de Joly. We then climbed back up to 50m where we had an overall view of this huge chamber: it is 125m long and 90m wide, giving a surface area of over 1 hectare.

Our guide must have taken pity on us as he yelled out to the guide ahead of us if we and the other couple could join his English speaking tour. An affirmative reply was received so we quickly descended down to the next stop and joined his large group of two. This was an excellent result as the guide gave us some could information about the cave system. The formations in this section were formed by different flow rates and the best were a 10m tall ‘pine cone’ stalagmite and a ‘palm tree’ stalagmite more than 15m high. A series of stalactites and stalagmites grew together over time, forming a group called the ‘organ pipes’. In a niche there rests the funeral urn of the cave’s discoverer.

We descended down into another chamber and to a depth of 100m. There were formations of jellyfish and draperies which had a red colour and stood in strong contrast to the uncoloured white calcite. Our last stop in the third chamber was at a depth of 120m. Our guide promised a surprise and as we stood on a platform admiring the chamber he turned out the lights. It was pitch black and then we heard the strains of classical music before being treated to a sound and light show. It really highlighted the stupendous beauty of this natural spectacle.

Back on the surface we found Jens relaxing over a cup of coffee. He had spent his time visiting the Cite de la Prehistorie which was an exhibition of prehistoric man. It is an interactive display in French that take you on a voyage of 350,000 years. It is a good display which in English would have taken over an hour to visit. With the help of an English cheat sheet we sped through in 15minutes. After lunch we headed back to Vallon for a spot of shopping.

Alice and I decided on another drive which followed the route of the L’Ardeche River. There were some great views and we were constantly stopping to take photographs of the amazing scenery. After driving through a couple of tunnels that had been driven through the rock we came out at a fantastic site that lends its name to everything in the area. It is a natural limestone arch that spans the river and is simply called Pont d’ Arc. There were plenty of cars stopping in the car-park to get up close and personal with this natural phenomenon. We decided to continue on and after a series of switchbacks we were at the top of an escarpment. There was an opportunity to turnaround and after parking the camper we took in the panoramic view. Below us the river snaked its way through valleys and gorges, you could even see the bright shapes of the canoes that sped along on the current of the river. Going down was much easier than coming up as Alice wasn’t scared that I was going to drive off the edge.

Back at the camp we both raced into dynamic action. I quickly set up the camper while Alice started the preparation for tonight’s dinner. With the preparation done it was time to relax down by the river on our now dried deck chairs. The Weber was out and our pork filet and grilled vegetables were slowly roasting to perfection. A nice cheeky red that we had purchased earlier from the Lidl supermarket which seems to be modeled on Aldi complemented a great meal and the end to what was not a Black Friday.

Saturday 14^th May – Clermont – Ferrand

Today we are off to an early start and were travelling up route D579 just before 10:00am. Well by our standards it is an early start. I’m leading the way today and using old style navigation. Yes I am consulting a cartographers dream by using the road map of France. It is not a fast drive as there are heaps of roundabouts and small towns to drive through. It is like travelling between Brisbane and Sydney on the Pacific Highway prior to the bypasses being built. The road in general is following the river and passes signage indicating that there is no shortage of camping spots in this area.

After about one hour we took national road N102 and continued our journey north. It is interesting to note the different stores as you pass through the towns. Most have a patisserie, small fromage and a butcher. The butchers tend to cater for different types of meat. For instance if you want pork look for a picture of a pig and the large range of hams hanging in the window. At one of the legume stores Alice loaded up with fresh asparagus and sweet strawberries. The scenery however on this section of road was the highlight, mile after mile of jaw dropping landscape. The road continued to climb through a series of switchbacks which kept our Fiat in third gear. Near the summit there was a small waterfall which indicated that this was the source of the L’Ardeche River. Not long after this we emerged onto a plateau where we took a break for lunch. There was an abandoned restaurant nearby that had promised a Montana style dance. The epitaph for the restaurant should have read, American mid west comes to France and dies a natural death. As is always the case all the rest stops after ours were fantastic and sported picnic tables with great views. The countryside which is very green is awash with dairy farms and very fat, contented cows.

The last 50km of the journey was on the motorway and for once it was devoid of tolls. Our destination of Puy de Dome which is an old volcano is a little southwest of Clermont-Ferrand. We have chosen a site called Camping Indigo Royat (22.5euro). The facilities here are excellent and Alice is looking forward to a long hot shower. She wasn’t disappointed and even managed to wash and blow dry her hair. The little things do make a difference. Dinner tonight was again cooked on the Weber and the hamburger patties that we had purchased at the market in Avignon were delicious. The cold was starting to set in and I needed to don my parka whilst slaving over the barbeque. I watched in amazement as a young French girl clad in shorts and singlet happily played boule.

Sunday 15^th May – Bourges

I think last night would have been the coldest so far on the trip and this morning it is a chilly 8 degrees. Alice bless her heart has come to the rescue and made us all a spinach omelet. Jens is still feeling good and is raring to go on the next leg to Bourges. At the front of the park I was waiting on Alice and Jens to come out and lead the way. The camper soon appeared and pulled over in front of me. A couple of minutes later they started off and I dutifully followed. At the first intersection Alice came on the walkie talkie and instructed me too turn right. I replied that Jens had his left indicator on so when the light turned green I followed him left. Alice came on and said I told you to turn right. I was perplexed and couldn’t figure out why she was giving me these counter intuitive directions when I was right behind them. She gave me another instruction to take a particular exit at the next roundabout to which I agreed. Halfway down a steep hill the penny dropped, I was following the wrong camper and in the rear vision mirror there was Alice and Jens. I have been following him for nearly 4000km so I should know his camper is white and has bicycle racks. To add insult to injury the van I was following was grey with no racks. I’m lucky they came out of the park when they did or who knows where I would have ended up. The upside was that we did get a scenic tour of Clermont-Ferrand.

We made it out to the motorway and after about 10km the dreaded “T” word appeared, Tollway. After getting our ticket we spent the next 170km travelling at a comfortable speed towards the Bourges exit. The countryside is still green but it is mostly farming pastures. At the toll booth exit I had trouble once again. My credit card just would not work, after trying all combinations several ways and in two different slots. In the end I stuffed a 50euro note into the poker machine slot and was rewarded with 17.20euro in coins. Jackpot, the boom gate lifted and we were on our way to the Robinson Camping Ground. For 21.62euro a night this is a cracker of a campsite. The sites are wide, well planned out and close to a very clean amenities block. The real bonus is that it is only 1.5km to the city centre.

After a late lunch we all piled into our camper and drove a short distance to a large parking lot adjacent to the city centre. From here it was only a short walk to the main attraction, the Cathedral St. Etienne. As the symbolic figurehead of Capetian France against rival Plantagenet occupations in the south, The Cathedral of Bourges had to be a unique and grandiose monument. The Master of Bourges chose a floor plan without a transept and plastic effects that were revolutionary for the time. We had a tour inside and had the pleasure of listening to a singer whose voice was enhanced by the great acoustics. The stained glass windows were works of art and the huge organ dominated one end of the cathedral, the widest in France. Next to the cathedral is the Archbishop’s 17^th century garden with flower beds and immaculate borders. The weather was good so there was plenty of activity with children playing on the merry-go-round and adults sipping coffee and beer near the music pavilion.

We did not have a lot of time so to explore the old city quickly we boarded the “Petit Train” for a 45 minute excursion. The route took us past the majority of the attractions and the English audio guide explained the history. One of the highlights was travelling down Rue Bourbonnoux whose timber framed houses date back to 1487. It is a charming district with old book shops and antique dealers helping to preserve the medieval air of this street. There were Gallo- Roman ramparts, palaces and squares for us to admire. With our tour over Jens decided to take a coffee in the square as he declined to join us in a jaunt to climb the north tower of the cathedral. It was a good decision as the spiral staircase had 396 steps and rose to a height of 66 metres. The north tower was nicknamed the “Butter Tower” as it collapsed in 1506 and had to be rebuilt. I was out of breath when we emerged on to the rooftop but the view of the City made the effort worthwhile. We could even see Jens who was now sipping a beer.

It was getting late in the afternoon so we headed back to the camp ground and the last of the sunshine. When the sun was out my jacket was off but as soon as it disappeared there was a dramatic drop in temperature. On and off, on and off seemed to be the norm for my jacket this afternoon. Alice is having a wi-fi fix and after a beer Jens joined her. Me on the other hand braved the elements and sipped on a couple of cold Heinekens.

Monday 16^th May –  Villandry Chateau

Jens’ wi-fi time has been put to good use as he has found what appears to be a good campground on an island on the La’ Loire River about 250km away near Saumur. We are heading towards Tours and will take some minor roads to avoid the tolls and enjoy the scenery. Just prior to our departure we struck up a conversation with an Indian gentleman from Keil in Germany. He was a real character and said if he had known that there were fellow travelers from the Commonwealth then he would have been over for a beer. He was travelling towards Tours later in the morning and as we were going in the same direction he strongly suggested that we visit the Chateau and Gardens at Villandry.

With this in mind we set off on our journey that was supposed to avoid the tollway. Would you believe Jens did not set the nav man correctly and as a result we were back on the dreaded tollway. This time at least we were only on for 60km but that still cost 9.10euro. Once again I had trouble, this time it was Alice’s credit card that caused me grief. We had a few coins left over from yesterday’s debacle which was enough to open the gate to freedom. Once we were off the tollway it was a relaxing drive that took us past vineyards, farmland and through many small towns. In the distance we would occasionally spot the remnants of old buildings and chateaus. We did stop to try and buy some supplies but all the stores were closed after 12::30pm. About an hour later we pulled into Villandry and judging by the number of visitors it was a place that should not be missed. For 10.50euro each Alice and I were granted the pleasure of visiting the chateau and extensive gardens.

We took the suggestion of the ticket seller and did a tour of the chateau first. Villandry was built in 1536 and many of the 14 rooms we visited have been restored to their original elegance. The highlights for me were the art gallery which holds a good collection of Spanish art from the 17^th century. Most of the paintings on display are of religious works. The other highlight was the keep. After climbing the steps which have a slant of nearly 30 degrees you are rewarded with a birds eye view of the gardens, as well as a panoramic view of the valley.

After exiting the chateau we spent a delightful hour in the magnificent gardens that were restored by Joachim Carvallo in the early 1900’s. You could easily spend a couple of hours here looking at the many of the features including the ornamental, sun, water, herb gardens as well as the maze. We enjoyed the vegetable garden which is made up of nine squares of equal size but with different geometric patterns in each. The squares are planted with vegetables of alternating colours (the blue of the leeks, the red of the cabbages and beetroot, the jade green of the carrot tops) to create the illusion of a multi-coloured chess board.

After our tour we found Jens sipping a cup of coffee at a table on a narrow footpath. We could have stayed the night here as it is a free camp however Jens is out of gas which means he cannot cool the refrigerator or heat water. We decided to stick to our original plan and travel down the road for another 55km to Saumur. This section of the drive was excellent as we mostly followed the very wide Loire River. I suspect that flooding is an issue here as the road was built on top of a huge levee. There were many beautiful stone houses nestled below the protecting hulk of the levee. Just after 5:00pm we came to the outskirts of Saumur and crossed a bridge which deposited us on an island. We are staying at the rather hippie sounding Flower camping Ile d’ Offard which is supposed to be a four star park. We took a site for 19euro a night which has all you need, close to the swimming pool and the amenities block. For a couple of euro more we could have taken a site which would give us a view of the river and the imposing chateau on the far bank.

Avignon, City of the Popes and Hospitals

Wednesday 4^th May – Avignon, City of the Popes

Jens is a little better this morning so we bid him adieu and took a short walk down to the Rhone. It is a bright sunny day but the wind is still howling. There is a free boat shuttle that operates from Barthelasse Island where we are staying to the promenade beneath the city walls. After navigating our way through the narrow streets we emerged into a large square, the Place Du Palais.  Adjacent to the square was the imposing Palace of the Popes. It is the largest Gothic Palace and was home to the Sovereign Pontiffs in the 14^th century. The tour was one of the more enjoyable ones so far on this trip. The crowds were low so we could take our time and get a good feel for all of the 25 rooms including the chapel, cloister, ceremonial rooms and private papal apartments with faded but priceless frescoes. We finished the tour with a trip up to one of the castle towers which gave us a great view of the old city of Avignon.

The tummies were rumbling so we took lunch at one of the many restaurants that cling to the edge of the rectangular Place De L’Morloge. The mixed grill and omelets were just what we needed to fuel us for the remainder of the afternoon. We took a good ramble around the pedestrian only cobblestoned alleys and saw plenty of old churches. There were also plenty of restaurants doing a reasonable trade. The more busy streets were lined with high end fashion stores such as Zara, Jennyfer and Hermes. Lilian decided she had seen enough and went back to Barthelasse Island to spend time with Jens.

Alice and I climbed a few steps and visited the Cathedral adjacent to the palace. The frescoes on the roof were great but the stained glass windows were outstanding works of craftsmanship. Afterwards we continued our upward journey to the highest point of the old city, the Rocher Des Doms. I have no idea what the translation means but it is a beautiful garden that was commissioned by one of the popes. It is a tranquil location and there are of course great views looking out over the Rhone Valley.

One of the last sights we visited for the day was the Pont Saint-Benezet which is a major part of Avignon history. The bridge was built in the 13^th century and has been damaged several times by floods of the Rhone River. It was rebuilt several times up to the 17^th century. The stone bridge still continues to stand the test of time by jutting out halfway into the fast flowing Rhone. About a third of the way out there is a small chapel that you can visit. After our tour we decided to take a punt and try a river cruise on one of the grand boats of Provence. We had no idea where they departed from so we headed off in the direction where some river-cruise boats were tethered to the bank. It turned out to be a good choice as all the boats depart from Allees De L’oulle. We made it just in time to catch the 4:15pm departure (9euro) for a one hour outing. On another boat a disco cruise was just finishing. The empty wine bottles on the table and tired looking septuagenarians who could not get up and dance to the strains of Patrick Hernandez belting out “Born To Be Alive” was testament to a great afternoon out. We on the other hand boarded our slightly older vessel and headed up river to the accompanying smell of diesel fumes that were soon carried away on the back of the wind. Our cruise took us past the base of Pont Saint-Benezet and the Rocher des Doms gardens before heading downstream to Fort Saint-Andre and Philip the Fair’s Tower. The English audio guide which was free gives you some good information about the river and the sights. It was a great little detour but we were slightly envious of those souls who were ensconced aboard those luxurious riverboats. We caught one of the last ferries back to the island and rejoined Jens and Lilian.

Thursday 5^th May- Blazing Sirens

It is another beautiful day but not unfortunately for Jens. He had a bad night and this morning he is having even more difficulty breathing. It is impossible for him to even manage a few steps without gasping for air. We have made a decision to try and get a doctor to visit him at the camper. I went off to reception to try and organize some help for him. Even with the language issues I was able to convey the seriousness of the issue. The staff were very understanding and contacted a doctor (I think). With sign language and the help of the female manager we figured out that the doctor needed to ask Jens some questions rather than getting it secondhand through me. The manager came with me to the camper and acted as a translator between Jens and the doctor. The conclusion was that an ambulance would be called to transport him to the hospital. Fifteen minutes later the manager was guiding the ambulance to the camper and once again assisted with translation. I have to say that without her help we would have been up the creek. The three strapping para-medics took one look at him and could see that he was not well. After strapping him in a wheelchair they carried him to the ambulance. I accompanied him and with sirens blaring we headed off through the streets of Avignon to the hospital. Fifteen minutes later Jens was wheeled into emergency and I was wheeled into the waiting room.

Around 11:00am I was able to speak to a male nurse who had some English. He told me that Jens was on oxygen with medicine and it would be about 4 hours before I could see him. I decided to work out the public transport from the hospital and take a trip into the old town for lunch. When I found the bus stop I figured out that I could catch the route 2 and 6 from the hospital for the princely sum of 1.30euro.  I was a bit lucky as a number 2 bus turned up unexpectedly. Would you believe it today is a public holiday celebrating the end of World War 2 and of course the route 6 isn’t operating and route 2 is on a 50 minute headway. The driver was very helpful and pointed out where to get off and catch a return bus. Given the limited headway I took the precaution of checking the timetable for the bus back to the hospital.

I wandered around the old town for a bit hoping that I might run into Alice and Lilian. No luck with that but I suspect that we crossed paths a few times. I ended up settling on a restaurant in a square lined with trees and restaurant tables. The salad and white wine was just what I needed after such a hectic morning. I was just finishing off my wine when I felt something wet on my head. When I touched it my fingers came away painted white and green with pigeon poo. I looked up and there perched on a light pole was the rear end of a large grey pigeon whom I could swear was cooing with delight. As I finished wiping the mess from my balding scalp I could see some couples at another table grinning in my direction. It also brought a smile to my face for the first time today.

I caught the bus back to the hospital and was eventually allowed in to see Jens just before 4:00pm. He was sitting up in bed hooked up to oxygen and a drip, looking a lot better than this morning. After storing his clothes, setting up his phone and chatting for a bit it was time to catch the 5:10pm bus back to the City. It is about a twenty minute walk across the old town to the ferry and I made it in plenty of time before the last departure at 6:15pm.

After such a hectic day we decided to have a meal at the camping ground restaurant. The waitress had a bubbly personality and made up for the short comings of the meal.

Friday 6^th May – Visiting Hours

Jens is a new man now that he has access to his mobile phone. Lilian has been bombarded with requests and instructions and as a result I have a full backpack of goodies to deliver. Just before we left he advised us that he had been moved to another room. What room, I guess we will try and figure that out when we arrive.

It isn’t public holiday today so there are plenty of trips on the two routes travelling to the hospital. We arrived just after midday and alas the reception counter was unattended. Lilian found a ticket machine and after a couple of minutes we were called to a counter. The gentleman who attended me was kind but unable to understand English so he asked one of his female colleagues to help. After a few minutes she was able to give us Jens’ new room. When we got there he was with his doctor having a consultation. I was allowed in as I had his bag which was full of his medicine. This was handed to the doctor who must have gotten writer’s cramp as she catalogued his prescription medicine. After the doctor left we all sat around his bed and discussed his health and general business. He is still on oxygen and now has a drip feeding him penicillin. On Monday he is scheduled for a chest scan so that means that Lilian will have to take the TGV train to Paris. After annoying Jens for a couple of hours we left him to his own devices.

Back in the old town of Avignon prior to taking a late lunch in the main square I managed to purchase Lilian a train ticket (90euro) on the TGV from Avignon to Charles De Gaulle airport. Given the time of day there were not many tourists in the restaurants. We chose one that had a reasonable menu and were soon scoffing down a very good salad and some pasta. Our campervan supplies are running low and luckily Alice spotted a supermarket that was cleverly hidden next to a McDonalds. When we descended into the store we were hit with a blast of cold air. The air-conditioning was set at a temperature to make an Eskimo shiver or to get you out of the store quickly. In our case that is what happened, Lilian and Alice motored around the aisles in record time. Time was marching on and by the time we had caught the ferry it was nearly 6:00pm.

After the late lunch all we needed was a light meal and a glass of wine. Lilian whipped up some Bruschettas which we complemented with a couple of cheeses.

Saturday 7^th May – Wine and Culture Tour

I bid the girls farewell just before lunch as I am off to visit Jens for the afternoon. They are off on a wine appreciation tour and a trip through the countryside to Orange in the heart of Provence. They visited a large Imperial Roman Theatre, built in the first century under the reign of Augustus. The amphitheatre is still used for performances. Beside the theatre there is also the magnificent ruins of a temple where Romans used to worship their Emperor. Their trip was rounded off with a visit to a chocolate factory. Judging by the bag full of chocolate treats that Alice brought back, I would have to say that they enjoyed it.

My trip to the hospital is getting to be straight forward as there are plenty of buses on a Saturday. Jens is looking a lot better but he is very tired. It isn’t from his illness but from a patient in the next bed who would be your worst nightmare in a public hospital. Apparently he screamed for most of the night and kept the nurses on their toes. Jens thinks he managed about three hours sleep. The only problem is that he has slept most of the morning. Whilst I was there I witnessed about three episodes where he started yelling for people like his Mama. Good luck tonight, Jens! We chatted for a while but Jens lost concentration when he was given authority for internet usage. Only problem was that he could not decipher the internet code. It was eventually solved when we got a doctor to translate the document. In the end all Jens had to do was send me down to reception and they would give me the codes. By 2:15pm Jens was surfing the net and looking like he had just had a fix of cocaine, a very happy patient. I stayed for a couple of more hours before catching the route 6 back to the old town.

I picked up some supplies, including beer, for dinner tonight. With a heavy backpack I decide to visit the Petit Palais Museum. Due to the lateness of the day there were only a couple of people in the museum. In fact there were more staff than visitors.  The museum has an outstanding collection of Italian and Provencal paintings from the late 13^th to the early 16^th centuries. As you move through the various rooms you can see the style of the paintings subtly evolving. The major theme is of course religion and Mary with her Infant takes centre stage. In the early rooms there is a good collection of Romanesque and Gothic Avignon sculptures.

I just missed the ferry and was the last one allowed on when it returned for another crossing. Alice and Lilian returned from their tour around 6:30pm. I was in charge of dinner tonight so the Webber was dragged out, hamburgers with roasted vegetables was the Chef’s choice.

Sunday 8^th May – Pont du Gard

This morning we have decided to start the camper up and take a 25 km drive to visit the Unesco World Heritage site of Pont du Gard. I had a rough idea which way we had to travel but I trusted the GPS to do the job for me. Instead of taking me on the faster highway route it saved me a few hundred metres by taking me through the suburbs that had more speed bumps than a street that has been traffic calmed by the Brisbane City Council. Eventually we pulled into the parking lot (18euro for a car and five passengers) and took the short 400 metre walk to view this three tiered aqueduct. It was once part of a 50km-long system of water channels and built around 50AD to transport water from Uzes to Nimes. The engineering is audacious and the scale huge: 48.8m high, 275m long and graced with 35 precision-cut arches. Each block was carved by hand and transported here from nearby quarries and some of the largest blocks weigh over 5 tonnes – no mean feat. The river which the bridge crosses is crystal clear and ideal for swimming in the summer months. We took a walk over the bridge to get a feel for the scale of it and then took a walking trail that winds upstream. It takes you through typically Mediterranean scrubland and offers some of the beat bridge views. There was also a 50 metre long tunnel that had been hewn by hand through the mountain.

Back behind the wheel again and we set the GPS to take us to the Avignon TGV station and then the hospital. This was a trial run so we knew what to expect when we drop Lilian off. For once everything went smoothly. Jens had been moved to another room just after midnight as his bed mate was playing up again. He had been given a few sleeping tablets but they only slowed him down temporarily. From what Jens said it was a hectic few hours. He is looking good but it is still too early to tell if he has shaken off what is ailing him. Around 3:00pm the nurses moved him to another room where he gets the prime position next to a window that has a decent view of a park. Jens has nothing but compliments for the professionalism and kindness of the nurses and doctors.

We eventually left and headed down to the car-park for the short trip back to the camping ground. The GPS took a route that looked dubious to me but I followed it until we reached the city walls. When it told me to turn right into the old city I ignored the so and so as I knew what that honeycomb of narrow lanes would do to the auto-camper. It kept trying to turn me into the City and I kept on ignoring it. By sticking to my guns I eventually found a bridge that would take us onto Barthelasse Island and the camping ground.

It looks like II am in charge of preparing dinner so the Masterchef is whipping up a signature dish, Spaghetti Bolognaise. Just before dinner we received the first sprinkles of rain that has been predicted for the next couple of days. The meal of course was delicious.

Monday 9^th May – Nimes

As predicted the weather today is overcast with intermittent showers. Nevertheless we thought a trip to Nimes which is 55km south would be worth the effort. We set off a little after 10:00 and by ignoring the Nav B… made very good time to Remoulains before diverting off to Nimes. On the outskirts of this rather large City I keyed in the Costieres Stadium which is supposed to be good for Campervan Parking. There is also a trambus (about the size of an articulated bus) that we can catch right to the Roman Arena. Only problem with this idea is that most of the parking was taken up by a large market and the only area had a high boom gate which was okay for cars but would have taken the roof off the camper. I ended up mounting the footpath and executed a pretty reasonable ‘U’ turn. We had to continue down the road to find a roundabout to head back out again. There was a roundabout however there was a large shopping centre on the right so I parked up on a clear piece of bitumen whilst the girls attacked the shopping centre. 

Eventually they emerged with a trolley full of goodies which included a carton of Heineken beer. One thing about the beer over here is that it is generally sold in a 250ml bottle. It would be interesting to know the reasoning behind this. Anyhow it is past lunch but we don’t want to have it in this particular car park as the spaces are filling up quickly. There is no time left to visit the Roman Arena so we hit the road and headed towards Avignon. About 10km out of Nimes we found a good spot to pull over for lunch. After a bite to eat we hit the road again and I was pleasantly surprised to see a lot of other campers pulled over for lunch.

When we reached the hospital I thought like Sunday that there would be plenty of options for parking. No way, it was like trying to get a park at Garden City to buy your Christmas presents. Given our size I didn’t even try to hang around the lot in the hope of snagging a spot. I dropped the girls off and headed up the road to look for a quiet spot. I found it on the edge of a cycle-way, outside the auspicious doors of a crematorium. At 4:00 I picked up the girls who gave an update on Jens. He is now off the oxygen but is still taking soluble penicillin that he says tastes like sh… His chest x-ray is now scheduled for tomorrow afternoon so we don’t expect him to be released for at least a few more days.

I decided to try a new tactic with the GPS and entered a furphy address to get me to the bridge which will give us easy access to the campground. In the end I ignored most of the directions and had a hassle free trip back. Dinner tonight was grilled asparagus, potato and pork schnitzel with a béarnaise sauce. The food was excellent however the girls turned their noses up at the sauce.

Venice to Avignon

 Sunday 24th April – A Night At The Opera

At around 5:00am I was awoken by the steady staccato of rain hitting the roof of the camper. When I hopped out of bed a couple of hours later it was still belting down. We are in no hurry as who wants to spend all day in the rain in a city that is already floating on water. At around 9:45 am we headed out for the bus. Of course of all days the bus is running late and I have to buy our one way tickets at the next bus station. When the bus finally arrived the driver informed me that I should have bought my 1.30euro tickets from reception but he could sell me one for 2euro. You live and learn. We arrived at the bus station after the scheduled departure time of the next bus. It had waited but unfortunately we were the only ones without an onward ticket. After purchasing our tickets we waited in the warmth of the very comfortable terminal and were on our way 20 minutes later. When a bus is late the trunk-feeder network always goes to the dogs. The rest of the trip into Venice went without a hassle and we arrived just after midday.

There has been no respite from the rain but the queues for all the major sites are lined with anxious visitors clothed in parkas and ponchos with umbrellas ready to take an eye out. Alice and I went in search of our 165euro hotel, I had to tell you which is located somewhere behind the Basilica. We new that we were close but we could just not find it. Eventually, a friendly waiter pointed us to a door in a back alley which had a very nondescript sign proclaiming that it was the Ca La Bricola 2. After buzzing the door we were let inside and found the manager waiting for us two doors up. He signed us in and showed us our room which I must say is fantastic. Check-in is not for another two hours and the room is not ready however he has kindly allowed us to leave our bag whilst we go out exploring.

After some lunch we decided to purchase a pass for 4 museums around Piazza San Marco. The kind girl thought I might pass for 65 so she sold me a discounted ticket for 12euro. Alice who is forever young had to pay 19euro. We decided to escape the rain and visit the Museo Correr corner which is actually three museums in one. It is situated in the ex-royal palace in St. Marks Square and includes the Napoleonic Wing and the Procuratie Nuove.The first section was the beautifully decorated rooms that have been faithfully restored. The other exhibits were in the Museo Archeologico Nazionale and Sale Monumentall della Biblioteca. I was fascinated by the number of ancient manuscripts and the intricacy of the carved ivory objects. There were whole sections of statues, busts of some noblemen, coins and of course art work. Time was marching on and in the end we sprinted through the last sections giving them only a cursory glance.

We headed back to our hotel through labyrinthine alleyways which exude a unique, almost eerie atmosphere, redolent of cloaked passions and dark secrets. That must be my imagination as we are still dodging puddles and umbrellas. Up in our room we have a couple of hours to relax before heading out to watch a performance of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. First things first, Alice has sent me on a mission to find some Proscecco as she wants to truly relax whist taking a spa bath. And so it goes, happy wife – happy life. The mission was successfully accomplished so I can now relax with a tallie of Birra Moretti with a ham and brie cheese roll.

It is now 8:00pm so we are off for a Night at the Opera (really a Concerto). Unfortunately, The Marx Brothers and Queen will not be present for this performance I the wonderful main hall of the Scuola Grande Di San Teodoro. We have booked tickets (38euro) for the front section but seating is for first come, first served. When we arrived just after eight there was already a good line up but we still managed to snag a seat in the third row. Alice was happy as there were two children in front of her which gave her an uninterrupted view of the stage. The main hall is adorned with paintings from the 17th and 18th century by Bassano, Balestra and Vassilacchi. The concerto began on time and the performers who were all women were dressed in 18th century Venice costumes. The second number that they performed was one of Jemma’s favourite pieces – J. Pachelbel, Canone. She would have loved seeing it performed in such a setting. After the interval the main male artist took the stage to perform Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni. He really was a virtuoso, the speed that his fingers moved over the violin made lightning look like it was standing still. This section took about 45 minutes but the time just flew by. If you have never listened to the Four Seasons by Vivaldi – Do yourself a favour and just do it.

It was a little after 10:00 so we decided to take a walk down to the square and see what it was like without all the people milling around. It was not quite a huge empty place as there were still a few night owls out and about. Over near the Basilica we could see water slowly rising around the outside. The tide had not broken the banks but it appears that the water comes up through the paving stones surrounding the Basilica hence the use of the raised platforms. We finished up a wonderful day that has seen the rain disappear for the present with a glass of wine and late night snack. Very hedonistic!

Monday 25th April – Palazzo Ducale (Doge’s Palace)

After a very sumptuous continental breakfast with excellent coffee we retired to our room to pack our bags for a 10:00 departure. Fortunately, we can leave our bags at reception which gives us some more time to explore. The queue outside the Basilica was quite short so we jumped at the opportunity to go inside. Well that was a waste of time as all we did was go in and out of the two front doors. We did manage to have a quick glimpse of the vaulted ceiling in our two minute visit. It turns out that our visit to Venice did not only coincide with rain but also a long weekend. Today is St. Marks day and the church is closed for holy business.

We have a jump the queue ticket for the Palazzo Ducale so we headed next door for a gander at what was formerly the Doge’s residence and the seat of Venetian government. They say that the Palace is the very symbol of Venice and is a masterpiece of Gothic architecture. The outside of the building is adorned with sculptural decoration from different periods. The interior with works by artists such as Titan, Veronese and Tiepolo covered the walls and ceilings of the many rooms we visited. Alice had a sore neck from continually looking up at all the art work. The different rooms comprised vast council chambers where all legal matters were dealt with as well as delicately- decorated residential apartments. One of the more compelling sites was the link over the Bridge of Sighs to the austere prison cells. The old lothario Casanova was said to have been imprisoned here. It is definitely a site worth visiting and jumping the queue is the way to go.

It was still early and we decided to return to the hotel and ditch our umbrellas as the sun was shining brightly. We started out on the Lonely Planet walking tour which is about six kilometres in length. The walk takes you down a path less travelled and crosses the canals several times. There are a number of small piazzas and less significant churches that you can explore. About half way through our walk the unexpected happened, it started to rain. At first they were just small drops but before long it turned into a downpour. We cut the walk short and headed back to the hotel to retrieve the umbrellas that we had deposited just 45 minutes earlier.

We decided to cut our losses and went for a short walk along the Grand Canal before finding a spot to take lunch. By now I have a reasonable idea on how to navigate my way around so we headed off to the same hole in the wall and had some salad with coffee. Alice decided to try the Aperol which is a sweet but bitter orange drink that is mixed with soda and topped off with an olive. Once again a great place for lunch even if Alice did nearly lose an eye with the olive swizzle stick.

By 2:45pm the rain was still coming down so we decided to call it quits on Venice and catch the ferry back to the campers. Even though we experienced some marvelous sites I was a little disappointed as I felt that there was a lot more we could have seen and done. Curse all long weekends and miserable inclement weather!

Back at the campervan Lilian and Jens were pleased to see the happy Venetians return. We learnt that while we were away that Lilian who is a virgin camper might also be an Irish camper. She was attempting to fill the water tank in Jens’ van with a 10 litre water bucket. She was finding it difficult to fill until she found a hose. After a couple of fills she realized that the hose could actually reach the water tank. The beauty of this story is that when she took the hose around to the tank she continued to fill the bucket and pour that into the van’s large reservoir. A couple of pours later and she had Dur moment and stuck the hose into the tank. Dinner tonight was at the van and the women whipped up a delicious ravioli and salad.

Tuesday 26th April – South To Lucca

We were on the move nice and early and bid our farewells to the Oxley caravan park where there is no toilet paper, hot water, plugs for the sinks or seats in the shower cubicles. I think Lilian will miss sharing the bath room with hairy chested Italian men dressed in terry toweling bathrobes who love to blow dry their hair. Seriously, it was a half reasonable place to stay especially with a tariff of 51euro for four nights. It would have been a good place to stay if you were interested only in the beach. For visiting Venice you need a campground a lot closer than Jesolo is to the ferry terminal.

It was late by the time we left Jesolo as we did some grocery shopping and dropped into a camping store. The tollway beckoned as we are travelling around 350km south past Bologna to Lucca which is in close proximity to Florence. We passed the usual number of trucks as the kilometres sped by. It was difficult to notice but we must have been travelling on a steady incline from Venice. When we were about 100km from Florence the gradient changed and we started going down rather steeply. The scenery improved dramatically and so did the number of tunnels we drove through. When we finally took the Lucca exit we had been on the tollway for about 250km and as a result we had to coff up another 23.50 euro in tolls. I caused a bit of a traffic jam at the toll booth as I could not get my credit card to work. It may have been because I am partially blind without my glasses which snapped on me in Venice. I don’t know what I did or was it divine intervention but the boom gate rose like a drawbridge over a castle moat and we were on our way. It was only another 3km to the camping ground but that was nearly the hardest part. Boy it is difficult to maneuver a large vehicle down narrow streets where cars a parked haphazardly. You just have to hope and pray that nothing as large as yourself is coming from the other direction.

Obviously, we made it to the campground (Il Serchio 25euro) and by 4:30pm we were pretty well set up. Alice is over at the washing machines giving our unmentionables a good and thorough clean. The weather is still quite ordinary and there is a definite chill in the air. The forecast for tomorrow is no better as it looks like more rain is on the way. We are eating in again tonight with hamburgers on the menu and of course the requisite wine and beer.

Wednesday 27th April – The Old Walled Town of Lucca, Tuscany

Although it did not rain with any intensity the wind decided to howl at a rate that would have looked good on the Beaufort scale. When we checked the morning forecast it was indicating a wind of 35kmph. With the wind and the overcast sky it is rather chilly and not a pleasant day to be out walking. In the mid morning Alice and I thought we would take a walk and purchase some supplies for dinner tonight. We walked for a couple of kilometres before giving up and returning to the campground. I did drop into a pharmacy where I purchased some reading glasses with a 3.0 magnification. Hopefully they will do the job and last till the end of the trip. As we neared the campground we saw a local deli and on chance went in to inspect their wares. They had a great selection of meats and condiments which would be good for dinner.

After lunch the weather had improved slightly so we donned our walking shoes and set off for the old city walls of Lucca. It was bout a 1.5km walk from the campground to the Porta S. Donato which is one of the six entrances. With a name like Donato (Ray of busway fame) I expected a grander portal. The brick wall of the city is supported by earthen ramparts and is quite high. The top is reasonably flat and wide enough to allow a gravel road and cycle-way which circumnavigates the old city. Once inside the walls we set off down the well signed alleys and thoroughfares. Many people including tourists were riding bicycles as most of trafficable area is free of automobiles. Our first stop was at Piazza S. Michele. The church which is set in a large square appears to be constructed of white marble and adorned with quite a few statues. Continuing on we reached two more Piazza’s Napoleone and Del Giglio. There is a music festival that is about to occur in Lucca and it is set in old churches. Some of the international acts are Tom Jones, Van Morrison, Lionel Ritchie and Simply Red. I hope they have a good supply of oxygen handy as these guys are all older than me. Next stop was Chiesa di S. Giovaanni which is now an archeological site. I didn’t want to spend the 3euro to look inside however across the piazza I did outlay 4euro to browse through St. Martin’s Cathedral. Unfortunately, the 60m bell tower was being renovated so that was out of bounds for the three of us. There is a small octagonal temple halfway down the left nave that contains the Volto Santo of Lucca. This wooden Crucifix, venerated since the Middle Ages was the symbol of the town and its image appeared on the town coins. Twice a year the Volto Santo is dressed up with very precious religious garments. Along the walls were hung large paintings from the late 1500’s depicting various religious themes. Near one of the tombs of one of the saints and old lady was seated and softly crying.

There was still plenty to see and admire, so we continued winding our way through the alleys until we reached the Torre Guinigi. If you climb to the top of the tower there is a great view of the old town but you are also surrounded by trees that are growing on the roof. The next stop, Piazza Anfiteatro was the highlight for us. This circular square was surrounded by buildings and had a lively atmosphere. The square was partially taken up by a market selling flowers and nursery plants. Along the edges there were a myriad of restaurants selling tempting lunches and drinks. Lilian and I settled on a gelati whilst Alice had a coffee. We visited another piazza before taking a stroll along the wall and then heading back to the campground. A few more walks like today and I will feel less guilty about my lack of exercise.

Prior to dinner I took a stroll to the rear of the campground. There is a pedestrian bridge across the crystal clear Fiume Serchio. This links in with a very long bike trail that can be used to explore the surrounding countryside. Alice whipped up a very tasty spaghetti with olives, salami, sausage and prosciutto.

Thursday 28th April – Fiesole

We are in no hurry this morning as we are heading off to the hillside town of Fiesole which overlooks the city of Firenze (Florence). The campground was in a great location for accessing Lucca but the managers did not do a very good job of keeping the facilities clean. Oh and don’t forget to take your own toilet paper to the loo.

The drive took us back over the same highway for about 50km before branching off towards Florence. The route that the GPS selected ignored the signposted directions for Fiesole and took us on a panoramic tour. The mountainous, windy and narrow road was quite spectacular and we were lucky that we did not encounter too many vehicles, especially large ones. At around 1:00pm we arrived at the Panoramico Camping Village (36euro) which is situated high above the town of Fiesole. Our two sites are absolutely fantastic. We had for want of a better word a panoramic view of the valley and Florence. We can even see the dome of the Cathedral di Santa Maria del Fiore.

After lunch it was a relaxing time just chatting and enjoying the view. Alice meanwhile has been busy working on a strategy for an assault on Florence.

Friday 29th April – It’s All About David

This morning we were greeted with a clear bright blue sky and an impressive view of Florence. We were keen to get going and as a result arrived nice an early at reception to catch the free shuttle down to the main square in Fiesole. I had already purchased our bus tickets (4.7euro for 4 trips) from reception which will make the trip a little easier. From the piazza we caught the good old route 7 that operates on a 20 minute frequency to piazza San Marco in the middle of Florence. From here it was only a five minute walk to the Galleria dell’ Accademia.

Being novices in a city so full of history and art it is difficult to know where to start and what is the best way to secure a ticket to one of the many museums without having to queue for eons. We joined the line for Accademia and even though it was not too long it was hardly moving. In the end I went and purchased some tickets for a 11:15 entry. I was feeling pleased with my purchase but when I returned to Alice and Lilian they were nearly at the front of the queue. So much had happened in such a short time. They were disappointed in my poor decision making and lack of patience. In the end we sauntered off down the road and purchased our tickets for the Duomo.

Eventually we returned to the Accademia and without too long a wait we were inside the gallery. All of the action of course was centred on Michael Angelo’s masterpiece, the sculpture of David. I am not an art buff but even I could appreciate the beauty of this sculpture, after all I was named after him. It would be easy to wax lyrical about the detail that is in the sculpture but I think you all need to take a trip and see it for yourself. The galleria is not that large and after 45 minutes of viewing statues and paintings we called time and headed off for a bite to eat.

 After eating we headed off to Piazza San Giovanni and del Duomo. This large area contains the Baptistery of San Giovanni, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, Giotto’s Bell Tower and Brunelleschi’s Dome. We did not have any priority jump the queue tickets so we joined a rather long line that gave you access to the dome. It took about 35 minutes to reach the front of the line. When we entered through the doors we thought that we were going into a large room but instead we took a sharp left and started heading up a narrow flight of stone stairs. For Lilian the narrow space and the never ending upward spiral was a nightmare. She took a rest in one of the small recesses whilst Alice and I continued on without her. About 200 steps later we reached a narrow platform that wrapped around the base of the dome. From this vantage point we could view the 3,600 square metres of painted surface that illustrate the traditional Catholic belief in a Heaven and Hell. We lingered for a while and then continued upwards for another 250 steps before emerging at the top of the cupola. From this vantage point I think we had the best view of Florence. One can imagine what an imposing sight this must have been in the late 1500’s when visitors approached this great City. With time marching on we headed back down the steps where we hoped to find Lilian. We discovered that she had bravely soldiered on and made it to the Dome which was a great effort.

We still had some time to spare so it was off to the Baptistery which it is believed was once a pagan temple. Beginning in the mid11th century the Baptistery was reconstructed on a larger scale. There is a lot of sculptural decoration but the most amazing is the mosaics in the dome with stories from the book of genesis, Mary and Christ, John the Baptist, Joseph, the Last Judgement and Choirs of Angels. It was easy to sit and reflect in such a great setting.

It was time to start heading back to catch the good old route 7 bus. It must have been peak hour traffic as our bus was running late. The other passengers were not concerned so I guess that it must be a regular occurrence. In the end it was only five minutes late. Our driver gunned it up the windy mountain road and 20 minutes later we disembarked in Fiesole. Some supplies were needed for dinner so we started walking up the hill in search of the supermarket. I took the lead and after a fair walk I turned around and sent the girls back down the hill to catch the shuttle. I continued on all the way up the hill to the campground without even glancing a convenience store.  With my quadriceps burning I reached the campground to find everyone enjoying an afternoon tipple in the sun. It turned out that on the way back down the girls discovered the supermarket opening at 4:00pm. They close for an afternoon siesta.

Saturday 30th April – Uffizi

This is too good to be true as it looks like another beautiful day. To be on the safe side I have thrown in my poncho as a late afternoon shower has been predicted. Once again we had a quick trip into town with the good old number seven. Being a Saturday the traffic and crowds seemed less chaotic that was of course until we reached the Piazza della Signoria. From this square you can access two of the major sights, Palazzo Vecchio and the Galleria degli Uffizi. Also nearby is the Museo Galileo and Museo Gucci. The square itself was a throbbing mass of humanity with a lot of tourists waving their selfie sticks like Harry Potter’s wand endeavouring to have their picture taken next to a massive modern bronze sculpture of a man riding a turtle. It certainly looked spectacular but seemed out of place in this setting.

We continued walking until we reached the Fiume Arno the turgid brown body of water that snakes its way through the heart of Fiernze. The colour of the water did not deter the rowers who pulled with energy to propel the sleek sculls speedily up stream. As we walked towards the Ponte Vecchio which dates back to 1345, I could imagine the Medici’s using the not so secret 16th century passageway, the Corridoio Vasariano above our heads that connected the Palace with the business houses on the bridge. I suppose they really didn’t want to mix with the common folk. These days the bridge is a thriving business area with high end jewelry stores selling gold and diamond accoutrements.

Our booking time for the Uffizi has approached so in we went to view the world’s greatest collection of Renaissance Art. The Uffizi is a handsome palace built between 1560 and 1580 to house government offices. The collection was bequeathed to the city by the Medici family on the condition that it never leaves Florence. With two floors and over 80 rooms there was plenty to hold our attention. From sculptures to works of art by foreign artists such as Raphael and Rembrandt the collection is a treasure trove. Some of my favourites were Botticelli’s masterpiece, The Birth of Venus and Michael Angelo’s Doni Tondi. A recurring theme for the renaissance artists was Mary and Infant and it is interesting how each individual artist portrayed these images on canvas. We spent over two hours wandering around the rooms and could have easily spent more time here.

Back in the square Lilian and I sauntered around the Palazzo Vecchio (sounds like a fruit stall near Stanthorpe) marveling at all the statues. Alice however spent 6euro and 30 minutes browsing through the Gucci Museo. It is a small collection of the goods and fashions that made Gucci an icon and for a fashion aficionado like Alice it is something not to be missed. We still had a valid ticket to visit the Campanile in Piazza del Duomo but after yesterdays climb the 414 steps to the top made the girls go shopping. I decided that it would be worth it as the soaring bell tower rises nearly as high as the dome. As I started up the steps I could feel the burn in my legs but it disappeared as I ascended. The view from the top was worth the effort.

It was time to start heading back and the predicted rain started to spatter the pavement. We had only just jumped on the 3:22pm bus when the rain started to really tumble down. By the time we reached Fiesole it was bucketing down. There was just enough room under the bus shelter to stop us from becoming soaked. Lilian took the 4:00pm shuttle back to camp whilst Alice and I hung around for the store to open. By the time we arrived back at the campground the rain had eased to a drizzle. This allowed us to have a couple of steaks which we cooked on Jens’ little Webber.

Sunday 1st May – Fiesole

It is still overcast but the rain has washed away all the smog and we have a very clear view of Florence. We just hung around the campers for the morning doing the little jobs like clothes washing. After lunch the sun was shining so Alice and I decided to walk down the hill and have a good look around.

The views of the Tuscan countryside from up here are fantastic and obviously the downhill walk did not over tax us. In the town square there was a trash and treasure market happening but there wasn’t much to catch our attention. We took a walk up a steep path to the high point where there is an old church with an attached missionary museum. At one stage the church here had run missions in China and they had a lot of artifacts from that period. There is also a convent where you can look in at the small rooms. Back down in the square we decided not to visit the Etruscan Temple or the Roman Amphitheatre. I bought a beer and a bottle of wine from one of the concession stands that sell a few goods.

My thoughts in visiting Florence is that Fiesole is a great place to stay due to its close proximity to Florence and coupled with great public transport. It has a few restaurants, great views and is far enough away to escape the hustle and bustle of a major City. You could even rent one of the cabins at the Panoramica campground. If you intend to visit for more than 3 days then do yourself a favour and purchase the Firenze card. At 72euro and valid for 72 hours you get to see all the major and minor sights without the hassle of queuing. It even gives you free access to public transport as well as the amphitheatre in Fiesole.

Monday 2nd May – Italian Riviera

Well today we are turning around and heading north to be closer to Denmark. Jens is still not well and is having major troubles with his breathing so it is more prudent that we don’t put his health at risk. I think that the Nav girl is always trying to get us as we had to travel across Florence to reach the same motorway that we came in on.

Once on the motorway the drive became more relaxing and the kilometres just slipped by. The mountains that were surrounding us produce some of the best marble and this was evidenced by the large stockpiles in the yards that were adjacent to the motorway. After lunch we started to see glimpses of the Mediterranean coastline that forms the Italian Riviera. Alice tells me that the views are outstanding. After travelling past Genoa and Savona we exited the motorway 31.5euro lighter. The GPS again took us on a route that would have been better suited to a mini minor. Our abode for this evening is a cheap sand and gravel allotment called the Area Camper and at 13euro a night it is not salubrious. We are however staying in a pretty town called Pietra Ligure.

After a spot of shopping Alice and I took a 500 metre walk to the beachfront. After the inclement weather of yesterday it was a pleasure to stroll along the promenade bathed in warm sunshine. Out on the pier a few of the locals were fishing whilst on the beach they were arranging deck chairs for the coming season and the crowds. Tractors were sifting the sand and spreading it so that it would be perfect. It was such a nice place that we had to take a chair at one of the restaurants that overlooked the water. Our drinks came with a substantial snack which we enjoyed whilst looking out at some of the children who were not quite brave enough to immerse themselves in the briny water. We had to call it quits and we made our way back through the main square where there were a few stallholders selling organic vegetables. I wasn’t game to purchase the unlabelled homemade vino for 3euro. Whilst we were away Lilian and Jens changed her Emirates flight and she will now fly out of Paris instead of Rome. Dinner tonight was going to be at the restaurant which is only a 25metre walk away. It appears that it is closed on a Monday so we had to settle for some Involtini, grilled vegetables and a bottle of Chianti.

Tuesday 3rd May – Avignon, France

After a good day yesterday Jens had a relapse and was not well this morning. We don’t know if he is having an allergic reaction to his surroundings or suffering a chest infection. As a result we are taking our time before hitting the road. One benefit was that Alice and Lilian were able to take a walk down to the beach for a last look at the Italian Riviera.

The drive up to the motorway was much easier than coming down. We took it easy and enjoyed the great views along the Italian coastline. A little over 100km later we paid our last Italian toll (15.5euro) and motored into France and more tolls. Our stress levels went up at the first tollbooth as Jens selected one meant for motorbikes. I blindly followed him in and then realized that there was a suspended barrier with steel weights hanging in front of us. Jens had already gone through and scraped his roof. I had to reverse out of the barrier and enter another booth. Only problem is that they are self service and require a credit card to activate the boom gate. I thought I followed the instructions correctly and when I inserted the card nothing happened. After trying several combinations and pushing all sorts of buttons with no result my stress levels were really up. Meanwhile Jens was motoring on up the freeway as slowly as possible and the French security guards just stood around nonchalantly as if it was an everyday occurrence for an Aussie to block their tollbooth. Eventually, I tried another slot for credit cards and the boom gate rose inviting us to continue our travels into France. I was in such a fluster that I didn’t remember what combination worked. It took about fifteen minutes of frantic freeway driving to catch Jens. I was just starting to relax when another tollbooth loomed in front of us. We didn’t fall for the motorcycle lane trap but I still had trouble with the credit card. On my fourth try the boom gate went up and as my brain was in gear I registered that the correct way to insert the card is the same as putting it into most ATM’s which is nothing like the diagram displayed in the booth. This time Jens was only a few kilometres in front of us and we soon caught up with him. Would you believe it 20km later and another tollbooth loomed in front of us. At this rate I’ll need a heart transplant and an infusion of funds to our bank account. This time however I managed to get the barrier up on my third attempt. With all this action I hardly noticed the beautiful scenery or the cities of Niece and Cannes.

It was close to lunch and we decided to take the next available motorway gas station to replenish our fuel supplies and have a bite to eat in the campers. We could not have picked a worse fuel station as this one was in a state of renovation and space was very tight. It was Jens’ time to suffer the indignity of the credit card as it would not activate the fuel pump. Luckily, I was behind him so he didn’t suffer the sound of horns from frustrated drivers. Alice and Lilian eventually worked it out and after we both filled up we found a space for lunch. Continuing along our way we passed several gas stations that were a bastion of space and serenity.

The motorway continued to take us through an amazing landscape towards Marseille. At one stage I thought we were in the Olgas as the red rock from the mountains had that particular colour when the sun hits it. The wind really picked up and the campers copped quite a buffeting so we reduced our speed down to 90kmph. At around 4:00 we hit the outskirts of Avignon and our last toll for the day. As we approached the campground we had the walled City on one side and the Rhone River on the other. There were plenty of river boats docked at the quay getting ready for the coming tourist season. We are staying at the Camping Le Pont d’ Avignon (22euro) which backs on to the Rhone River. There are plenty of spacious sites and we chose a couple with high hedges to protect us from the wind. After setting up camp the girls went in search of beer and Jens and I relaxed in the sun with the last of the coldies. A simple dinner of soup and bread warmed us up. Now it is time for bed!