Floating in Fluff!

Thursday 8th May 2014

 

It’s a month today that we left home. Where has the time gone?? We have travelled so many miles, met many people and seen and visited lots of amazing places. A month from today Billy will be returning home for a few weeks and BT will be at work in Mallorca. We  seem to loose track of time and days. We are incredibly content, relaxed and happy.

Coffee this morning was shared with Lauren, Eric and Will...all from the USA, travelling together until this evening when Lauren returns home to Nimes and the boys continue on their way cycling along the canal.

[caption id="attachment_526" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Lauren, Eric and Will[/caption]

It was great to meet you guys...remember, if you are ever in the UK come and visit!

Time to pack up camp and move on now. The canal that we are cycling along goes all the way to Toulouse...we are not expecting to cycle all the way, but will try to cover as much as we can. Our first real stopping point today was to be Agen. We followed the canal as much as we could in Bluebelle, and on arriving at Aiguillon (where we caught the train yesterday) again today, we realised that the town is also situated right on the banks of the river Lot.

[caption id="attachment_528" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Lock and warehousing at the river Lot[/caption]



[caption id="attachment_532" align="aligncenter" width="640"] The weir on the river Lot at Aiguillon[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_531" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Road bridge over the Lot[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_529" align="aligncenter" width="427"] Lock along the Lot[/caption]

It seems a much quieter, more peaceful river than the Garonne, which, every time we have seen it is flowing and swirling in a such a hurried rushed way...no wonder the canal was built instead! There is also a lock by the river here.... and a huge weir.

You really won’t believe the amount of fluff in the air today...we have decided to call it National Fluff day today....

[caption id="attachment_533" align="aligncenter" width="427"] Fluff!!![/caption]

the trees...anyone know which kind?... are just exploding with fluff. At times its been as though we have been driving through a snow storm as the stuff swirls about us in huge clouds....more fairies than we’ve ever seen in any one time!

[caption id="attachment_534" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Looks like snow[/caption]

We reached Agen and headed for the aqueduct which carries the canal over the river Garonne.

[caption id="attachment_536" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Aqueduct at Agen[/caption]

It was built in 1823 and has 23 arches...I have to say, it was beautiful...we sat and ate our lunch watching boats and people make their way across the bridge. The out of town side had a very calm park like feel...many families picnicking, willow trees overhanging the canal and golden irises growing from the banks.

[caption id="attachment_545" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Lunch by the lock[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_539" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Agen[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_541" align="aligncenter" width="427"] A view across to Agen from the aqueduct[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_537" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Looking along the aqueduct towards Agen[/caption]



[caption id="attachment_540" align="aligncenter" width="427"] Happy BT[/caption]

The town itself was busy, we found a street cafe and had smoothies before moving on...

[caption id="attachment_542" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Flower market in Agen[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_543" align="aligncenter" width="427"] Scrumptious![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_544" align="aligncenter" width="427"] Fun street in Agen[/caption]

cycling back over the aqueduct and back to Bluebelle.

Auvillars was our next stop...we almost drove straight through thinking there was nothing to see...fortunately, we decided to stop and take a mooch around...what a beautiful village. It is named as one of France’s most attractive places.













[caption id="attachment_552" align="aligncenter" width="427"] Beautiful old wooden buildings[/caption]

Today is a national holiday...this is so evident everywhere you go as it is so quiet. The shops actually shut and families spend time together, eating, walking and just generally taking time to be together.









Auvillars seems deserted apart from a few couples enjoying a drink on the veranda of a hotel... It is set high up above the river Garonne...these are the views over the river from the village.





[caption id="attachment_555" align="aligncenter" width="640"] The Garonne from above[/caption]

By now, it was getting on in the evening so we decided that on our way to the next town on  canal ...Moissac we would find somewhere to stop for the night. We ended up in a spot by the canal, sandwiched between the railway line....and the nuclear power station!!!

[caption id="attachment_561" align="aligncenter" width="640"] By the canal….[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_562" align="aligncenter" width="640"] …and the trains[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_563" align="aligncenter" width="427"] Sunset…..[/caption]

Not every ones idea of an idyllic place, but, despite the infrequent trains, it was a great place to be. We shared the space with a lovely couple...Irene and Yannick...thank you so much for letting us stay with you... The sound of frogs croaking is all that can be heard now...and there is still fluff floating silently by.....

 

Canal latéral à la Garonne

Tuesday 6th May 2014

It was time to make tracks today, but not before we had paid our site fees and said, “Goodbye” to the staff who have been so friendly, kind and helpful...it has made all the difference to our stay, we have felt SO welcome.

[caption id="attachment_465" align="aligncenter" width="640"] He told me he was just going to pay the bill..Lovely staff at Campeole Navarosse[/caption]

So after a last blog post...in the laundry...we set off. First things first....fill Bluebelle with fuel and fill our fridge with goodies...now we were off.

Our target today is to reach the Canal latéral à la Garonne and hopefully to have a cycle along it.

We have been driving through an area that is heavily wooded...a National Park....and the views have become a little predictable. It’s noticeable that we both long for the far reaching and open views of the countryside. Gradually we started to see many more open fields and a lot less pine trees....a real treat.

During the morning we discovered that the fridge didn’t seem to be working...disaster. This was one piece of equipment that we really don’t want to have to do without. After much deliberation about the problem, we decided to stop for lunch and take a look under the bonnet. This, to our horror, is what we found...

[caption id="attachment_466" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Melted fuses..eeeek![/caption]

A few quick calls to home and our minds were put to rest...we weren’t going to catch fire and loose our beloved Bluebelle...phew...and the fridge was working yet again...bigger phew!

Our trusty Tom Tom was set for Langon where the canal begins/ends..into the Garonne river. We are constantly amazed by the river, it is so vast and running so fast. It runs almost parallel to the canal and at times almost touches it. Simon was so excited to see the canal as it’s somewhere he’s always wanted to go. This is lock house number 53...

[caption id="attachment_468" align="aligncenter" width="427"] Lock house 53[/caption]

the last before the river. We were amazed to see the depth guage on the building...seeming to suggest that at various times in the past the river/canal have reached huge heights…13m above the lock height.

[caption id="attachment_469" align="aligncenter" width="640"] The lock, looking towards the Garonne river[/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_470" align="aligncenter" width="427"] Depth gauge[/caption]



[caption id="attachment_472" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Where the canal meets the river[/caption]

Having sat in Bluebelle for a long while, we were keen to unload the bikes and head off up the canal...it is absolutely beautiful..as you can see.

We managed to cycle as far as Fontet before turning back to the van. We think we covered about 20km in all....don’t be too impressed...it’s all flat along the canal path!

Our next stop was at a little port called Meilhan where there are several canal boats moored alongside...a majority of them being lived on by friendly English folk! We picked a spot under a Plane tree and camped for the night.

[caption id="attachment_477" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Under the Plane tree[/caption]

 

Wednesday 7th May 2014

 

It was a long night last night...for some reason neither of us slept well...however, we woke to beautiful sunshine and the anticipation of a day on the bikes cycling yet more of the canal. Behind the port office there is a small campsite that is not open until June, but upon meeting Michael, the port manager this morning, we have been allowed in and have decided to stay there tonight too....this gives us a base to come back to...hot showers and toilets...and it’s so lovely and all for 6 Euros!

[caption id="attachment_478" align="aligncenter" width="640"] New campsite[/caption]

In a nutshell, today we cycled about 50kms...yes, you can be impressed...we are! We started at our campsite and rode all the way to Damazan and then on a further 6km to Aguillon from where we caught a train...bikes and all...to La Reole. It was then another 10km ride home. So without too much chatter from me, we thought we’d just show you our day in pictures...

[caption id="attachment_479" align="aligncenter" width="427"] Setting off…[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_480" align="aligncenter" width="640"] First lock of the day[/caption]



[caption id="attachment_494" align="aligncenter" width="427"] Beautiful plane trees…reminded us of our visit to Sagria Familia[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_495" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Just stunning[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_496" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Damazan[/caption]



[caption id="attachment_491" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Lunch…the bar was closed but the owner served us beer and let us eat our picnic here[/caption]



[caption id="attachment_489" align="aligncenter" width="602"] Red squirrel[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_485" align="aligncenter" width="427"] Beautiful villages[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_487" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Where the canal and Garonne almost touch[/caption]



[caption id="attachment_486" align="aligncenter" width="427"] More locks[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_482" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Coffee break[/caption]





[caption id="attachment_497" align="aligncenter" width="640"] The railway station[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_498" align="aligncenter" width="427"] Bikes had to be hung up on the train[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_499" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Our train[/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_500" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Bridge over the Garonne at La Reole[/caption]

We are now sat outside the port office, writing this blog, searching the internet for where to go next and listening to the most amazing frog noises we have ever heard!..I wish we could record it for you!!!

Little miracle

Monday 5th May 2014

 

Whilst sitting outside eating breakfast this morning a little miracle happened. A minuscule little fledgling was shoved out of his nest for his first flight out into the big wide world. So with trembling legs and wings stretched as far as he could manage the little mite threw himself out of the tree, flapped as hard as he could possibly manage and pointed himself in the direction of.......our tent! He narrowly missed landing on BT’s head before coming to a crash land in our frying pan...of all places!

[caption id="attachment_457" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Dinner????[/caption]

Obviously feeling a little dazed and confused the poor little birdy just sat there looking at us with huge wide eyes...what were we to do??? He wasn’t enough for the two of us for breakfast...joking....really...and he wasn’t going to get very far sat in a frying pan in a tent!!

[caption id="attachment_458" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Going for a ride[/caption]

So, we lifted him out and set him onto the picnic table, from there he rather feebly flew to rest on a boat and then onto the beach. naturally we were worried that he might get eaten, or die of starvation or dehydration, so we kept a close eye on him. To our utter amazement, and with his mummy chirping encouragement at him all the while, he hop/flew to his tree and then began the arduous task of climbing back up...it must have seemed like a mountain to him. He eventually reached the safety of his home branch and was rewarded with a worm for all of his efforts from his mummy! We found it totally incredible that this small baby found HIS tree and and his way back home after such a shaky beginning!



Coffee time was spent with new found friends Steve and Di, who have also been travelling Europe in their VW van, swapping stories, great destination ideas and, of course, touring each others vans.

[caption id="attachment_462" align="aligncenter" width="427"] Steve and Di…so lovely to meet you…perhaps we'll bump into one another again on our travels[/caption]

We promised ourselves another trip out on MT today....paddling across the lake..about 5km, to a beach on the opposite side for a beer at the bar.

[caption id="attachment_454" align="aligncenter" width="640"] The 'harbour' at our campsite[/caption]

Unfortunately, the bar was shut…fortunately, we had taken our own ‘cold ones!’

[caption id="attachment_455" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Heading for the beach in the distance[/caption]

It was a great paddle. We are amazed at how shallow and sandy the whole thing is...a fantastic place for all kinds of watersports. Well, we couldn’t spend time on the water without a sail could we...so...as we just so happened to have a little sail on board we sort of rigged it...to MT and our paddles and had a great time!!! We must have looked a site!

[caption id="attachment_456" align="aligncenter" width="640"] We are sailing…we are sailing….dum de dum dum!!!![/caption]

In anticipation of moving on tomorrow, we have taken our Airbeam tent down...it’s so amazingly easy...two valves to undo and the whole thing collapses, fold up, roll BT over it to remove all the air, pack in bag and hey presto...it’s done...easy peasy! To give us a bit  of protection and privacy we have now put up our homemade awning sides....

[caption id="attachment_460" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Our awning…and Billy blogging again[/caption]

Billy made these (with much blood, sweat and tears) before leaving home using a roll of white ripstop fabric that was in the loft...we are really pleased with how they work and at the extra privacy they give us.

[caption id="attachment_461" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Inside the awning[/caption]

We are just sitting in the early evening glow,(trying to escape being eaten by mosquitoes...we have put a net up over the bed now as it’s very hard keeping Bluebelle completely mossie free), and enjoying the stunning view across the lake. All in all it’s been another perfect day.