16. Mar, 2020

16. Mar, 2020

MONDAY 16-03-20

I quite like Christmas fare and so bought with me a Waitrose iced rich fruitcake slab and a Christmas pudding. Unfortunately due to the curtailment of this trip the Christmas pudding will be going home with me, but last night I finished off the fruit cake which probably explains why I didn't get a lot of sleep last night. The Chef didn't either, but she'll have her own excuse.

We did end up moving the vehicle later in the evening as it was a bit too noisy being near the car parking area. I found a nice little spot over by the HGV's and we had a lovely quiet night.

We made some progress on our journey home having now parked up on a Truckstop south of Orleans for the night. This will leave us in a good position tomorrow to make the cross-country part of the route via Chartres/Dreaux/Evreaux/Rouen.

At the start of today's journey the roads were almost deserted save for a few HGV's and cars. It was such a delight not having to continually study my wing mirrors to see when the next speedster would come hurtling past me. Once we reached Clermont Ferrand, having travelled up and down through the magnificent Massif Central, the roads became noticeably busier, but still quieter than usual. This was a great help as I was able to keep my speed down with a subsequent improvement in the day's fuel economy. It's looking now as if we can book a crossing for late Wednesday as I expect to be fairly close to Calais by tomorrow night.

It seems the Governments inspirational idea of isolating all those over the age of seventy for a period of four months, probably suggested by Baldy Cummings the man with the hands that pulls the strings, is getting a bit of second thought as they realise just how stupid it really is. If they really want to isolate us then why not have allocated shopping and socialising hours for the elderly, like perhaps 12:00 to 15:00 Monday to Friday, so we're back home before the kids are out of school and families have everywhere to themselves at weekends? Anyhow I'm sure Boris the Clown's box of 'experts' will come up with lots more 'on the hoof' mad cap ideas to run past us as things progress.

Most reassuring of all is that ISIS of all people have declared that Europe is too dangerous for them to go to, which about says it all really.

So as our nation faces a worrying time, and the elderly particularly, having to confront their own mortality, where's Justin Welby, our Archbishop of Canterbury? A man who has recently said that loving, long-term couples in civil partnerships should not have sex. The Bishops have decreed that those in such legal and publicly declared unions should remain celibate. Only those who have entered into a proper, formal marriage should be entitled to procreate.

Such hypocrisy coming from an Establishment which has unmarried vicars shagging and running off with parishioner’s wives, whilst at the same time protecting and covering up the crimes of perverts like Father Peter Ball who sexually abused novice monks over many years. A man whose favourite dog collar was probably made of leather and had a chain attached. I’ve no doubt there’s still a lot more undisclosed ‘Wee Willie Winkie’ being conducted within the church. 

Justin Welby incidentally is the same man who denounced the evils of payday lenders, only to have it pointed out to him afterwards that the Church Commission held a large number of shares in Wonga, one of the largest payday lending companies.

Perhaps Welby should just retire and write his memoirs. I’ve a suggestion for the book’s title – ‘The Irrelevant Reverend’.

I have been following the worrying spread of the coronavirus Covid-19 around the world and can't help noticing how few confirmed cases there have been in India, just 123 confirmed cases and 2 deaths. A nation I would have put money on being one of those which would suffer the most, given the overpopulation and appalling living conditions of the poor. Maybe there's something about their lifestyle that Covid-19 doesn't like, and if so then as soon as we get home I'm off to wash our laundry down on the banks of the Great Ouse, then dig a hole in the back garden and use it by crouching over it whilst balancing a tray of poppadoms on my head.

This afternoon I have ordered two five-litre containers of G101 which will be delivered soon after we arrive home.

15. Mar, 2020

15. Mar, 2020

15. Mar, 2020

SUNDAY 15-03-20

During the repacking of the rear garage last night I popped to see a couple who were our neighbours last time we were here. The husband is disabled and they come here to spend the winters as it is beneficial to his health. They told me they were staying for a further three weeks. I asked if there was anything we could leave them that would help to keep them safe. The husband asked if we could spare any alcohol soap as it was so difficult to get hold of. Imagine their delight when I was able to let them have about one and a half litres of the stuff. The Chef pointed out that we'd probably need it ourselves when we get back home, but for now their need is greater than ours.

Later there was a noisy group forming not far from our pitch. It looked to be some of those who have decided to stay at the campsite and take their chances. I don't think that's the Dunkirk Spirit, I think it's more the spirit which has lost us most Football World Cup competitions and Eurovision Song Contests.

We were up at 07:00 this morning and on the road an hour later, though we weren't clear of town until 08:30 as we needed to top the tank up with nice cheap BP fuel (just over one pound a litre) before hitting the motorway. Today's objective was to get out of Spain, anything else was a bonus. We were able to make good time because there were few HGV's and cars on the road but lots and lots of caravans and motorhomes, all heading for the border. By the end of today the number crossing the border will be measured in thousands - I know because we overtook a lot of them! We were also lucky enough to fill our LPG tanks at just about the last 'Repsol' garage before the border with France. We have stopped there before as it turned out, and we left with full tanks all round. It just means we don't have to worry about our running out of gas for cooking and heating on the way home.

We are  now parked up at a Truckstop near Le Caylar just south of the Millau Bridge. That was to be my cut-off point, a Truckstop before the bridge or 16:00. The Truckstop won. It was important to get off the road early as, from our experience, HGV's start coming off the road between 17:00 and 18:00 and as today there were also loads of motorhomes and caravans which would be looking for a place to spend the night, I wanted to get off the road early enough to beat them to it.

Predictably there are lots of motorhomes here this evening. Normally we are the only motorhome on these sites, but today, for all of the others, needs must. I just hope they don't make a habit of it.

This morning we had left a campsite with fresh, sweet smelling air with the promise of another bright sunny day. Tonight we are spending at quite high altitude, and it's cold, and it's wet.

For some strange reason this evening my laptop has decided to have a hissy fit. First, the number '3' key got  jammed down and so I couldn't gain entry to my documents etc. Eventually I was being told to stop sending '3's, so that's when I guessed there was a problem with that key, so off it came, cleaned it up, job done and away we went. Well, only until the 'c' key did the same only this time it was having none of. So tonight I am typing using the little rubber spot under where the plastic key was, and when I want a capital 'c' I have to hit 'Caps Lock' then the 'c', then 'Caps lock' off again. So glad this has happened now and not a week or two ago. I've never liked this laptop. It's an HP (American shite), and if this dies on me I won't mourn its passing and will replace it with another Sony.

The news back home is telling me that the confirmed coronavirus cases in Scotland has now reached 153, with Nicola Sturgeon's husband apparently pleading with her to wear a mask all of the time, especially in bed - just to be on the safe side. Car manufacturers are being approached to build ventilators, but would you want one of your nearest and dearest attached to one made by Skoda?

And finally this Government of fools is proposing that all folk over 70 should stay at home for four months, not four weeks, but four months. Jesus even criminals don't get that long in isolation. I don't plan to spend four months of my life living like that. Are they telling me that if I wear a face mask and carry sanitiser, I am at greater risk to myself or others compared with Wayne and Wayneta Slob  who have no protection and have no intension of using any.

Dear Lord, please protect me from that tosser of yours, Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and all politicians and 'experts' who tell me they know what they're doing and have got the situation under control.