Most of you who know us will know by now that we are completely obsessed with building an overland vehicle and travelling around the world.
Unfortunately there aren't that many Brits with the same idea but we have discovered that Germany is full of like minded people and most of the companies who make the vehicles and parts are based in there.
A short while ago pat joined an Internet based club ad we have had one meeting with them earlier in the year and we arranged to meet up with them again at the annual festival and show at Bad Kissingen.
The show was fantastic and we camped in a local town area along with about 2000 other vehicles cramed in.
We met up again with our friends Sandie and Karsten and went to a club BBQ on the Saturday night.
Here we had the great fortune to meet Ellen and Perry who have become great friends and will hopefully become fellow travellers..
Here are some pictures of the event.
Wednesday, 28 September 2011
The Second Whirlwind Tour of Europe
This time we decided to shrug of the stalkers and we told Andy and Lorraine that we were going to Germany to see a large Overland Expedition Vehicle show at Bad Kissingen in Germany .
We met with Lorraine on the way to the Chanel Tunnel and wished her well on their trip to Lake Annecy in France a few days later .
Well we went to the show which was brilliant ( See additional Blog entry ) then caved in to Andy and Lorraines begging that we should join them so we drove from Germany to Annecy to catch up with them.
Joking apart the location they were staying at was fantastic and right on the banks of the lake.
The cheeky cows even managed to sweet talk the owners into letting us share a plot to save money.
After leaving Annecy we drove to a small town called Rochefort St Claude in the Jura Region of France.This town is famous for its Smoking Pipe Factories ( and respiritory diseases )
Wow. This is an area a that we haven't been to before and it was fantastic. The scenery was stunning and we had a few peacful days there at a Minicipal site on the banks of the river called Camping Le Martinet.
The water in the river felt like it had just flowed off a glacier and was painful to stand in so in true team spirit we decided to get in and see who could last the longest ( seconds ). Pats role was to record this on camera, a task that would ordinarily take about 1 second , but on this ocasion Pat appeared to have lost the ability to work the camera and we had to repeat the task about 4 times to get the shot.
We then meandered back north stopping at fabulous places such as Dole, Lac Giffamont and Challons.
Our last stop before the Tunnel home was at a great Aire at Arques near St Omer in France.
One day a year in Arques they have a festival that includes a massive Rock Concert in a large Sports Stadium. This event is incredibly loud and goes on until 3 am.
You Guessed we picked the right day and parked near the Stadium. ( No sleep for Pat and Andy that night )
Brilliant Holliday
We met with Lorraine on the way to the Chanel Tunnel and wished her well on their trip to Lake Annecy in France a few days later .
Well we went to the show which was brilliant ( See additional Blog entry ) then caved in to Andy and Lorraines begging that we should join them so we drove from Germany to Annecy to catch up with them.
Joking apart the location they were staying at was fantastic and right on the banks of the lake.
The cheeky cows even managed to sweet talk the owners into letting us share a plot to save money.
After leaving Annecy we drove to a small town called Rochefort St Claude in the Jura Region of France.This town is famous for its Smoking Pipe Factories ( and respiritory diseases )
Wow. This is an area a that we haven't been to before and it was fantastic. The scenery was stunning and we had a few peacful days there at a Minicipal site on the banks of the river called Camping Le Martinet.
The water in the river felt like it had just flowed off a glacier and was painful to stand in so in true team spirit we decided to get in and see who could last the longest ( seconds ). Pats role was to record this on camera, a task that would ordinarily take about 1 second , but on this ocasion Pat appeared to have lost the ability to work the camera and we had to repeat the task about 4 times to get the shot.
We then meandered back north stopping at fabulous places such as Dole, Lac Giffamont and Challons.
Our last stop before the Tunnel home was at a great Aire at Arques near St Omer in France.
One day a year in Arques they have a festival that includes a massive Rock Concert in a large Sports Stadium. This event is incredibly loud and goes on until 3 am.
You Guessed we picked the right day and parked near the Stadium. ( No sleep for Pat and Andy that night )
Brilliant Holliday
Round up of Smaller Events.
On the 12th may we celebrated my birthday with a weekend in the beautiful grounds of Clare Priory in suffolk with the EEDA
On the 27th May we went to Thetford rugby Club for a joint meet between motohome Fun and the Honda Blackbird Club. This involved a nice ride out on the motorbike to Wells next to the Sea.
And on the 3rd june we spent the weekend again with the EEDA at Borough Waters , Southminster for a fishing weekend ..... Caught Nothing.
On the 27th May we went to Thetford rugby Club for a joint meet between motohome Fun and the Honda Blackbird Club. This involved a nice ride out on the motorbike to Wells next to the Sea.
And on the 3rd june we spent the weekend again with the EEDA at Borough Waters , Southminster for a fishing weekend ..... Caught Nothing.
EEDA Cockney Night Kelvedon Hatch
We really pushed the boat out this weekend 5th-8th May and travelled all the way to Kelvedon Hatch ( 3 Miles ) to take part in a Cockney weekend. I think that Pat was probably the only one who was raelly quallified by birthright.
Loads of Fun, Pie, Mash and Jellied Eels etc.
Lorraine and Pat had been collecting buttons for this event and Lorraine created some great outfits .
Loads of Fun, Pie, Mash and Jellied Eels etc.
Lorraine and Pat had been collecting buttons for this event and Lorraine created some great outfits .
Whirlwind European Tour 2011.
First let me apologise for not keeping this Blog up to date in recent times.
As some of you are aware we are currently trying to build a large overland vehicle for future travel and it has taken up most of our spare time.
Anyway, back to our recent gallivanting around Europe in our trusted motorhome.
Our good friends and students Andy and Lorraine begged us to escort them around Europe this year and we eventually agreed to let them follow us on our tour.
We set of on on the 21st of April and headed for a quick stopover at Nieuwpoort, Belgium. Obviously Andy and Lorraine ( the Apprentices ) were, understandably, only allowed to stay outside the gates of the site.
The next day we headed for Brugge were we stayed at "Camping Memling" which was perfectly adequate and only a 10 minute cycle from the centre of town.
We had a good go at the local brews which were outrageously strong. I would recommend a great Bar called "De Gare" which is just off the main Square.
After Brugge we went to "Camping Bon Repose, Berdorf in Luxembourg.
Most people view Luxembourg as the Petrol Station of Europe but believe me it is Beautiful, very clean and friendly. We talk a country walk to Berdorf and on the way Andy's hand turned into a balloon following a bite.
We decided to try a local speciality and had a Large Doner Kebab for lunch. Feeling bloated and fat we got the bus home.
The next stop was a rather picturesque car park on the banks of the Mosel river. This was one of those Stellplatz areas that cost very little, but serve a purpose in that they are close to the city. Great for a couple of nights although some people looked like they were there for the summer.
Trier was pretty but will probably blend into all the other pretty cities that we have in our heads .
One of the main reasons for going to Germany was to go to Hauenstien to visit a company called "Ormocar" who build overland trucks.
We had arranged a tour and a chat with them and we were not disappointed with their products and professionalism. We came out thinking that we could do business.
We then drove to a site at Neckargemünd near Heidelberg on the banks of the river "Neckar". Here we celebrated the marriage of William and Kate. We don't really care for them but it seemed like a good excuse to have a drink . The girls even decorated the van.
In the few months prior to the trip Pat had befriended a group of complete strangers on an Internet forum and had arranged to visit them at at one of their homes in a small town called Oppershoffen. near Rockenburg.
Although we hadn't met any of them before they all belonged to a German overland truck builders forum and were all extremely friendly. I had decided to take them two cases of "John Smiths " beer so that they could experience a typical British Beer. They hated it but I wasn't offended.
Me met some great people some of which we have been in touch with since and one couple who we have met up with again on our our last trip to Germany.
We were running out of time so on the 1st of May we made the long drive back up to Belgium and pitched in at a great site called "Camping Groeneveld " in Dienze , Belgium.
I will look back at this holiday with great fondness and it would be fair to say that even the Apprentices behaved well .
In true tradition there is a short video of our trip for your enjoyment. Please ensure that you have the volume cranked up.
Now for Anorak Corner
Aire at De Zwerver, Nieuwpoort N51.13050 E002.76555
Camping Memling Brugge N51.20641 E003.36188
Camping Bon Repose, Luxembourg N49.49036 E006.20541
Stellplatz Trier, Germany N49.74000 E006.62500
Stellplatz, Hauenstein, Germany N49.11210 E007.61190
Campingplatz Neckargamund N49.23473 E008.47343
Camping Groeneveld, Dienze, Belgium N51.00168 E003.34238
As some of you are aware we are currently trying to build a large overland vehicle for future travel and it has taken up most of our spare time.
Anyway, back to our recent gallivanting around Europe in our trusted motorhome.
Our good friends and students Andy and Lorraine begged us to escort them around Europe this year and we eventually agreed to let them follow us on our tour.
We set of on on the 21st of April and headed for a quick stopover at Nieuwpoort, Belgium. Obviously Andy and Lorraine ( the Apprentices ) were, understandably, only allowed to stay outside the gates of the site.
The next day we headed for Brugge were we stayed at "Camping Memling" which was perfectly adequate and only a 10 minute cycle from the centre of town.
We had a good go at the local brews which were outrageously strong. I would recommend a great Bar called "De Gare" which is just off the main Square.
After Brugge we went to "Camping Bon Repose, Berdorf in Luxembourg.
Most people view Luxembourg as the Petrol Station of Europe but believe me it is Beautiful, very clean and friendly. We talk a country walk to Berdorf and on the way Andy's hand turned into a balloon following a bite.
We decided to try a local speciality and had a Large Doner Kebab for lunch. Feeling bloated and fat we got the bus home.
The next stop was a rather picturesque car park on the banks of the Mosel river. This was one of those Stellplatz areas that cost very little, but serve a purpose in that they are close to the city. Great for a couple of nights although some people looked like they were there for the summer.
Trier was pretty but will probably blend into all the other pretty cities that we have in our heads .
One of the main reasons for going to Germany was to go to Hauenstien to visit a company called "Ormocar" who build overland trucks.
We had arranged a tour and a chat with them and we were not disappointed with their products and professionalism. We came out thinking that we could do business.
We then drove to a site at Neckargemünd near Heidelberg on the banks of the river "Neckar". Here we celebrated the marriage of William and Kate. We don't really care for them but it seemed like a good excuse to have a drink . The girls even decorated the van.
In the few months prior to the trip Pat had befriended a group of complete strangers on an Internet forum and had arranged to visit them at at one of their homes in a small town called Oppershoffen. near Rockenburg.
Although we hadn't met any of them before they all belonged to a German overland truck builders forum and were all extremely friendly. I had decided to take them two cases of "John Smiths " beer so that they could experience a typical British Beer. They hated it but I wasn't offended.
Me met some great people some of which we have been in touch with since and one couple who we have met up with again on our our last trip to Germany.
We were running out of time so on the 1st of May we made the long drive back up to Belgium and pitched in at a great site called "Camping Groeneveld " in Dienze , Belgium.
I will look back at this holiday with great fondness and it would be fair to say that even the Apprentices behaved well .
In true tradition there is a short video of our trip for your enjoyment. Please ensure that you have the volume cranked up.
Now for Anorak Corner
Aire at De Zwerver, Nieuwpoort N51.13050 E002.76555
Camping Memling Brugge N51.20641 E003.36188
Camping Bon Repose, Luxembourg N49.49036 E006.20541
Stellplatz Trier, Germany N49.74000 E006.62500
Stellplatz, Hauenstein, Germany N49.11210 E007.61190
Campingplatz Neckargamund N49.23473 E008.47343
Camping Groeneveld, Dienze, Belgium N51.00168 E003.34238
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)