Thursday 30th September 2021

We were up early this morning as the ferry company booking confirmation said that last check in for the 9.00 departure to Dieppe was 7.30. However when we arrived at the check in at about 7.00 all was quiet!

We were eventually checked in and loaded onto the ferry which left a quarter of an hour early! Here are the white cliffs of Newhaven seen as we were departing.

During the voyage we talked to a very interesting woman from Sussex who was driving down to her second home in southern Spain with her collie dog.

When we arrived in Dieppe the French Authorities stamped our passports - nothing seen since the time before the  UK was a member of the European Union! This stamp marks the start of a period of 180 days in which we are allowed to be in the Schengen Treaty Area for a maximum of 90 days as tourists. This is a very far cry from when as members of the European Union British Citizens were free to live and work indefinitely in any EU member country. Brexit was a very bad idea indeed.

Before leaving Dieppe we did a supermarket shop before heading off south on minor roads. Along the way a small white van heading in the opposite direction hit our left side mirror with his or her left side mirror causing considerable damage to our and presumably his or her mirror. Neither of us stopped to argue the toss and to be honest it would be very difficult to ascribe the blame to either party. Luckily our mirror is still useable but will probably need replacing eventually.

We stopped for the day at the Aire de Camping Cars in the village of Cleres south of Dieppe. It is free to stay here and there are facilities to empty sewage and waste water but if you want fresh water or electricity you need to buy a 5 euro token from the local shop.

There is a sports centre and playing fields near to the aire.

Today we travelled 32 miles (52 kilometres) - excluding the distance we came on the ferry from Newhaven. We are at: N49.6019 E1.1160

Cleres     Street View

Wednesday 29th September 2021

The weather was much better this morning, we completed loading up the van. Before we left home we experienced a truly bizarre incident. While we were clearing out the fridge we took out items which would not keep for the time we were likely to be away and would not be allowed into the EU following Brexit. There was some bacon in a polythene bag which somehow totally and inexplicably disappeared! We left Widecombe about 11.30 and made the long journey east along the south coast of England to Newhaven in East Sussex stopping along the way for a cup of tea. 

We arrived here around 17.45 and parked for the night at the ferry terminal.

There are signs up saying that it costs £5 a day to park here but when I tried to pay in the ferry terminal building I was assured by the ferry company staff that it would be free to park her overnight as we were customers of the company! 

As is usual on our van trips Ann totally refuses to let me do any cooking or washing up even though I am keen to do both. She claims that because she doesn't want to drive the van, empty the toilet, fill the diesel and LPG, fill the fresh water and empty the waste water she is honour bound to do all the work and let me sit around drinking beer!

Today we travelled 215 miles (346 kilometres) We are at: N50.79496 E0.05445

Newhaven    Street View

Tuesday 28th September 2021

It's been absolutely pouring down all day here in Devon. Large puddles are forming on our lawn.

We haven't loaded up the van yet for fear of getting all our stuff and ourselves soaked in the process. We're planning to set off tomorrow.

Monday 27th September 2021

We're getting ready to set off travelling. Today I've connected the van to the mains to cool the fridge without using up gas. I've also filled the fresh water tank. Please note Boris's latest stupid wheeze stuck on the rear door - since 1908 the international designator for vehicles from this country has been GB. BJ recently informed the United Nations that he was changing it to UK! Supposedly in solidarity with Northern Ireland!