The Coast to Gent

We left Camping Fawlty this morning and headed for Brugge, we did the campsite assessment there, well B & R did whilst I got bored in the kennel, then headed for a place near Gent. We will return to Brugge sometime in the future to have a look around the city.

En route to our present campsite the lure of this place (photo below) was too great for Rachel to pass (or was it the lure of cheap wine?).

When we got to the campsite the manager was so welcoming :-), I was left in the kennel again whilst R & B (sounds like a style of music) got drunk with him and his wife. Well they would've if Rachel hadn't dragged Bri away, that beer must've been 9%!! Anyway, a brill site and who knows, we may stay more than one night.

Bri just wants me to add, that now 3 assessments have been done he's worked out their roles. He drives to each site (with varying degrees of success) and Rachel does all the assessment. Actually (these are his words) she is brilliant!!

Fawlty Towers

As the campsite owner cycles past us to the caravan on the next pitch, it has a distinct resemblance to a Fawlty Towers sketch. We being the inspectors, the person occupying the caravan next to us is dead.

All In A Day's Work

For safety and suitability reasons all aspects of the campsite have to be tested.

It's Sunday, Belgium is Shut!

When they close the roads for a car boot sale there's only one thing left to do.

For Amy & Yann

Life In The Old Dog

Yeah, there's still life in the old dog but enough of Bri, here's the old bitch giving it some welly!

First Day In France

We arrived in Calais about 1am and tootled to our first aire about 10 miles from there. We bedded down about 2.30am local time and had a lie in :-). As we were only 2k from the beach we went for a deek, it was great, dog heaven!! Had a fantastic time bombing up and down chasing a ball, loved it. The oldies had coffee which gave time for the sand to dry out on their footwear but more importantly me ;-)

We pottered about at a very leisurely pace (it's what old people do isn't it?), Bri was banging on about getting some fuel as we were getting dangerously low. The first station was shut, 2nd wouldn't take the credit card, you get the picture. We eventually got sorted but what amazed me most was that we drove PAST an Aldi!! We visited a few little towns and villages which meant more walks, I nearly made it onto a football pitch during a game but got collared just before I crossed the touch line :-/.

We are now at an aire in Hondschoote, which sounds and looks Dutch as there's a windmill next to us. Tomorrow we are just driving about 20 miles to Cassel and hopefully stay at an aire there before B and R start their first campsite assessment on Monday at Ypres.

Last Day In England

We've had a relaxing day today getting everything we need before crossing over to the dark side.

We arrived at Eurotunnel at 5.30pm so are getting the 'Midnight Train To Georgia', excuse me while I boogie a little............, I mean midnight train to France, at no extra cost :-)

The 3 photos are -

1. Moi making a final passport check

2. So we're going to France, not a big deal really but the grass DOES smell different and I hope to see Amy and Yann :-)

3. NOW WE'RE TALKING!! :-)

Alpacas & Failed Channel Crossing

Last night we stayed on a Britstop farm, they did an interesting line from the alpacas (photo 1).

We then bummed around a bit, another town another Aldi, before landing at our present campsite at Folkestone right by the beach, awesome man! Bri attempted a channel crossing (solo) and lasted about 50 metres (photo 2) I TOLD him my idea of taking the train UNDER it was better, so he succumbed and we get the 3.20am on Saturday.

So, after a good run on the beach and a little swim to drag the silly old fool back,we just chilled by the van and had a few beers (photo 3), afternoon drinking in the sun, a slippery slope!

I Won!!

Well, surprise surprise I won :-) when it came to a shoot out between the farm and the vineyard it's the farm where we're staying tonight so that means I get wifi, woohoo!!

I've no doubt the old soaks will be breaking into their on board drinks cabinet though, the cooker shelves make a great wine/sherry rack.

Day 6

We're now down on the south coast, it's the first time I've seen the sea in ages, it looked a bit dodgy for swimming so gave it a miss this time.

We had a good night last night at The Oak and Ivy pub (free wifi, woohoo), it was gloriously sunny and warm so we sat outside whilst B & R drank some very flavoursome beer (by all accounts). I tried to coax some pork scratchings from some guys on the next table but despite my best pleading face they were too tight to offer me one, damn!

We all went to bed early last night AND had a lie in this morning! I think yesterday must have taken it out of the oldies, after all they aren't used to work ;-)

We're just mucking around down here for a bit until we decide to catch the train under the channel. We will stay at least tonight in England, at another Britstop, but I've been assured it won't be a pub this time, the choice is a farm or a vineyard, mmmmm........

They've Got A New Job!

So they've got a new job, more importantly, KICK THE BLOODY BALL!!!

Toasty

Can't believe this weather. It's SO warm there's a danger of Bri baring his legs! He DOES have good legs mind, for a bird, a big bird. It's so much warmer down here than the cold wet north :-/

Bri had a text referring to me as 'he', the cheek of it! I forgot to tell you that I'm a female dog, I don't know what sounds worst for a late middle aged woman, to be called a dog or a bitch? When Amy and Sarah used to live at home Brian told people that he lived in a house full of women and even the dog is a bitch! Not impressed :-/

I just LOVE living in this kennel, it's brilliant! I'm with the oldies nearly all the time, get loads of walks and sleep right next to their bed, which means I get the odd pat in the night. Life is pretty damn good at the moment :-)

They went to their meeting today which meant I was alone a lot but things are looking good now! We've come to another Britstop Pub and we are parked in a field next to it, that means PLAYTIME!! :-)

Brilliant Social Eve!

Well it was for Bri and Rachel in the pub as usual with free food and wine, and more wine, whilst I stayed in the kennel and got bored :-/ However I did have a good time on the campsite beforehand, loads of grass, I love green, it's my favourite colour :-)

The oldies met so many well travelled people, too many experiences to take in, tomorrow should be a very good day! Oh, and to cap it off United won the league, again! :-)

Day 4 - Kent bound

Apparently it wasn't gunshots yesterday morning it was bird scarers and they were at it again from 6.30 this morning, so I am now cowered behind the settee in the lounge of our hosts trying to write this :-(.

All the humans went for a bike ride yesterday to meet Jonathan and have lunch at the cafe where he works. Ellie and I just hung out in the garden and sunbathed B-), generally just sniffed around, put a few markers down, you know, the usual dog kinda stuff. We cracked on a bit about what I should put in the blog.

Thanks to Claire for all the lovely food she made, not that I got any :-(. It smelled great though but I did manage to snaffle a prawn cracker from Catherine the other night :-p. Thanks to Jonathan for helping me make my blog look great :-) and to Richard, Catherine and Ellie for putting up with us.

It's another cloudless sky and in a couple of hours we head to Kent. We have a social tonight at a pub, where else, and will be staying on a campsite near to it. I'm not sure when I'll get Internet connection after this but after tomorrow's meeting we will be staying at another Britsop (pub!). I think we are going to spend a couple of days in Kent before heading under the channel. I will try to get more stuff on here before we leave England.

Caught!!

Updating the blog on the iPad

Day 3

I woke this morning, to the sound of gunshots, if there's one thing that stresses me out it's loud bangs!! Bri has promised to take me to Spain and Portugal next bonfire night, I hope so! Anyway, stepping out of the kennel I couldn't see properly, I thought it was steam coming from the kennel coz it was like a sauna in there last night with the new battery firing up the fan heater! It turns out it was early morning mist and now it's another beautifully sunny day B-) I'm not convinced the electrics are completely sorted though coz Richard, Jonathan and Bri keeping looking at the control panel, pressing buttons, shaking their heads and talking as if they understand it, which they obviously don't! But boys will be boys ;-)

We stay one more night here in Suffolk before heading to Kent to meet up with fellow campsite assessors.

The Grand Plan (based on Gromit's 'A Grand Day Out')

The grand plan is to spend about 11 weeks away from home in 'the mobile kennel', living frugally to see if it's a viable alternative to work. When in Britain we will stay mainly at Britstops (free overnight parking places usually at pubs and farms etc), and when in mainland Europe to stay on aires (usually either free or 5 euros a night) or at the equivalent to Britstops, like France Passion. However, they have been lucky (?) enough to land a job for the first 2 months assessing campsites. This will subsidise (aren't you just amazed at my grasp of the English language?) the trip, and also means that it will be a free night's stay on each campsite assessed. Seems too good to be true? We will see.....

From home to Suffolk

Just to update you guys. We arrived at what they call a Britstop last night, well, THEY call it a Britstop, I call it a pub! Brian and Rachel parked the kennel up then disappeared for half an hour and came back smelling of drink. Once they were back I was happy so ate my tea :-p. the start of the night was fine but it soon got cold so I shoved my nose up my bum until 2.30 in the morning when Brian got up to put the heating on. Problem is I think the leisure battery is knackered so we couldnt have the fan on and the warm air just kept the ceiling of the van warm, it was freezing on the floor :-(. Woke up to a lovely day, had breaky and after the usual early morning ablutions headed to Rachel's brothers but more importantly Jonathan's, who is helping me set this blog up :-).

Anyway, it turns out I was right, the leisure battery IS knackered so a new one made Brian's pocket £100 lighter, not that Rachel ever lets him have REAL money ;-)

Right, a couple of things you need to know. We are heading to France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany and back to France to hopefully see Amy and Yann. I don't see them very often coz they live so far away, if I had lips I would stick my bottom one out :-(. When in Belgium and The Netherlands (not to be confused with Holland) Brian and Rachel will be assessing campsites but they've promised me loads of walks along beaches and swimming!

I'm an ace runner, not bad at swimming, but totally useless on a bike so I'm not going to do triathlons!

Me

This is me, Brian said the 'w' word, that's why I'm pulling a bit of a face in it. Pathetic really, they don't say 'walkies' anymore because it winds me up, they say 'the w word', hello? I KNOW WHAT THAT IS!!

From home to Belgium and beyond!

Hi,

My name is Bramble, I'm 13 of your human years so I suppose that means I'm getting on a bit, but I'm still full of life as you will see.

This blog is about my travels with Brian and Rachel as we tour Europe in our motorhome, well, THEY call it a motorhome but really it's a kennel on wheels. Brian is sort of 'dad' and Rachel sort of 'mum' although it was Sarah and Amy whom I chose when I was at The Animals Refuge as a puppy.

I'm a people kind of dog rather than a dog kind of dog. What I mean is I prefer people rather than animals, with the exception of postmen. People are so much easier to train than animals. I can get them to throw balls and sticks for me all day, it's great! And the crazy thing is they actually give ME treats for bringing things back to them, how crazy is that?!

Anyway, you will find out about the whole family and me eventually.

We set off tonight, watch this space.........