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Writer's picturePhil Seddon

Heading Abroad (Day 1 to 4)

Well after a final slog to get the truck into a state fit to travel we have left home for our first real trip. We are doing the rounds of visiting children and saying goodbyes and are booked on the ferry tomorrow. That's when the trip will begin.

The plan is to head for the Alps to ski for a while then down through Spain to Morocco finishing with a drive up the west coast of Portugal. Let's hope the build, plumbing and electrics all work.

I have been very slow at updating the build blog as the pressure to finish has taken over. I intend to back fill the final build stages using the photograph dates as my guide.


Day 1

Well after a good few days visiting the children in various parts of the country we made it down to Dover for the ferry. After a swift check in we only waited for 20 mins then loaded the ferry. The truck "Ourworldtraveller" was about to make it abroad. Can't beat a drop of Champagne in the club lounge when you want to travel in style.

Not much to say about Calais, Lynn wanted a bit of retail therapy in City Europe and I had to visit Mr Bricolage as I had completely forgotten to fit any mirrors....some of us don't need them, what that says about me I am not sure. We then got the new Bromptons out and went for a spin around to keep the legs going.


Day 2

..Well a few bits and pieces to do in Calais then we hit the road at about 12.... Holiday time kicking in 😀

Bumbled our way down to Luxembourg to fill up with cheap fuel and then set off to find the Aire but we couldn't as it is now closed. Tried to key in the co ordinates for a nearby spot but my new garmin doesn't like the format from the book, is there more than one format? And can I change my garmin to read them?

We set out to find somewhere else which ended up being a forest track this got interesting in the dark when the sat nav said "continue off road".

I pulled up in a clearing and we had a lovely night listening to owls and other wildlife.


Day 3

Continued on our way down to Gerardmer in the Hautes Vosages a beautiful little spot where we used to call in on trips to the Alps with the kids. That said we think it's now 21 years since we were last here. We have had intermittent snowfall and passed fields of snow on the way down but pulling off the motorway onto the road up to the Vosages the snow piled up. The trees were beautiful dropping a shower of white icing onto the road as we pass. Settled in on the Aire in town which is very good and has water outlets heated against the cold for 2€. We walked down to the lake and had an afternoon reminiscing about previous trips and incidents with the kids.

Great place here and looking forward to my first ski in six years tomorrow, hope I haven't forgotten how and hope the knees are up to it.


Day 4

Well after a very quiet night on the Aire we headed up to the largest of the ski areas at La Mauselaine. It has 40 km of pist and an impressive 168 snow cannon for reliable skiing most of the season. We have the benefit of plenty fresh natural snow this week and with a forecast of sunshine it should be good. It was a very steep pull but only a few miles out of town. Very pleased with the performance of the truck on the roads and up the hill this morning it pulls like a train. Motorhomes are welcome on the car park for up to 14 days at 5€ per night good value as I think this is like millionaire skiing

That slope is one of the Reds that comes back down to the lift and it's the proximity of a fresh pot of tea that makes it millionaire style. The slopes turned out to be quiet, wide and well pisted with lots of variety and at only 19€ per day midweek rate, very good value. Even an old duffer like me can enjoy this! The truck is well set up to stay the night and with clear sky's at this altitude it should be cold, my French neighbour reckons -10. I say French I have not seen a British number plate or heard an English voice since we arrived. Our French cousins like to keep this place very quiet.

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