Internet Access in France

Internet access is not an essential part of our travels, but it can be useful for sharing stories and pictures, locating bike mechanics, organising future activities and accomodation, researching solutions to various problems and finding a shop that opens on a Sunday!

Using the internet on our phones

The bits at the Start

As our departure was fairly rapid, we never got to post the pre ferry drama .
We finished work, packed the house and got ready for the trip in just over 2 weeks. It wouldn't have been possible without the help of our parents. Thanks mum and dad!(s) Also thanks to the guys at Onitsports for their help getting the bike ready and all their invaluable advice.
Thanks to Billy(the dog) for guarding our stuff.
It was probably the most difficult part of our adventure so far but it really shouldn't have been. It's just putting your stuff in bags!  We bought things we needed ,but didn't pack, on the road. We also threw a bunch of stuff away or sent it home.

In the words of  Tom Allen:
Worry only about leaving.
Leave soon.
Leave before you're ready.

 

Dad fits super-high-tech flag holding device to trailer.

 

 

Liz bedecked in Onitsport kit.

 

 

Billy the vicious guard dog.

 

 

 Stuff to take and stuff to leave behind.  

 

It's so clean!

 

The Kindness of Strangers...

Eventually we got the bike sorted and replaced the rear tyre for a Schwalbe Marathon. We made our departure from La Breteche campsite and as we were the last customers of the year had our photo taken on the way out! This time

Ummmmm.. Intermarche carpark.

The day started with an epic hill, a proper lung cruncher. What felt like only a kilometre later we pulled in to an Intermarche carpark to stock up and heard another bang. Exploded tyre number two. Sunday morning in France, no chance of finding a replacement tyre. After removing all our bags and attempting a patch repair courtesy of a group of French cyclists, we decided that carrying on wasn't a sensible idea and so hatched a plan that Rob would cycle the unloaded tandem a kilometre back the way we had come to the campsite and then walk back so we could carry the luggage together. However, our master plan was thwarted by an exceptionally kind French family who insisted we had a coffee and loaded up their camper with our stuff and squeezed us in to take us to the campsite. Very, very grateful!