MOTORHOME TRAVELLERS' DIARY FOR MARCH 2003

WALES, ENGLAND, FRANCE, ITALY, GREECE

01 MARCH 2003 UKLLANGORSE, BRECON

In which we cycle 8 miles, ride in a Rolls, buy books and dine in Hay-on-Wye

Staying with Andrew & Laila Hague and baby Maria (14 months) since yesterday afternoon. After breakfast we all cycled round the nearby lake, Andrew towing Maria's buggy - an 8-mile circuit which is his daily keep-fit route on farm lanes between hills of sheep.

After lunch we rode in style in his Rolls Royce Silver Shadow (it recently had its paintwork restored at a cost of £60,000) to Hay-on-Wye, about 14 miles away, as heavy rain set in. We toured some of the many 2nd hand bookshops for which the town is famous, buying Rough Guides to France and Yugoslavia and Eleanor Bron's 'Life and Other Punctures' (about cycling in France and Holland on a Moulton) as a gift for Andrew, first met when touring New Zealand with Laila on their Brompton folding bikes.

Home again to dry out, returning later to Hay in the Rolls to dine at the Penny Bun, an excellent French Restaurant with a blazing fire and a high-chair in the corner for Maria. This is how the other half live, but rarely combined with cycling. He must be the only member of the RR Owners' Club with a baby-seat in the back and a folding cycle in the boot.

St David's Day today - several Welsh daffodils spotted in buttonholes, no leeks.

A lovely day for a longer ride, into Brecon, along the canal towpath and through the hills to Sennybridge for lunch at the White House, another favourite of our gourmet hosts. Melon & prawns, local salmon, choc fudge cake for M; pâté, chicken, ditto for B; coffee and mints - how did we cycle back after all that, dusk falling as we climbed the last hill?

Later B showed the photos of the ride taken with his new digital camera on one of Andrew's 3 computers, plus a short movie of Maria, and copied them over for the Hagues to keep.

Barry worked all day in Andrew's well-appointed workshop on bicycle cleaning and maintenance including wheel-bearing regrease. M did the dhobi and shoe-cleaning, then went shopping in Brecon with Laila and Maria (this time in the Land Rover Freelander).

Later, we checked our Emails and bank balances. We had mail from Dick & Audrey, Keith Durham, Martin Wiltshire, John Covell and Barney (whose son is a Royal Marine Commando on Ark Royal heading for the Gulf and Iraq) and from Charley in NZ.

Sad to leave the Hagues after an excellent visit. What do you give to a millionaire's family? For Maria, a teddy-bear keyring, as we'd taught her to say 'Teddy' and 'Keys' - her first words apart from Daddy and Mummy! Andrew got the book and for Laila we found a Moroccan crystal and a piece of the Berlin wall for her collection of fossils, etc. Drove across to the Severn Bridge (no toll east-bound) and to Bath on good roads and motorway, then a very slow journey on narrow winding A-roads via Warminster to Poole.

Approaching Bournemouth, home of Ian Kenyon, Nina, Louis (4), Sam (3) and baby Rose (1 month), we rang on the mobile to be 'talked down'. Unluckily, Ian was delayed at a meeting, it was tea-time rush hour and Nina was completely clueless on directions until we finally passed their local pub! But we eventually arrived along narrow car-lined streets and she cleared a place in the road to park outside the house, where their identical Four Winds, known as Homer, had once lived.

We were welcomed with tea and cake and admired the peaceful sleeping 1-month-old Rose, while an over-excited hyper-active Louis clamoured for attention. Barry took the boys into the motorhome to remind them of their year roaming Europe and our meeting at Aginara Beach at Christmas 2001.

Ian's return (he was barely recognisable in a suit and tie) meant pancakes for high tea, then we read bedtime stories to the boys while a meal was cooked for the grown-ups. A super roast chicken dinner and more pancakes, eating and talking till the early hours, learning about the business they are launching with chewing-gum targets. We admire their entrepreneurial courage.

To bed at last, sleeping in Rosie in the street. Sadly, the new camera had stopped working (lens cover stuck open), so no photos of the Kenyon family.

144 miles.

Woken from deep sleep at 7.30 am by Louis and Sam in school uniform at the door, we had porage with the family and walked Louis to school and Sam to Playschool. Such is family life! Barry used Ian's computer to send Emails to Andrew Hague (who'd sent a copy of the 'Engineer's Xmas') and Keith Durham (a helpful clarification?) while M rang PC World, Coverplan and Fuji Helplines (they use the term loosely) and after many calls and much complaining got hold of Phil Pearson, Manager of PCW Poole branch, to discuss the faulty camera, bought at PCW in Huddersfield.

Leaving Ian & Nina after lunch, we drove the few miles from Bournemouth to Poole and found PC World at the Retail Park by Fleetsbridge Roundabout. Despite being just outside the 28-day period when statutory rights demand a straight replacement of faulty goods (or so we are told), they finally agreed to replace rather than send it away for repair, since we were about to leave the country on an 'extended photographic tour'. A new model had superceded our Fuji so we had to pay the difference, but got a superior camera, compatible with the original smart card, so our photos are not lost.

Thence to the ferry port for the Brittany Ferries MV Barfleur at 4 pm. Smooth crossing, several other motorhomes on board, mostly bound for Spain. Arrived Cherbourg by 8.30 pm, or 9.30 French time. Parked on the generous harbour car park, cooked bacon and eggs, slept well.

15 miles.

06 MARCH 2003 F CAMPING MUNICIPAL, ALENÇON

Eating breakfast on a drizzly grey French morning, a knock at the door. The woman from the British Hobby parked opposite: 'Hello, Barry and Margaret' - 'Do we know you?' - 'No'.

Amazingly, she'd been reading an old MMM (April 2001) in her van, an article about Morocco, then looked out of her window and recognised Rosie with the oasis scene! Coincidence or what? We chatted a while, learning she was driving home alone from a winter in Spain, during which her husband had died. With great courage she intended to swap for a smaller van and contine wintering abroad.

We collected our free bottle of wine from the Normandie Wine Warehouse (coupon given on the ferry), bought diesel at e0.85 or 60p per litre (still cheaper than UK, but a price rise since our last visit) and hit the road on the familiar route south. Paused in St Jean-de-Daye to get some Euros and photograph one of the km posts along the Voie de la Liberté (so they do remember the War, at least in Normandy). Lunch in the car park at the Champion Hypermarché near St-Lô, a city known as the Capital of the Ruins, from the WW2 bombardment.

The Municipal de Guéramé Campground, well-known from previous visits, featured in our last MMM article in Nov 2002, which M proudly showed to the folk in the office. They had seen it before and complimented us on the photographs, though it didn't get us any favours - we were sited in a gravelly corner with the gipsies because the grass pitches were too soft after the rain! Prices have risen, but the branchement has been upgraded and a new reception area is being built.

146 miles. 11.65 Euros inc 13-amp elec.

Time to rest, tune into being on the road again, sort out our plans, bring the expenses and other accounts up to date and learn about the new camera. Rang the CTC about the non-arrival of the Camping Carnet, which has gone astray, and were promised another. Chatted to the occupants of the other 2 English motorhomes on the site, all of whom are on their way home from Spain and talked of sunshine, cheap wine and packed campsites near Benidorm. Once reminded of how truly dire French TV is, we watched a video (an ancient Alf Garnett in black & white and the final episode of the Cops series).

Walked the 1 km into the centre of Alençon, city of lace. The market filled the square by the 15thC Flamboyant Gothic Church of Notre Dame, its tower under scaffolding. We looked inside and noticed the font where Ste Thérèse was baptised in 1873. Following the Discovery Tour leaflet from the Tourist Office, we then walked the town, pausing at the birthplace of Thérèse on Rue St Blaise, opposite the 17thC Prefecture. The guardian of the house, a nun, invited us in for the conducted tour (and voluntary donation). The saint's father was a watchmaker, her mother a lacemaker, and she was the youngest of the 5 sisters who survived childhood (4 siblings died in infancy). When she was 4, her mother died of cancer and she herself died at 24 of TB, having been a nun from the age of 16. Her 4 sisters all became nuns and lived to be 80 or 90. Barry asked the dreaded pourquoi? - why had she been canonised - and was told it was because of her texts. She is a patron of missionaries and has a basilica for pilgrims at Lisieux, where our guide's convent is.

We continued round the town, past the Cloth Hall, Corn Hall, Fine Arts and Lace Museum, the old town castle (now a prison, once used by the Gestapo) and assorted houses of the 15th-18thC. Back at the campsite, M resumed writing this diary, from 1st March 03. Barry checked and adjusted tyre pressures and under-bonnet levels (power steering fluid now OK). Also rang Alan and left message about the HSBC cards due to arrive (we hope).

South to Le Mans (remarkably little traffic), relieved to find a filling station open there (remarkably few and mostly closed). East to Orléans, pausing in the charming little town of Bouloire to walk in the sunshine and hear the music coming from the medieval church.

Along the Loire on the N60, turning off to cross the river at Jargeau where (we'd been assured on the phone) the campsite was open. Maybe, but access was barred as the pre-Lent Carnival was in full swing, with all the inhabitants of the Upper Loire arriving! Continued to Châteauneuf-sur-Loire, whose camping (again over the river) was firmly closed, then along to Les Bordes, near Sully, where the (mainly statics) campsite is set right on the edge of the extensive Forêt d'Orléans.

The guardian, a retired teacher of technology from the local college, struggled till dark to fix our metered electricity bollard, only relenting to let us use another one when M went out with a torch and told him we were hungry and waiting to microwave dinner! Later, watched part of Monty Python and the Holy Grail video, which wasn't funny.

158 miles. £10 + metered 10 amp elec.

A warm dry day, no condensation on the windows, spring! B wrote letters to Andrew & Maria and to Ian & Nina, with lots of thanks. M did dhobi and strung it all out in the sunshine, for the first time this year! After lunch a sunny ride round the French countryside, to Bonnée, St Benoît-sur-Loire and over the river to Sully, with its moated medieval fortress built at the end of the 14thC in the 100 Years War.

Owned by the same family from 1602 to 1962, now government-run and open to the paying public. Enjoyed a kit-kat break in the grounds, watching the ducks go round the moat, then over the drawbridge into the town, where it was market day. All so very French. Along the north bank to Ouzouer-sur-Loire, the steaming towers of the nuclear power station upstream , near Gien, completing the view. Returned to Les Bordes through the forest on tracks, via the Carrefour de la Résistance. At this silent place are the graves of 60 civilians and some soldiers of the Resistance unit from nearby Lorris, wounded in action or simply shot by the Germans in 1944 and buried at the scene. A modern memorial stands among the ruins of a few houses. Back at the camping as dusk fell the guardian asked if we'd seen any game (deer, wild boar, etc)? No, but there were ghosts. Watched rest of MP and the HG after dinner - still not funny enough to keep Barry awake.

Weather almost balmy. Drove SE, bypassing Gien on a new road, the N7, excellent and quiet, pausing at a brand new services after Cosne-sur-Loire which would make a good overnight stop. After Nevers, the N81 towards Decize, turning off at Imphy to cross the Loire (somewhat narrower now) to Chevenon, with its little 14thC castle and a quiet Municipal by a lake. We'd stayed here in Jan 02 and it's still the same price (in fact, the outside water taps are still turned off in case of freezing - it's 75 degrees F now, and gone 6 pm!)

B worked on the bicycles, fitting the new SKS mudguards to his (too narrow) and mudflaps to both. M phoned Spa Cycles to order a pair of Esge's, to be posted to Gastouni, and also another pair of eyeshades plus cases from Mike Dyason to be sent to Mum's.

88 miles. £10.95 inc 6-amp elec.

A cooler cloudy day. B wrote to Charley & Janet in New Zealand and to Bec & Kev in Australia, working our way through the long list of friends who have given food and shelter in the past year. M made a cherry cake, having found a packet of glacé cherries with a Greek label at the back of the cupboard - not much point in taking them back there!

Later, rode back across the Loire and its lateral canal into the steel-making town of Imphy and waited for the opening of the post office (2.30 pm) and the supermarket (3 pm) - how does anything ever happen in this country? The planned circular ride was rained off and we came straight back, to read and potter.

Watched the first half of a video Mum made of 'Billy Elliot' (Julie Walters as a dancing teacher getting a Durham miner's son into the Royal Ballet School), shown on TV last New Year.

More letter-writing - to John Covell and to Sally Rigall - and a card to Uniglan melamine mug cleaner asking where it is stocked now Boots no longer sell it. Made a good soup with bacon, lentils and veg. A bright breezy day lured us out for a longer ride, along the Loire canal, taking in coffee at the Auberge du Canal in Fleury-sur-Loire, to meet the river itself in the town of Decize. Over the bridge to look at the old centre, with its ancient church (took photos of the fossil shells in the stone steps) and an Ursuline Convent (being restored into smart flats). An easier return ride, with the wind and the gradient behind us - 3 hours total cycling time. Watched the rest of 'Billy Elliot', a very good film. Text from Alan that our bank cards have come.

A good morning's work, cleaning the roof of the assorted debris from its year in a barn and removing and cleaning the 5 rooflights and their covers, using the laundry sink in the Sanitaires.

Then a 2½-hr circular ride past the ruins of Château Rozemont, through Fleury and St Patrize to Magny-Cours, returning along the edge of the big new Grand Prix track and its Holiday Inn, joining a French cyclist on a short cut towards Chevenon (his racing bike was built like a whippet but he wasn't, so we kept up!)

Still heading SE, drove back to Imphy and along the Loire to Decize where we shopped at Lidl and got diesel at the Champion hypermarket (filling stations seem rare in France now and many are closed or empty of fuel, perhaps undercut by the supermarkets or because of the corruption scandal engulfing Elf or the impending war with Iraq?) Lunch stop in Digoine, a big car park by the canal marina which would make a good overnight place, then on to Charolles (home of the big blonde Charolais beef cattle which predominate in this part of Burgundy). Turned south there to La Clayette and its excellent municipal camping, right by the lake with a good view of the private château (14-18thC) across the water.

Before dinner (roasting a chicken from Lidl), we walked along the lakeside into town, notable for its many pâtisseries and chocolatiers with amazing Easter window-dressings, and for the old houses in the estate agents' windows, full of rural charm.

93 miles. £13.80 inc 7-amp elec + free washer.

B wrote to Martin & Clare, M did postcards for Mum and Angela and rang Mum. We've received the Guide to the Greek Islands from Cadogan, a camping carnet from CTC and the eyeshades ordered from Mike Dyason, all to be forwarded to Gastouni. Taking advantage of the free washing machine and sunshine, after a frosty night, B started cleaning and polishing the bodywork (Rosie's, that is) and M did 2 loads of dhobi.

An afternoon circular ride through quiet narrow lanes and tiny hamlets - Châtenay (with its little grotto, a replica of Lourdes), Gibles, Colombier-en-Brionnais, Curbigny - each with an ancient church, mills and ponds, hills and pastures, cattle and barns, some farmhouses lovingly restored, others tumbling down yet still inhabited.

A good chicken curry on our return, choco-cornflake buns with pears, what could be nicer? Rang Alan, for post to Gastouni (Comfort policy and new Mastercards have arrived). No more clues on the mystery female who rang asking for Barry, but she has our mobile number.

B wrote to Dick & Audrey and finished Rosie's bodywork, gleaming in the sunshine. M updated the diary and washed all our coats, taking full advantage of the free washer.

Decided this campsite would be a good subject for '3 Tenners for a Site' in MMM, so B took appropriate photos with the Canon SLR camera and M collected relevant information. Walked into town to check opening times for Automobile Museum and Tourist Office and met an archetypical Frenchman, complete with black beret, blue overalls, wellies and a fishing basket. We promised to send Jean Bezien a copy of the photo we took and learnt that he's a proud Breton. Replied to a text from Barney & June (aka Baba & Sand Dune) in Morocco (they've extended their visa for another 3 months there). Watched part of a film 'The Assassin', which is on the same video as the pictures of 49 Heaton Road.

Today George Bush gave Saddam Hussain 48 hours to go into exile, or Iraq will be under attack. Robin Cook is among those who've resigned in protest (as Leader of the House) - still an MP.

A short drive along the D987, entering the Region of Rhône-Alpes briefly, then back into Burgundy over the Col de la Croix d'Auterre (556 m) and through Matour to rejoin the N79 to Mâcon. The municipal camping is through the city centre and a couple of miles north, on the west bank of the SaÔne - huge and almost empty, having just opened for the season (at noon on 15 March). Just a couple of Belgians, Dutch and Germans scattered about. Across the main road, N6, we visited Lidl but not McDonalds.

Replied to a surprise text message from Agata & Karsten on a German mobile, who didn't say whether they're in NZ or back in Germany. CU2L!

39 miles. £13.50 inc 5-amp elec.

Our final letters from France: B wrote to Barney & June, M to PSMG (complete with a photo of the WW2 Gorrie Airfield in Australia's NT). M walked along the river into Mâcon to post them and collected Greek ferry timetables from travel agencies: Anek, Superfast and Blue Star. A study of these revealed that Blue Star had been taken over by Superfast (a German conspiracy) and had exactly the same times and prices from Ancona, with no Camping on Board between October and 1st April, entailing an expensive cabin and meals. Looks like Anek win.

A text from Alan, that the post has gone to Gastouni, and one from Martin & Clare who are in Rome. Replied to Martin asking their route to see if meeting possible.

Shopped at Lidl opposite the Mâcon campsite, for fresh supplies to see us across Italy (where we have never found eatable bread!) Then over the St Laurent bridge and across fairly boring flat farmland to Bourg-en-Bresse. Crossed the city (in need of a bypass), after which the route got increasingly interesting and hilly through Savoy, the architecture suggesting its Italian history. A final fill of cheaper diesel at the Champion supermarket in Belley, hoping it will last till Ancona. A climb to the Tunnel du Chat, then along the lake to Chambéry, another busy town needing a ring-road. N6 towards Albertville, crossing the Isère for the road to the Fréjus, immediately turning off it to the tiny village of Bourgneuf with its generous aire de camping cars tucked behind the church. A quiet night, joined by one French camping car. This is our 4th visit, the Flot Bleu still isn't working and the little newsagent's is still out of French phonecards! Lovely view of snowy peaks.

Rang Alan, following a mysterious text from him about a £100 Thomas Cook voucher arriving (registered post) for Barry. Asked him to post it to Gastouni. More texting from/to Martin, who is heading for Siena and suggesting a campsite between there and Florence. Do we want to detour to meet?

Allied US-UK invasion of Iraq began tonight with movement of troops to Kuwait border and bombs on Baghdad.

113 miles. Free parking.

Left France through the 12.8 m long Fréjus Tunnel (33.80 Euros for Rosie), which has a new Fire Safety Barrier at the Italian end. Rang the ferry terminal in Ancona to check the position: Superfast is most expensive (with no camping till 1 April), Blue Star has ceased to be, Minoan is less expensive but explained that there is a new law forbidding camping on board till April, and Anek is cheapest with camping on board 'no problem'!

Continued across Italy keeping to the motorways and their tunnels and bridges - well worth the tolls. A32 to Turin, then A21, across the 45th parallel, to Stradella, just before Piacenza. Settled on the services to eat, phone and sleep. Sent Barney a text wishing luck to his son in 40 Royal Marine Commando (in the Gulf). His reply: "No likee parent on s-line syndrome".

Rang campsite suggested by Martin (closed), so checked 2 others and texted details. He replied, choosing Torre del Lago near Viareggio, which we've all used before. Meet there tomorrow. 199 miles. Free parking..

In which we have a police motorbike escort to the campsite to meet Martin & Clare

Drove along A21 to Parma, south on A15 to the coast at La Spezia and A12 to Viareggio. Then SS1, Via Aurelia, to Torre del Lago, where the right turn into Via Giacomo Puccini was firmly barred - another fair of some sort filled the only access road to the lake and campsite - we couldn't believe it! Text to Martin (already settled in), more talk to the Polizia Municipale (in French) who suggested another way. This proved to have a 2 m height limit sign, so back to the police. The nice motorbike cop with the moustache insisted we needn't worry and finally led us round this lane, under a bridge (at least 3.5 m high) and to the camping entrance!

Clare provided a cup of tea - they'd arrived before lunch and saw no hindrance except bunting along the street. It transpired that the town was celebrating St Joseph's Day (actually the 19th) for the weekend. We talked and dined with Martin & Clare, catching up on the last 18 months. After leaving the UK in January last, just missing our arrival, they had driven across France and down Italy as far as Onda Azzura. Now heading for Aix-en-Provence, where their New Age Travelling daughter Megan is living in a horse box, and thence back for an English summer's fruit picking again from the end of May. Other topics were Italian driving and the absurd price and low standard of Italian campsites, but then we knew that. We tried not to mention the war.

153 miles. £21.00 (!) inc 6-amp (?) elec.

The four of us walked along Via Puccini into town, resisting the temptations of the many confectionery stalls on the way, along with clothes, shoes, etc. The old church tower (all that remained after German bombing) was open as a little folk museum, a stall sold plants in aid of the Bambini di Chernobyl and peace flags were much in evidence, rainbow striped, with the word Pace. We heard that nearby Pisa is the centre for Italian peace demos. In town, a small gathering admired two 1940's racing bikes with wooden rims, proudly restored and displayed.

After lunch we took another stroll to the nearby lake which is the setting for the annual summer Puccini Festival (his lakeside house, where he died in 1924, is now a museum). There was plenty of entertainment - first a drive-past of classic cars, all polished and cherished; then watching the flotilla of one-man yachts come into the marina and manoeuvre into their berths. Much machismo on display. We hosted dinner and a photographic slide-show for the evening.

Bade farewell to Martin & Clare and all set off, relieved to find Via Puccini clear of obstruction. Took the A11 to Florence, then A1 north to Bologna to rejoin the route for Ancona along the A14. Beautiful weather now, warm and calm. As Anek ferries sail every day except Tuesday, decided to turn off into Rimini and eventually found the guarded car park we'd used several years ago, well placed between the old town centre and the modern seaside resort, near the railway station and opposite the part-excavated, 2ndC AD, Roman Amphitheatre on Via Roma.

191 miles. £5.60 parking.

Rang and booked the Anek ferry, departing Ancona 4.30 pm tomorrow. Walked into the town, centred round the original Roman forum and bordered by restored medieval town walls. We found a good bookshop to buy maps of Eastern Europe, and the tourist office for a free map of Rimini. The Roman colony was founded in 268 BC, a little port at the mouth of a river. We photographed Tiberio's Bridge (c 14 AD) at the start of the Via Emilia and the Augustus Arch (27 BC) at the end of the Via Flaminia. The public library is in the Gambalunga Palace, built in 1610 and bequeathed to the town for a library in 1619 - one of the most ancient and important in Italy. Here was instant access to Internet and Email at the very reasonable cost of 0.50 Euros per half-hour, no fuss. Spent 30 mins deleting our junk mail and reading what had come in since we left Bournemouth - from Andrew Hague (with photos of Laila and Maria), Cathy Louth, Keith Durham, Sally Seymour, Karsten Rabeneck.

After lunch walked through the park to the seafront and along the beach before eating outside McDonalds (the inside was full of an earsplitting kids' birthday party). Another peaceful night on the car park, with neighbour camping cars from Italy, France and Spain.

Left Rimini car park at exactly 7 am (to avoid paying for another day) and continued on the A14 motorway, pausing to make breakfast at the busy services. Reached the port at Ancona just as our Anek ferry, newly arrived from Greece, was unloading and the Superfast was loading to depart - the usual confusion and chaos prevailed! Managed to collect our ticket (e280.80 or c£200 one-way) and change some Sterling into Euros, then parked alongside quay 16, made lunch, fended off the young Chinese hawkers of watches and binoculars and waited. Settled on the Open Deck, along with 3 other motorhomes (Belgian, French and German) right by the edge with a good view of the sea, an electric hook-up, excellent toilets and showers and a prompt departure at 4.30 pm on a flat calm sea. Explored the boat, nicely refurbished, watched a glorious sunset, made supper, put all the clocks on an hour and slept well.

67 miles. Camping on Board.

Woke to see Corfu slipping by to starboard before docking briefly in Igoumenitsa at 8.30 am - our first sight of Greece, looking inviting as ever. The harbour was busy, with Superfast and 2 Minoans as well as the Kerkira ferry which we followed out through the narrow channel. A Minoan, which had left Ancona 30 mins later than us, steamed past to beat us to Patras and justify its 'High Speed' logo and extra fare. We were happy to cruise slowly between the islands - Paxos, Antipaxos, Lefkada, Kefalonia and Ithaka - while having breakfast, updating this log, finding maps of Greece and a bite of lunch. Into the Gulf of Patras, excitement mounting, sun shining on the snowy peaks behind the port, we arrived just after 2.30 pm.

Collected the latest information from the Tourist Police, checked the date for Orthodox Easter (last weekend in April, one week later than the Catholics), and parked on the waterfront with a splendid view across to the lighthouse for a pot of tea. It felt good, with less Albanians hanging round the port than last time, perhaps because the situation in Kosovo is better.

Drove west on the Old Nat Road to Kato Alissos and turned down to the empty beach by the (closed) campsite for our first night, which has become a tradition. A handful of folk came down to fish, standing in the water until dusk, but no sign of the flock of geese which used to be herded past. Cooked and finished updating the diary using the inverter.

17 miles. Free parking.

After a short walk round Kato Alissos, rousing a few sleeping dogs and smelling the lemons, drove back to the New Nat Road and on to Gastouni. Filled with Shell diesel at £0.73 a litre (cf £0.95 in Italy and £0.85-£0.95 in France).

In Gastouni all looked much the same, except for the retirement of Jimmy - his glass shop has become a vet's. We'll have to rely on photographer Dionysus Maniotis to translate our needs ('This one - very good''). We left him a couple of films to develop, after a warm welcome - he had our postcards from S Africa and N Zealand displayed behind his counter. Collected our mail, from Mum, Alan and Spa Cycles (mudguards), bought breadrolls, rang Aginara Beach to discover Mick & Flo still there and made lunch.

On to Amaliada to shop at Lidl and Dia, and to talk to Peppas at his motorbike shop which was closed - how could we have forgotten the length of the Greek siesta, with shops re-opening at 5 pm for the evening? Drove to nearby Kourouta Beach to park by another (closed) campsite, this time the Municipal. The caretaker came for a word (luckily we remember one or two) and agreed we could stay till tomorrow (?).

49 miles. Free parking.

Back into Amaliada to see Peppas, who agreed to sell Alf for us if we got the papers in order, which means a trip to Patras or Corinth. Rang Mum to wish her Happy Mother's Day tomorrow, then back up the New Nat Rd to Gastouni, continuing to Vartholomio to shop at the one good butcher we know, eat our lunch and check on the Internet place which, sadly, has closed down.

And so to Aginara, arriving just as Mick & Flo returned from Amaliada market on their motorbike. We caught up on all the news over coffee, sitting in the sunshine outside their Kontiki, before dumping our excess liquids and settling onto a quiet pitch and retrieving our own motorbike from its winter store. Mick & Flo are planning to return to England in a week or so, with less enthusiasm than ever. They've spent the winter months getting over a minor motorbike accident last October, just before they left for Greece. They've hardly ridden it since, getting weekly lifts to shop with Cliff & Eileen, who we've just misssed. The only other winter residents were Hertha & John, also gone, and Heinz & Frau. Apparently it's been extremely wet and cold (worst winter for 50 years), with landslides and a small earthquake, so we've arrived at the right time to avoid that and enjoy the spring.

23 miles. £10.00 inc elec (or £9.00 for 2 weeks plus).

A busy morning's work, with 2 loads of dhobi, cleaning, the new mudguards fitted to B's cycle and Alf checked over and declared fit to start after recharging his battery. Also sent text messages to the friends we remember meeting here - Barney & June, Ian & Nina, Cathy & Nick and Martin & Clare. Barney responded at once, as ever, wishing us well from Marrakesh.

After lunch, a good walk with Mick & Flo, past Ionion Beach to Glifa harbour and back round the lanes. Little has changed - the Fligos Empire is expanding, with new pitches laid at the far end of Ionion Beach campsite, and some of the lemon groves have been replaced with rows of water melons under plastic tunnels, making all the fields look like shiny ponds. Back at Aginara, over a pot of tea, Mick offered us their old analogue satellite TV set-up (dish and decoder) as they've bought a new digital system that gets more channels. Hertha & John gave it to them a couple of years ago, so they want nothing for it - we just need to buy some cable and connectors. A good way to see how it works and whether we use it enough to want a better system. Clocks went forward 1 hour last night, discovered much later today!

Alf took us into Gastouni, rewarded with a fill of petrol (e3.oo). We bought food and a length of cable and connectors for the satellite. Texts came in from Ian & Nina and Cathy & Nick, all sad to be back at work in England, saving for their next trip. Also phoned Turners (Margaret Shaw chasing Letsure Insurance for our refund) and Mike Dyason about the cracked sunglasses (he'll send another pair to Thornton, free of charge).

Barry, Mick and Flo worked all afternoon setting up the satellite system with great precision, placing the dish 3 pitches down to avoid the trees. We were reminded of Barney, who took about a week to get his dish aligned. 8 hours is the average, having observed many a German motorhomer tuning in to Deutsche Welle. The cable we'd got proved to be too short, but we got a slightly less-than-perfect picture with a temporary join to another piece. Back to Gastouni tomorrow!

M made a trifle and a big meat & veg pie for dinner for the 4 of us, followed by a photo show on the TV, illustrating quite a journey since buying the new camera back in Huddersfield in January.