Autumn 2022

Day 0 – After picking up Flo from storage, and leaving Dominic the Micro Camper in her place,
we started the long slow drive to Dover.
Having our eye on a pub that allows overnight parking for the price of a couple of beers, we
unfortunately found they had no chef so the kitchen was closed. Tinned Veg chilli and rice it was
then. The evening passed as we sat chatting with another couple also in a van. Also leaving for
France in the morning. 8am ferry so an early start �
Driving east on arrival in France.
By completely random chance we found ourselves on our first night in France, staying
somewhere we stayed in April. Landrecies. It was inevitable that we would crisscross our
previous route at some point. We had walked the canal bank previously. It was a national
holiday. absolutely everything was closed so there’s only one thing left to do……open some
more tins.
Day-2.
Today we left at 8am, a brief stop for food shopping, and have driven 300km directly south and
are staying on an Aire with electricity and water etc for €8.40 a night. It’s a shame places like
this don’t exist in the UK!
Day-4. Today I decided, despite the weather to visit Annecy. I know it’s high season but thought
we would just pop in for a look. Well, nose to bumper traffic, car parks full and after driving down
the side of the lake we found a gravel patch beside the road. Beautiful it is, but sitting beside a
busy road is not my idea of fun! I think we will visit out of season.
So we decided to drive and ended up winding our way up into the Alps with ski lifts and Alpine
chalet’s.
Tonight we are parked at a free Aire in La Chambre, and there’s a cheese shop selling cheese
in 45 cm slices
Day-5. After another storm in the Alps last night, we have moved on. Avoiding the motorways
we took a route over the alps, the same route Hannibal took with his elephants apparently! So
we have left France behind and are now in sunny Italy ����, my first time! Parked up
Castellar on a free Aire with free electricity and water. Ollie has made a friend, and seen my first
lizard of the trip. After 6 days of driving from Wales I think we may have a rest day tomorrow!
Day-7. Yesterday I took a rest day. No driving, just a long walk across field and field of apples
trees and kiwi trees.
Today we drove 200kms east, south of Milan, into the hill to a Vineyard with amazing views.
This evening we are doing a wine tasting. God help us!
Bosnasco
It’s so hot here in Italy. Last night we went for wine tasting and food, all local produce. It’s not
something we normally do but it was great to sit above the vineyard drinking wine and watching
the sun set.

Day-8. We headed here because there is an Aire with electricity. We are the only ones here at
the moment. It’s nice to be able to plug in and cool the fridge and run the built in floor level fans
to cool the van down.
Another long hot drive today. We have taken to driving with the windows down till it gets to 30c
then putting on the air conditioning. The roads here are so, so slow that there is not enough
airflow through the windows.
Tomorrow Tuscany! (Pointe alidosi)
Day-9. High in the Tuscan hill we have found a place along many kms of dirt road, called Villa
San Michelle. The road stops here….. literally!
It has parking and electricity for €10 and it’s a bar/restaurant. I have a cold beer, and some cold
wine and we are parked up in silence at the top of a hill, surrounded by trees. Oh and I found a
wood pile to photograph my van next to? Why do people do that? (Grieve)

Day-10. Slowly heading south in Italy. We are now in Umbria, and headed into the mountains to
Preci. An unattractive Aire, but in a beautiful mountain village. Again completely free with
electricity and water. Tomorrow we are going to walk up to the 14th century old town up on the
hill. In 2016 they had an earthquake here and the church, five years later, is still held together
with wood, metal ties and a lot of faith by the congregation who still use it.
It seems the church is as slow with funding as the British Government
May have a day off from driving tomorrow! Still heading towards Bari and a ferry to Greece.
(Preci)
Day-11. Today is a rest day, so no driving. We are not really visiting Italy, it’s just on our way to
Greece.
That said what we have seen, on the whole is beautiful, especially Tuscany and now Umbria.
We have decided to stop in Preci, a small mountain village with a lot of history. High on a hill the
medieval village has survived and flourished till 2016, when in October it was almost the
epicentre of earthquake.
6 years on the houses are still being repaired with many being held together with scaffolding
and steel cables.
The town looks dead, deserted almost, but occasionally as you wander, you can hear the
laughter of children echoing along the passageways.
Day-11. Ok so the ferry to Greece ferry is booked! Two day to drive 530km. Early start in the
morning then!
Day-12. They say things happen in three’s.
Well, this morning starts with some bad news, the peanut butter has run out! I know you all hate
peanut butter but I’ve always loved it! Anyway the chances of finding some this far East are
slim at best, but there are two jars of Marmite in the cupboard. �

Secondly, driving today, road repairs and a detour though a village with a width restriction of 2.3
metre, we are 2.35 wide, so a retrace of our journey and trying to convince a very bossy sat-nav
that we weren’t going the way she suggested.
And thirdly very confusing directions to our home in the mountains tonight, however we are here
now in Miranda, a mountain village with a large free Aire with again free electricity etc. It’s a
beautiful old town with lots of windy allies and hidden doorways. Time now for a cold beer and a
little route planning for tomorrow. Six hour drive today through constant mountains and
breathtaking scenery, but tomorrow we head for Bari, our departure point to Greece. (Miranda)
Day-13. A long, long drive today. Arrived as the sun set, enough time for Ollie to have a swim in
the sea, and realised that we hadn’t had pizza in Italy! Pizza and a couple of cold beers beside
the sea. It’s going to be a very warm night I think. 40 minutes from the ferry terminal in Brindisi.
(Carovigno Lido Specchiolla)
Day-14. Morning! So warm last night, so up early to see the sun rise, and Ollie wanted a
morning swim. Last morning in Italy. Lunchtime ferry to Greece, 10.30 pm tonight, new country
Day-14. So up early for a swim, head to the port, 6 hour at sea and welcome to Corfu! Still 3
hours to go to the mainland (Brindisi)
Day-15. Bugle sounds, drums roll, and …… finally….. a Greek Beach!
Two weeks ago today we left England and started to wind our way south, and this morning,
waking at the port car park, we hit the supermarket and headed to a campsite. It’s €30 a day but
will you just look at that bay. The dog has gone crazy with pleasure and spent two hours
swimming, diving for stones and rolling on the beach. We are here for a couple of days to chill
out, and then a very slow drive around Greece. (Kalami Beach)
A spot of fishing this evening, quick shower and time for dinner.
White wine?
Retsina?
Will I like that?
It’s Greek, I think you like!

ShirleyValentine

Day-16. A ‘rest day’, well if you can call spending 40 minutes getting the canoe out of the
garage and pumping it up, then spending two hours canoeing to find our own little beach
resting! It was worth it in the end…… even if it did turn out to be a nudist beach and there were
people sunbathing behind some rocks!
Day-17. Moving on! So moved this morning because we found this. Now this was the dream.
Parked next to the sea. The dog is stunned into silence! (Camping Elena’s Beach)

Day-22. Well we left paradise and moved south. Driving along the coast there were dozens of
places we could have parked, all so beautiful!

We had a destination in mind via Lidl of course (Peanut Butter is available in Greece Yey!) and
are now on a small campsite, parked under trees next to a beach and on electric hook up. Me
going for a dip.
Is it just me or does this remind you of the start of a Indiana Jones movie?
Day-23. You have to love Greece just out of season.
At Nostos Beach bar. Free parking, €5 for electric if you buy some drinks, and of course we will
be buying dinner tonight. Good menu, and it beautiful!
(Nostos kavourotripa)
Day-25. So finally we have crossed to the Peloponnese, our ultimate destination. We went to an
archaeological site but No Dogs, so we saved our money! We drove south and have found a
little beach bar. Free parking and cheap beer. Going to sit and watch the sun sink into the
oceans, or behind an island, one or the other!
It’s all gone a little bit Top Gear

So today is day 30, a third of our time in the Schengen area. We are still heading south, and still
have 3 more weeks exploring Greece before heading into Bulgaria (stopping the Schengen
clock) then onto Romania, Hungary and back across Germany and France. (Elaia Messinia)
.
Day-34. So after leaving Ancient Corinth we headed up to the Corinth Canal. Unfortunately no
boats! And the a 4 hour drive to our chosen site for the next few days. Quite a view from the
rear windows.
Day-39. Meteora, northern Greece. Saw photos of this place years ago and fancied a visit. Truly
amazing landscape! After a drive north the mountains have given way to rolling hills and
broadleaf trees. To be honest it looks like Sussex.
Day-40. So after Meteora, and waking in the mountains this morning to a chilly 4c, we drove
towards Mount Olympus. The lush plains of yesterday have now given way to deep ravines and
autumnal tones. Mount Olympus is magnificent in its grandeur, with its head in the clouds most
of the day. We are now on the coast again (it’s Greece and the coast is everywhere) at Paralía,
a real tourist town with gift shops and tourist tat everywhere. The town beach is rammed but a
10 minute walk the beach is nearly deserted!
Mount Olympus tonight as the sun sets. (Paralia Pieria)
Day-42. Unbelievable! We are having a day driving in Halkidiki, visiting some beaches, and I
say , ‘there’s a beach bar 30 minute drive away where we can stay the night. Let’s go and have
a few beers’ Great idea, a 10 minute drive down a dirt track to the beach, and you realise that
the bar has closed for the season! I guess this is going to become a re accruing problem.
Emergency fridge beer gone. (Chelonia Beach Bar)

Day-43. My beach today. Decided to stay another day! Ollie dog is now crashed out with a very
full tummy.
Day-46. Yesterday we drove on and arrived in Neos Marmarás. We have booked on to a
campsite overlooking the sea.
This morning we walked in to town for lunch and a beer.
Day-53. Welcome to Bulgaria. After picking up Mel from Thessaloniki airport at 11.15 pm, we hit
the toll road north towards the Bulgarian boarder. We stopped and slept in a service area, then
continued to the boarder the following morning. Through the boarder crossing very quickly and
on to a little campsite to empty the waste tanks and hook up to electricity for the day. Today we
headed off to the mountains to the Rilski Monetary, apparently one of the most important in
Bulgaria. Amazing frescos inside and out. It even comes with free spring water.
I think I like Bulgaria! (Riski Manastir, Sofia)
Day-54. Sofia. I don’t like most cities, and Sofia was no exception. A brief visit to see the
cathedral and hopefully some Soviet era statues. ✅
Three hours in the city then back to the mountains.
After leaving Sofia we headed to Koprivshtitsa. It’s a medieval town with wooden houses and
cobblestone streets. But we will be exploring further in the morning.
Day-55. So, after arriving yesterday afternoon, and spending the night in a secure carpark, this
morning we took a stroll around Koprivshcitsa. It has quite a history and is a bit of a ‘must see’
for tourists visiting Bulgaria. It’s very pretty with its little wooden houses and cobblestone
streets, and lots of statues.
We sat and had some coffee in the main square, and walking back to the van walked past a
little cafe bar with the owner outside grilling meat over hot coals. It smelt so good, even with the
jokes that it was probably grilled tripe and pigs trotters, we decided to go back and see what
was cooking. Chicken, pork and sausages. He pointed to a table and produced a small menu.
We ordered 2 chicken, a cheese salad some French fries and a couple of beers. It was delicious
and ordered a couple more beers.
The total bill was 31 lev, about £15. In Greece 4 beers cost about €14/16.
I’m starting to like Bulgaria!
Good choice of venue for dinner tonight!
First night in Romania and I think we may have struck lucky, as we are told we can park for free
(we will see how that works out!) and so we spent the money on dinner
(Comana, Romania)
Day-59. Country number 6.
As one shepherd said the the other ……. Let’s get the flock out of here!
It’s a driving day, 200 miles. We hoped to make it the the boarder today but as luck would have
it the roads were OK, in fact they are probably on par with the UK! We got to the boarder

expecting a queue and drove straight up to the crossing control. Quick look at the passport, not
interested in seeing the dogs passport at all. Vehicle paperwork checked and though to
Romania in 10 minutes flat! So unexpected that we hadn’t even looked for somewhere to stay
tonight.
A quick look found a Adventure playground/ park with a restaurant and we asked if it was ok to
park and sleep tonight. The restaurant was cooking meat over a wood charcoal grill and the
smell was delicious ….. and so was the food. Hello Romania! *Parc de Aventur Comana)
Day-61. We’re going on a bear hunt, we’re going to catch a big one, what a beautiful day, we’re
not scared.
Welcome to Transylvania! Stayed on a campsite last night, and are trying to decide whether to
do the Transfagarasan highway today. The problem is that it’s a little cloudy, and it may mean
that we can’t see a thing in the mountains. I think we may drive for an hour or so to see if it
brightens up. We want to see wild bears!! (Curtea de Arges)
Day-61. A day in the mountains on the Transfagarasan Highway in Transylvania. (Top Gears
best driving road in the world apparently)
Sadly no Bears! Got to the top and it’s 4c and snowing. The road is closed for approximately 6
months of the year and we were lucky that it was still open as it frequently closes in October. It’s
becoming difficult to find an open campsite so tonight we are parked at the foot of the
Carpathian Mountains at the Sâmbăta de Sus Monastery. Hopefully a quiet if not cold night.
Day 62
Officially in Transylvania now. Spent the afternoon in Brasov, taking the cable car to the top of
the mountain for a view of the town and it’s ‘Black Church’ (which has obviously been cleaned
up since the fire which gave it its sinister name).
Parking in the town was a nightmare and in the end we parked in the bus terminal and took a
taxi
Finding somewhere to stay for the night turned in to a race against the failing light. The second
day running we had headed for places which were ‘open all year’ and quite obviously were not.
Luckily our third choice saved us from driving in the dark (on the somewhat unreliable road
surfaces and the ever present threat of bears). (Camping Zori)
Day-62. Brasov, Transylvania. A city! Parked, and discovered we were a hours walk from the
old town, drove in, couldn’t park, drove out, parked 45 minutes away so jumped in a taxi, £3!!
It’s pretty and if we were staying the night it may have been nice to linger. Cable car to the top
of the mountain, for a view of the town and it’s ‘Black Church’ (which has obviously been
cleaned up since the fire which gave it its sinister name).
Currently in ‘real Romania’ with horse drawn carts, lots go cows and horses walking free and
grazing on the verges, and lots of enquiring looks from the locals.
Finding somewhere to stay for the night turned in to a race against the failing light. The second
day running we had headed for places which were ‘open all year’ and quite obviously were not.

Luckily our third choice saved us from driving in the dark (on the somewhat unreliable road
surfaces and the ever present threat of bears).
Day-64. And moving on. This is our last stop in Romania, Sighisoara.
An old fortified city and the birthplace of Count Dracula ��‍♂️, Vlad The Impaler in 1431. Th
yellow house is the very place he was born, and of course there is a whole tourist trade built on
that. Well worth a visit though. Tonight parked beside a river on the only Aire in Romania
apparently.
Next stop Hungary! (Rumanian Sighisoara)
Day-64. So ended up spending a couple of days here. A little campsite in a traditional village,
safely locked up behind the wall.
We have often wondered what they look like inside, and now we know!
They countryside here is beautiful, but strangely familiar. It has the look of Surrey or Sussex
about it. Country lanes with broadleaf trees changing colour for autumn. (Saschiz Romania)
Day-67. 8 days ago we were as far east as we were going to get. We have driven across
Bulgaria, through Romania, Hungary, where we awoke this morning on a little family owned
campsite on the Hungary/Austrian boarder, and today are half way across Austria.
Tonight we are in ‘Gaming’ on a free Aire in the mountains. It’s very pretty, but we are driving
straight on in the morning to Salzburg.
We worked it out this morning that the last time I was here was 38 years ago with Paul
Richardson. Now that’s frightening!!
Day-68. Germany- So as you may have gathered, we are on our way home. Originally the plan
was to be away from the UK for approximately 5 months, but fate always conspires!
I’ve been waiting for four years for a knee replacement and repair – long story, but after having a
pre op assessment the day before the pandemic was announced, being top of the list, 2 1/2
years ago, I’m still waiting. But as we drove into Italy on our way south the phone rang and they
wanted me back for surgery in December/ January!
Anyway there are other factors at play, and it’s time to go home, start work again and get one of
my knees fixed. I guess it had to happen eventually. (Altdorf bei Nurnberg)
Day-69. German elbow, where the Mossel meets the Rhine river. A long walk along the rivers
and back through town for tapas and beer. (Duetsches Eck Koblenz, Rheinland-Pflaz
Day-70. Belgium- Country No.10.
Another 7 hours of driving today, and we are walking distance to the French boarder with
Belgium, and it’s started to rain, and thunder. It’s odd as over the last 70 days we had rain in
France around Annecy in our first week, and two days ago. We had the odd, very light shower in
Greece , but hardly worth mentioning ! Tomorrow we find a vet to-get Ollie his worming tablet to
allow him home, and to book a ferry back to the UK. France tomorrow…… again!

Hello Belgium, country number ten! (We should stop now I think, and ponder booking a ferry
back to Blighty!)
But wow, look, didn’t I choose a great place to stay (-as thunder starts to rumble overhead ��
Kortrijk, Belgium
Day-71. Having found a vet, booked an appointment, booked a ferry for tomorrow afternoon – ,
after Ollie has his pill we came to pay and the vet didn’t take cards!!?!! Having only €20 left and
being €25 short we had to find a bank. As it was a 20 minute walk each way I decided to
download the ‘Bird’ app and hired an electric scooter. Back in no time. Why are these things
illegal in the UK? They are so useful!

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