If you’re not on facebook here is a link to ben’s photos from the trip so far (very up to date! – most recent photo taken this afternoon in rome!)
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2119117&l=06aaa&id=193107027
There is a slight disappointment for one of the expected highlights of our trip – there is a blanket of cloud over the alps at 3000m! stayed in Chamonix last night and Ben was really looking forward to showing us the mountains, there are none… Decided to keep going through and took a massive detour for Sam to visit “Beaumont”, his namesake, before testing out Nevil’s pedigree and tackling a 2500m pass to Lugano…
Julien kindly offered us some floor space and a shower at his compact flat in Paris for a night and so we decided to drive into the centre for a little adventure. Ben tackled the L’Arc de Triumphe and we meandered through Paris before finding Tania. Got a little lost on the way and asked a lovely smiley madame for directions, she actually happened to live in the same building as Julien and promptly jumped in the van and directed us! Paris has this brilliant new scheme of bicycles where you pay 1euro for unlimited bike hire, as long as you dock your steed in a docking station every half hour. These bike parks are located everywhere and we cycled across half the city to Mont Martre. Had an evening of live music on the Paris Plage by the Seine before chilling in Parisian style on Ponte d’Art.
Left Paris after a lazy morning and were planning on missioning it to Geneve. This was perhaps a little bit optomistic and we ended up finding somewhere just of the main route beyond Dijon. This was the first proper camping and we were really lucky to find the perfect spot. Right by a lake with picnic benches and a stunning red sky. We made a curry, cleaned our teeth and crammed into the van – four up in the van works quite well so we have yet to pitch a tent!
You may of heard on the local news of a prestigious convoy of van, 1907 Mors and Toyota High Luxury passing through southern England (briefly) and reaching the small town of Gif! Micky, Ruth and Dave were our behatted and betweeded gala hosts and laid on a generous itinerary of gala entertainment, debauchery and booze. Thank you! The chateau was beautiful but our exit was a little abrupt as we avoided getting our attentive “hôtes” into trouble with their boss… Onwards to the centre of paris and Le Rue du Docteur Roux!
