England Part two
26 November- 2 December
26 November
Caerlavrock Castle
Castle visit, Hiking the Lake region, Druid ruins
Parked-Spent the night in the Lake region
Caerlavrock Castle
Castle visit, Hiking the Lake region, Druid ruins
Parked-Spent the night in the Lake region
27 November
Lake Region
Rydalmount, Dove Cottage
Spent the night in Kennilworth Castle parking lot
Either we are very lucky, easy to please, or someone upstairs is helping to set the itinerary. The temps have been consistently below zero, but no snow, why not get some snow. We are fast outrunning the opportunity as today we have our largest single day movement south, a drive to Warwick Castle. And of course I mention this because we awoke this morning to a nice blanket of snow. Stef isn't as excited as I am, she wants to go for a run. I just want to walk out, take some pictures and depart south but we have some time here this morning, our first stop doesn't open until 1000.
Its 1600, we sit in a Starbucks along the main motorway. Amazing day. We visited William Wordsworth's cottage in "the lake region" amazingly beautiful with the snow on the ground. Great museum and cottage. good English course for all.
28 November
Kenilworth Castle
Castle tour, Drive north,
Tesco parking lot
- early morning and we sit outside of the Castle Kenilworth. We spent 3 hours on the road last night, covering 183 miles, the longest leg so far, and had a new experience by arriving at our destination after dark. We parked in a dirt lot we thought was the castle visitors parking, but it turns out to be general local "take your dog to the park" parking. It was bitter cold this morning, coldest so far, it took the fire place 3 hours to get the temperature bearable. I will run the boiler through the night tonight, we can't let it get that cold, too hard to recover from. Its nice right now. Family is getting ready to tour the castle, right out our back window. I went for a long walk this morning through the park surrounding the castle. The castle is best known for its use by Queen Elizabeth, Henry VIII daughter. We are getting to know these monarch through the museums we visit at all of their many castles and palaces. We will drive from here 7 miles to Warwick castle and either find a place to spend the night or drive tonight to our next stop, a caravan park outside of Canterbury.
We decided on the drive- it is evening and we have stopped to eat at a rest stop. We'd just stay here for the night but you have to pay to stay overnight in English rest stops- $30 if you stay over two hours, so we'll move on for a few hours and get past London. Driving the truck on the highway is so relaxing, and I get great mileage, over 12 mpg at 55mph.
We're off
29 November
Canterbury Cathedral
Relaxing in the Canterbery car park
Canterbury Cathedral
Relaxing in the Canterbery car park
30 November
Canterbury
Canterbury Tales, St Augustine Cathedral
Canterbury car park
Not that we're fleeing south, we love it here but it has gotten too cold. Yesterday I walked into Canterbury from our Caravan park and I felt like a 3rd grader walking to Boulevard elementary school in the snow. It was nice. We are just lounging for two days while the batteries charge. It takes about 24 hours for the bulk charge at 60 amps and then I can trickle more in for another 12 or so hours. Long time to charge a battery. It will be nice when the sun helps us out a bit, but only time and latitude will fix that. The RV is very comfortable in the snow and cold but there is lots of condensation, common problem in RVs, again, only moving south will fix it. I will make some changes when we bring her back to the states and I have a workshop. We are going to stop in Naples for an overhaul, cut shelves, paint and do some glass and ceramic work.
We will walk into town today for some sites and shopping, pull out tomorrow and head for Dover. We could be on a ferry Thursday but I figure Friday is more realistic. The ferry isn't that expensive, about $150 for all of us and the truck, but it was so hard to make the arrangements. We have such a hard time using our credit cards over here, they consistently shut them down for security concerns. There must be some major security problems with cards overseas. It is difficult.
Watch a really nice twin axle RV try and get out of here yesterday without any luck. It was a front wheel drive unit so only about 20% of the weight was on the drive axle. He kept backing up and taking a run at a very small incline only to spin. And we all watch from our living room. It illustrates why we put money into a truck chassis, it was a great looking rig, but with no traction, no clearance and no capacity to carry heavy weights. When we are in wet conditions and when we need to brake going down a steep hill I thank the guys at international for a great truck. This chassis is designed to stop a 52,000 pound truck, we are easy at 33,000. I will admit we are getting tired of answering questions about the truck, Stef avoids people that mill about waiting to ask about it. I still like the attention.
The general plan for France is to hit Normandy, Bayeux and then work south through the Loire valley down to the Med, should take the better part of Dec. Two weeks in Naples and then a month in Sicily drying out before we head into Greece and Turkey. We'll be in Naples for Shannon's big 18th birthday. Amazing
Time to get into town.
Canterbury
Canterbury Tales, St Augustine Cathedral
Canterbury car park
Not that we're fleeing south, we love it here but it has gotten too cold. Yesterday I walked into Canterbury from our Caravan park and I felt like a 3rd grader walking to Boulevard elementary school in the snow. It was nice. We are just lounging for two days while the batteries charge. It takes about 24 hours for the bulk charge at 60 amps and then I can trickle more in for another 12 or so hours. Long time to charge a battery. It will be nice when the sun helps us out a bit, but only time and latitude will fix that. The RV is very comfortable in the snow and cold but there is lots of condensation, common problem in RVs, again, only moving south will fix it. I will make some changes when we bring her back to the states and I have a workshop. We are going to stop in Naples for an overhaul, cut shelves, paint and do some glass and ceramic work.
We will walk into town today for some sites and shopping, pull out tomorrow and head for Dover. We could be on a ferry Thursday but I figure Friday is more realistic. The ferry isn't that expensive, about $150 for all of us and the truck, but it was so hard to make the arrangements. We have such a hard time using our credit cards over here, they consistently shut them down for security concerns. There must be some major security problems with cards overseas. It is difficult.
Watch a really nice twin axle RV try and get out of here yesterday without any luck. It was a front wheel drive unit so only about 20% of the weight was on the drive axle. He kept backing up and taking a run at a very small incline only to spin. And we all watch from our living room. It illustrates why we put money into a truck chassis, it was a great looking rig, but with no traction, no clearance and no capacity to carry heavy weights. When we are in wet conditions and when we need to brake going down a steep hill I thank the guys at international for a great truck. This chassis is designed to stop a 52,000 pound truck, we are easy at 33,000. I will admit we are getting tired of answering questions about the truck, Stef avoids people that mill about waiting to ask about it. I still like the attention.
The general plan for France is to hit Normandy, Bayeux and then work south through the Loire valley down to the Med, should take the better part of Dec. Two weeks in Naples and then a month in Sicily drying out before we head into Greece and Turkey. We'll be in Naples for Shannon's big 18th birthday. Amazing
Time to get into town.
1 December
Canterbury
Did very little
Canterbury car park
Canterbury
Did very little
Canterbury car park
2 December
Dover Castle is closed/Review of trip
Bronze age boat
Stealth camped in Dover bus parking lot
Instead of touring Dover castle we are chilling out, the rest went for runs, and when they return we will drive a mile or two to the white cliffs for a hike. i just got back from there and it is beautiful and absolutely empty. I am amazed at how scared the Brits of are of a little snow. We watch them creep along roads that would be consider cleared back in Ohio. I like it, its the first time I'm not slowing everybody down, this rig loves the snow- it should with 8 huge tires driving it. We board a ferry this afternoon for France so it is time to do a Britain wrap-up.
Flew into London on 13 Sept and we have driven 2322 miles, seen 33 museums, 14 castles, 12 ruins, 8 cathedrals, 8 palaces and searched 5 graveyard resulting in 3 family ancestor groups found. Not that anyone is counting. The longest we stayed in any one place was 7 days, on the Isle of Wight, in a cottage before receiving the RV. We spent 4 nights in Lakenheath, and 4 in York early on but have kept moving consistently other than that. A 3 night stay near Beamish was only due to their being teens in the caravan park that Charles could beguile. We do enjoy our nights in caravan parks. Of our 57 nights spent in Shachagra, 15 were in caravan parks. We enjoy an orgy of water and electricity use, long showers and a constant usage of about 2KW of power. They get their moneys worth, they cost $30-$45 a night. As we get further south with more sun we will stay in them less and less. Of the 42 night parked outside of caravan parks, we've only been asked to move once, and the attendant was so nice about it and felt very bad, told us where we could move to.
Favorite sights - we discussed this and here is the general consensus. The favorite castle was Warwick, although the most commercial, and the most expensive, it was a Madame Tussaud's meets English Heritage Castle. They had displays ranging from the conquest of England by William the Conquerer, to the the excess of the 20th century royalty, including Churchill's "easy mum." lady Randolph is shown flirting with her soon to be lover and one of Churchill's friends, scandalous! I think Dover would have topped it, but for the weak constitution of these Brits, can't open in the snow. The favorite Cathedral varied, mine being Durham, Grace likes Westminster. My favorite moment was sitting next to a fire 10 feet from Loch Dugaill. The moon was huge reflected off the Loch.
Shachagra is the best, truly, I think she's the best RV in the world. I have a definite bias, and there are problems, condensation, electrical shortfalls in the winter and the steps stopped working, but the plus's are many. My favorites are the tub and fireplace. I soak in the tub at least twice a day. The filter keeps the water crystal clear and the boiler keeps it hot. I sit in it, water up to my neck, and I think. Sometimes I don't even do that, I listen to the click..., click...., click of the diesel pump making my water hot. My life simplified to listening to heat. Another winner that everyone agrees on are the memory foam beds- 6 inches is perfect, I feel like I'm in a sensory deprivation chamber lying in bed. I have spent more time in bed in the last two months than ever before. Though I have to get up in the morning to get the place warmed up, I still spend 10 hours a night sleeping. I go to bed with a book and the intention of reading for a few hours and the hours turn into minutes and I'm out. The fireplace has been a constant source of pleasure, I just don't understand why you don't see them in RVs. Maybe we'll start a new trend.
Remainder of the voyage will be easier in some ways, but more challenging in others. We are comfortable with Shachagra and have most of the shortcomings worked out or around, random noises don't cause shots of adrenaline through our systems. But as the RV living gets easier, the travel conditions get more difficult. With the exception of driving on our accepted side of the road, from here on, we will encounter a language barrier and increasingly more foreign, and third world conditions. The adventure continues.
Dover Castle is closed/Review of trip
Bronze age boat
Stealth camped in Dover bus parking lot
Instead of touring Dover castle we are chilling out, the rest went for runs, and when they return we will drive a mile or two to the white cliffs for a hike. i just got back from there and it is beautiful and absolutely empty. I am amazed at how scared the Brits of are of a little snow. We watch them creep along roads that would be consider cleared back in Ohio. I like it, its the first time I'm not slowing everybody down, this rig loves the snow- it should with 8 huge tires driving it. We board a ferry this afternoon for France so it is time to do a Britain wrap-up.
Flew into London on 13 Sept and we have driven 2322 miles, seen 33 museums, 14 castles, 12 ruins, 8 cathedrals, 8 palaces and searched 5 graveyard resulting in 3 family ancestor groups found. Not that anyone is counting. The longest we stayed in any one place was 7 days, on the Isle of Wight, in a cottage before receiving the RV. We spent 4 nights in Lakenheath, and 4 in York early on but have kept moving consistently other than that. A 3 night stay near Beamish was only due to their being teens in the caravan park that Charles could beguile. We do enjoy our nights in caravan parks. Of our 57 nights spent in Shachagra, 15 were in caravan parks. We enjoy an orgy of water and electricity use, long showers and a constant usage of about 2KW of power. They get their moneys worth, they cost $30-$45 a night. As we get further south with more sun we will stay in them less and less. Of the 42 night parked outside of caravan parks, we've only been asked to move once, and the attendant was so nice about it and felt very bad, told us where we could move to.
Favorite sights - we discussed this and here is the general consensus. The favorite castle was Warwick, although the most commercial, and the most expensive, it was a Madame Tussaud's meets English Heritage Castle. They had displays ranging from the conquest of England by William the Conquerer, to the the excess of the 20th century royalty, including Churchill's "easy mum." lady Randolph is shown flirting with her soon to be lover and one of Churchill's friends, scandalous! I think Dover would have topped it, but for the weak constitution of these Brits, can't open in the snow. The favorite Cathedral varied, mine being Durham, Grace likes Westminster. My favorite moment was sitting next to a fire 10 feet from Loch Dugaill. The moon was huge reflected off the Loch.
Shachagra is the best, truly, I think she's the best RV in the world. I have a definite bias, and there are problems, condensation, electrical shortfalls in the winter and the steps stopped working, but the plus's are many. My favorites are the tub and fireplace. I soak in the tub at least twice a day. The filter keeps the water crystal clear and the boiler keeps it hot. I sit in it, water up to my neck, and I think. Sometimes I don't even do that, I listen to the click..., click...., click of the diesel pump making my water hot. My life simplified to listening to heat. Another winner that everyone agrees on are the memory foam beds- 6 inches is perfect, I feel like I'm in a sensory deprivation chamber lying in bed. I have spent more time in bed in the last two months than ever before. Though I have to get up in the morning to get the place warmed up, I still spend 10 hours a night sleeping. I go to bed with a book and the intention of reading for a few hours and the hours turn into minutes and I'm out. The fireplace has been a constant source of pleasure, I just don't understand why you don't see them in RVs. Maybe we'll start a new trend.
Remainder of the voyage will be easier in some ways, but more challenging in others. We are comfortable with Shachagra and have most of the shortcomings worked out or around, random noises don't cause shots of adrenaline through our systems. But as the RV living gets easier, the travel conditions get more difficult. With the exception of driving on our accepted side of the road, from here on, we will encounter a language barrier and increasingly more foreign, and third world conditions. The adventure continues.
