Day 158 - Manfredonia
Little things can take ages to achieve.
On the way here we stopped at a VW parts shop and ordered some snow chains, on certain roads it is mandatory to carry them between 15 November and 15 April, and next spring we will be driving the Transfăgărășan in Romania if it is open. Plus, I'd much rather have chains and not need them over needing chains and not have them, and if stopped by la polizia on a mandatory road, we will need them.
I paid a 20 Euro deposit for the chains, was given a written receipt, and told they would be there the next morning. I said I'd be in to collect before Friday, and was advised that they were closed on Friday for [yet another] festival.
So today we went to the trouble of driving away from our awning. This involves:
-removing the roof topper
-preparing the upper berth
-lowering the roof
-clearing the lower berth
-folding up the mattress
-making the lower bed into a seat
-putting in the child seats
-detaching the awning lights
-detaching the tent awning from the wind out awning
-rolling back the tent awning porch
-guying the tent awning
-marking out the return position for the van
-unplugging the hook up cable
-and, most importantly, unhooking Meg and her lead from the tow bar
Front wheel position marked
We used this as an opportunity to wash the bed linen, and as we'd decided to stay seven nights, not the four nights we'd originally planned, we needed to visit a supermarket for more wine and other essentials.
We drove to the spares' shop in Foggia, arriving 30 minutes before they shut for their 2 1/2 hour lunch. "Come back this afternoon" we were told. No explanation. Foggia was without electricity, so that may or may not have been the reason.
So, we went shopping at the supermarket, had lunch, played on the beach, and I returned to Foggia with the boys. Clare remained behind to walk Meg. Jack fell asleep in the car, and I had to carry him into the spares' shop, then Ben needed a pee but the electricity was still out in Foggia - 4 hours later - and he didn't want to pee in the dark loo, with only a high window to the dim workshop behind.
My 20 Euros cash was returned, I was presented with my snow chains, and I had to pay cash as they had no power. Daylight was fading.
We returned to the campsite in the dark, and under pressure, being watched by Clare, two Swiss, two Germans and two Luxembourgers, with Ben screaming for a pee, I reversed perfectly alongside my pre-marked cable. Clare took Ben for a pee, and I went through the long process of setting up the van for sleeping.
Little things take ages to achieve. All day to pick up pre-ordered snow chains.
Tomorrow I look forward to working out how to fit them. I fully expect that to take all day too.
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