A bientôt EU

[Amarillo]

Bummer, can you take it to 'Lucky Chair' in Bielefeld??

And wait three weeks for them to put in a rivet!?

'Lucky Bike' have responded to my review, missing the point completely about being unable/unwilling to carry out minor urgent repairs without appointment.


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[GillianC]

Last full day away. Got up, made my coffee and Clare's tea, sat down and whuuummppff!

My chair broke a rivet.


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Perhaps it's trying to tell you that it has had enough Tom and it's time to go home?

 

[Amarillo]

Day 344 to 349 – Esbeek

I'm sure a psychologist would read much into us spending the last week of our year travelling around Europe almost on the doorstep of Calais. We have enjoyed our year away but we are now keen to return home. Our tenants vacate our home at 10am on Saturday. Friday night and maybe Saturday night we will be with my parents in Lewisham.

Our final week has been quite lazy. This campsite has provided most of our needs. A great playground for the boys, two pools, one for children and one for swimming. Over the road is a forest which extends all the way to the border with Belgium.

We have cooked all our own meals on site, shopping before we arrived, then one trip to the supermarket and several to the bakery. I also made a round trip with Meg to the vet to administer a worming tablet and stamp her passport.

We have walked or cycled several times daily in the forest and have been eaten alive by insects.

We are now all packed up, ready for an early start tomorrow. The boys and me upstairs, Clare on the bench seat below. We'll be stopping for an early lunch in Ghent so Clare can have moules-frites.



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[GillianC]

Day 344 to 349 – Esbeek

I'm sure a psychologist would read much into us spending the last week of our year travelling around Europe almost on the doorstep of Calais. We have enjoyed our year away but we are now keen to return home. Our tenants vacate our home at 10am on Saturday. Friday night and maybe Saturday night we will be with my parents in Lewisham.

Our final week has been quite lazy. This campsite has provided most of our needs. A great playground for the boys, two pools, one for children and one for swimming. Over the road is a forest which extends all the way to the border with Belgium.

We have cooked all our own meals on site, shopping before we arrived, then one trip to the supermarket and several to the bakery. I also made a round trip with Meg to the vet to administer a worming tablet and stamp her passport.

We have walked or cycled several times daily in the forest and have been eaten alive by insects.

We are now all packed up, ready for an early start tomorrow. The boys and me upstairs, Clare on the bench seat below. We'll be stopping for an early lunch in Ghent so Clare can have moules-frites.



Follow my blog: www.au-revoir.eu

Moules-frites yum yum. Hope that Clare enjoys....
Fantastic, happy photos and how your boys have grown in the last year.
Great stuff. We are going to miss your travels.
Safe trip home.

 

[Hotel California]

Have a safe and enjoyable ride home guys !
The end of the trip is near , we will have to mis out on reading your storys in the next few weeks .
Soon you will sleeping in your home-bed ....

 

[Bill R]

Enjoy your own bed when you get there !
It has been a pleasure reading about your travels. Informative, amusing and always interesting.
Well done for keeping the blog going !

 

[Jay586]

That year has gone quickly!

What were the highlights?

Thank you, been great following you around...

 

[EddieEagle]

Kudos to you and yours!
Hope the heart is now ready for home......
Fantastic achievement, hang on, is that what kudos means??

 

[s2bear]

Have a safe journey home!
When I was a child, coming home after a fortnight in Cornwall each year, the house had a lovely, homely, familiar smell but, walking up the stairs for the first time always seemed really weird (a little like the sensation felt when stepping onto a stationary escalator).

Goodness knows how the stairs will seem after a year but I’m sure it will be great to be home.

I’ve enjoyed your adventure immensely so thank you again for sharing.





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[Erbster]

I’ve enjoyed your blog very much- I’m sure it will make a lasting impression on your family. Thanks for posting the updates.

 

[Sad]

Amazing adventures

Safe travels this morning, don't forget they drive on the left in the UK...

 

[5i1ver8ack]

Thank you Tom & Family. We enjoyed that trip.

One question though..... Having lived in a campervan for 12 months and having toured from place to place, would you do it again?

 

[Velma's Dad]

Great stuff. You're all looking super-healthy in those pics!!

 

[Amarillo]

Thank you Tom & Family. We enjoyed that trip.

One question though..... Having lived in a campervan for 12 months and having toured from place to place, would you do it again?

I suggested a second lap to Clare last night. She said "no" and nothing else.

I'd love to do it all again when the boys are older. 10 and 11 would be good. Home schooling and miss KSII says...


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[Verity]

I suggested a second lap to Clare last night. She said "no" and nothing else.

I'd love to do it all again when the boys are older. 10 and 11 would be good. Home schooling and miss KSII says...


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Don't risk it - just imagine how much fun you'll have getting the boys into a secondary school if you're away!!! I might respectfully suggest 6 weeks touring through the summer holidays, if you can get the time off work!!!

Also, in my experience, boys of that age grow about an inch per day, so you might need to follow Granny Jen and tow a caravan as well. And they eat 3 times as much as the adults, so you'll want to avoid restaurants once they get onto adult portions, or sell one of your houses to pay the food bill!

Seriously though, that was a mammoth and brave adventure given the size of the camper and the ages of your boys, so hats off to you and Clare for not killing each other. You clearly have a very strong marriage. Lovely.

 

[Loz]

Excellent Tom, well done to you and Clare, really enjoyed your blog. As @GillianC said, I can't believe how much the boys have grown over the time.

You should consider having your blog printed like a friend of mine did after he undertook the Mongolian rally its a great keepsake.

 

[Cali-on-Camping]

Thanks @Amarillo for sharing your family's experience over the last year. It has been inspirational, educational and undoubtedly enjoyable. I am sure I speak for the many when I say that your story has in someway influenced something we have done with our Calis.

Good luck in your next adventure.

 

[Jonathan Duke]

Chapeau Tom & Family!!

What an adventure! I haven’t been able to keep up with your blog in full, but will catch-up on it all at some stage I’m sure! What an experience you all have had, from what I have read.

Enjoy your “home comforts” and the memories of your trip!

There’s plenty of mileage in Armarillo yet mind! So will look forward to seeing you in Northern Ireland some day!

And thanks for sharing you experiences!!

 

[MattBW]

Thank you @Amarillo Tom and family for sharing your trip, inspiring and enjoyable all at once. If you ever fancy a little interview for campervan cookout, I'd love to chat to you about your experiences

 

[Borris]

Fantastic blog Tom. Given the length and scale of your tour I'm just wondering how long it's going to be before you are all off on another adventure. Your trip will either have left you wanting more or never wanting to do it again in a Beach and I bet it's the former.

After such a long trip your perspective on the long term use of the Beach would be both unique and most welcome. Any chance of a brief summary of your observations?

 

[H Marriage]

Hi Tom, Clare, Jack and Ben. Huge congratulations on your epic trip. We have been following your blog from the start, and have enjoyed it immensely. We are just five months into our Europe trip, and are just full of admiration for you doing it with two youngsters and dog in tow. We are finding it hard work with just the two of us and no other responsibilities! As you know, some of the places you have visited, we have also been, so it has been great reading your experiences of the same spots. We are just starting on our Scandinavian leg, and so have already refreshed our memories of that part of your blog. I’m not sure if we’ll have the stamina to keep travelling for the full year, so hats off to you guys for completing your goal. Maybe someday we can meet up in the flesh, maybe at a Club meet when we are back, and compare notes. I’m sure your trip has been an amazing learning experience for the two boys. I wish them all the best in their new schools - let’s hope they adapt quickly to being back in one place. Their teacher should certainly be impressed with their geography knowledge! You should definitely get your blog published- it makes wonderful reading. Well done again guys, and welcome home!

 

[Digger]

Well done! A guide book for others hoping to follow a similar venture perhaps?. Martin Dory produced a touring guide of Scotland - just think a touring guide of Europe which would become a reference book for those hoping to tour.
Next adventure must be first trip to school

 

[leightonjthomas]

Hi Tom
Sincere congratulations to you all- what are we now going to read first thing every morning?
A year on the road but a lifetime of memories for the whole family! I admire the courage of you and Clare in embarking on such a marathon but, most of all, I’ve appreciated your total honesty and transparency, especially when describing problems you’ve encountered or mistakes you’ve made- you’d never make a politician!

 

[Verity]

Hi Tom
Sincere congratulations to you all- what are we now going to read first thing every morning?
A year on the road but a lifetime of memories for the whole family! I admire the courage of you and Clare in embarking on such a marathon but, most of all, I’ve appreciated your total honesty and transparency, especially when describing problems you’ve encountered or mistakes you’ve made- you’d never make a politician!

First thing every morning is right. Tom, do you not sleep? Your posts seemed to appear at 3am a lot!

 

[Hotel California]

Also agree with @leightonjthomas and @Verity .
I also wake up early arround 5.30 Belgian time and always check news from @Amarillo before leaving on my bike to work.