Twinwood Festival
A first for me and van attending a music festival which more than exceeded my hopes. It didn’t pour down for the whole time, so the van was never at risk of getting mud-bound. It was all the better to be able to share the enjoyment with my daughter and son-in-law, and we had alot of fun, not least some jive for beginner lessons.
The range of music from the decades from 1930s upto the 70s – rockabilly, swing, soul, gypsy jazz, Frankie Valli tribute act, and more, was fantastic. Lots of people dressing up – here’s me doing a token bit, and below a snippet of the music and dance on offer. Highly recommend if you like music which puts a smile on your face, gets your feet moving, and encourages you to sing along. The musicianship from all the bands was excellent, and they were really pleased to be performing following their Covid lockdowns.
Portsmouth – Caen – Chatellerault
From the festival near Bedford, it was a smooth drive down to Portsmouth, and the ferry crossing found a calm sea. It was great to meet up with my brother and sister-in-law who had by chance booked onto the same crossing and, better still, enjoy their commodore class cabin for a rest after traipsing literally miles over the last few days.
Fallout from Brexit meant that I waited about 45 mins after leaving the ferry for the French border control to check my passport and Covid vaccination certificate. They didn’t check, and therefore confiscate, the remaining dairy produce in my fridge, so the next morning cup of tea did not have to resort to the hidden UHT carton. By the time I got through the border it was about 10:30pm, then I had a drive to the stopover. Amazing achievement – I had made it into France!
This was a free aire about 20 miles south off the coast in the hamlet of Grainville-Langannerie outside the Mairie. What a brilliant place – one other van there, and straightaway Blue felt at home, away from England’s current lack of provision, if not in some quarters disapproval.
But the next morning and checks prior to setting off revealed that the hissing of air sound I thought I heard while waiting at Portsmouth harbour, and didn’t check for a variety of reasons, had obviously been caused by my passenger rear tyre, which was pretty well flat!!! Tbh, if I had checked it I don’t know what I would have done at that point.
Google again sorted me out producing a tyre place 12 miles down the still empty main road, so drove gingerly there, and was of course delighted that they could sort me out. Good service as I’d experienced with the same problem 2 years ago on the way to Brittany in Monte2.
I was on my way again, via long, straight, non-toll non-busy, non-roadwork-hindered roads, to the house of friends from way back now living in France a few miles from Chatellerault. Drove all day in effect mostly at 55 mph, but lots of slowing as the roads I took, whilst direct, still went through many small towns. Blue sky, rising temperatures, taking note of the countryside in the departments of the Orne, Sarthe, and into the Deux Sevres (part of the Loire valley and plains) and arriving in the Vienne.