Thursday 18 May 2017

France Day 3 - 18 May 17

Dear reader,

All good things come to an end and yesterday's hot weather turned into a storm during the night - lots of high winds and driving rain... on top of all that disappoint I found out that the bar and restaurant aren't open until June...... but at least the owner had the presence of mind to stock up his fridge with some local Le Blonde at 6.5% proof, and what a good night cap that was...... storm huh what storm....

We hit the road at about 8.30 this morning and took in the sights at the South African Memorial, the Tank Memorial, The Poziers Memorial, the Arras underground Museum, the New Zealand Memorial and the Lochnagar Crater..... most of it in the rain..

I did manage some real food at a McDonalds at Arras... don't sigh... it was good food, the room was warm and dry, I managed to charge my iPad, use the free WiFi and finally use the toilet facilities - all the cost of a Big Mac and chips.... can't be bad..

It's now 3pm and it has finally stopped raining and I am back at the campsite. Just checking the route back to Calais avoiding the Motorways. Then onto the metal rabbit and across to Folkestone....... I will take the scenic route home as I am in no hurry to get home and unpack. I will have the house to myself until Sunday, but I do have to visit my late Mum's Cottage as the grass will need cutting and thing need to be sorted before it goes onto the market..

So far a good trip and you just can't help but feel stunned by the scale of the dead and wounded in the 'Great War' of 1914 - 18. I was good to see so many bus-loads of school children at these locations - I hope they appreciate what was done by so many - they sacrificed their tomorrows for our today's...... Black Adder 4 - Over the Top had got the madness just right.....