Cead Mile Failte !

I’d had a good nights sleep on the Oscar Wilde, a gentle swell, and purr from the engines keeping me snoozing till dawn.. I’d got up, been showered and changed before finding out it was still only 7-10 a.m. ! Ah well, it was fine,although cloudy outside, with no land in sight !

I continued catching up on my emails etc, before treating myself to ‘waiter service’ Breakfast in the restaurant, and sat munching for almost my allotted hour !, great value for      $14-55 !!

Now I’m ready for Ireland… but is it ready for me ?

and

Where to go…I suppose I’ll have to get a map !!- well I thought about it, and realised that the one I’ve already got should be sufficient, whilst I can get some ‘freebies’ from Tourist information…can’t I ?

I drove off the boat shortly before 12 noon ( Irish time !), and initially drove up towards and through Wexford, then along the coast, taking some minor road to Arthurstown…where the road ended !- I could have got a ferry across to Waterford…but didn’t and returned back inland, and continued  traversing along the southern coast, heading westwards… through and into Waterford, which was extremely busy, perhaps the rain that had welcomed ! me to Ireland, had encouraged everyone to the shops…I had hoped to stop at the Waterford crystal factory, which was right in the centre, and so busy…I didn’t bother…

then further along the coast road, and looking down on the coastal inlets , and whilst getting tired I’d deviated down a real rural road, and come upon some signs ‘Michael Collins Birthplace’… realising who he was ( a leader of the IRA, in the Easter Rising in 1916,eventually assassinated by his own…) I thought I should go and have a look, which I did..to find the remains of his birth house, and also the house where he was brought up, and burnt down by the British Army, in the War..  not really much to see though… whilst there I chatted to a local farmer (who had just returned from a holiday in England and Scotland !) he recommended a nearby campsite at Timoleague, near Clonakilty – Sykes Farm , which I headed for and booked in for the night at a reasonable $20 ! and I settled down for an early night (in the rain )

So, I’ll wish you all an Irish ‘Good Night’ !

Adieu a’la Francais..

For my final day in France I was up early as usual, to a still snoring campsite, showered and on the road before 9 a.m. – I had stayed on the west of Paris, wise choice as I was soon heading away from the traffic, and again through open countryside towards Cherbourg..

I did have a couple of deviations, whilst I looked at a ‘Dirigible Hangar’, huge in the countryside , but ignored all the other Second World War landing beaches in Normandy, although noticeably all the buildings had changed..

As I fuelled up in Cherbourg, and dropped down the hill to the Port, I was enveloped in a sea mist, and by the time we were loaded onto the ‘Oscar Wilde’ there was a fairly thick mist hanging over the port, and the Captain announced it was likely to be like that all the way over to Ireland…with the fog horn blasting all the time !  It didn’t delay us though, and we set off bang on time at 6 p.m., immediately gaining an hour as it was now Irish time…5 p.m. !

I bade farewell to France again, a great journey, and lovely couple of months with far too many memories to remember ! and now ?…on my way to ‘The Gathering 'in Attymass,Ballina,Co Mayo, Ireland !-home of both parents!

As if to celebrate, the setting sun put on a reasonable display for me, and I retired to bed on a lovely floor !

A final Bonne Nuit !… for this year !

2 Flypasts and Lots in Between..

I was glad I was having a lazy start to the day, although still up just before 7 a.m., and as I wandered back from the shower block,I was getting some pictures of the sun rising over the River Loire and then I heard the whoosh of noise,and slowly saw some hot air balloons rising up into the sky from the opposite bank , what a majestic sight, as in total 3 balloons rose up into the sky, floated over the river, over the campsite, with the occasional roar of their gas jet burners, lifting them on high, and being carried away on the light morning winds, so that’s one flypast so far today, and I’ve not even got to Paris yet !

I then finished packing, said farewell to Milo and Do, having got yesterdays paper, and set off for Paris, happily travelling along through sunny rural France in the Sunday morning peace and sunshine..towards Paris and the final stage of the TdF…

I arrived at a campsite on the outskirts of Paris, in Bois de Boulogne, at just after 12-30 p.m., and so, I think did half the world ! –it was chaos with people trying to get on, and I only just got on, refusing to pay a $20 booking fee for 1 nights stay ! I was plonked amongst loads of tents near the shower block, but it would do for the night, and should be secure ..most of the people already there, or arriving seemed to be British, nice to see such great support…and once I’d worked out where to go, I gathered my stuff and set of for the centre. A shuttle bus ran from the campsite to the top of the Champs Elysee, and then it would only be a short walk to the Arc de Triomphe, and the circuit..

As I got off the bus at Porte Maillot, I stood on a great roundabout with no clues as to which way to go, neither did most of us, and it took a bit of working out to start going in the right direction – once we got going though, it was soon confirmed as the roads were already closed, and it was only 10 to 4, the race wasn’t expected to end until after 9 p.m. !

I took advantage of the closed Champs Elysee, to walk up the centre, capturing the sights on camera –most times I’d be mown down by traffic doing this !.. and wandered up the road towards the Arc d’Triomphe

Across and around the Arc the circuit was already laid out – the riders would come into Paris later tonight, and then race about 10 laps round the circuit, each one lasting about 5 minutes, before the final sprint for the line…with great expectations of another British win – the tour already having been won by Chris Froome of Team Sky .. I wandered along the course, trying to get into my best position, hopefully near to the finish line –not to be that was closed up to fee paying ‘guests’ (no room for the public !), and I wandered along the Seine, and back to get the best spot – there were Union Jacks and British in great abundance all round the course, although it was very hot, and still 5 hours to go – in fact it was so hot that the tar between the cobbles on the road had melted, and your feet stuck to the ground as you walked along, hopefully it’ll have cooled before the riders have to do this ! I did manage to get close to the presentation stand, that the riders will be standing on later…but don’t think I’ll get this close then 

I’d worked out where I felt my best spot would be, in the middle of the course, where I would get a view of them going up and down the Champs Elysee, and a distant view of the finishing straight, and with a view of a large TV screen also ! So that’s where I settled, waiting in a nearby shady park, with a convenient water fountain (and big queue for it !)

The big moment finally arrived as the Team Sky riders led the peloton along the Champs Elysee with Chris Froome in yellow amongst them, as my second flypast of the day happened as the French air force did a flypast just as this happened,right above our heads, rather noisier than this mornings !

There then followed over an hour of ups and downs as the riders swept up and down in front of the crowds, sometimes led by single riders (one being British rider David Millar), and then as it got to the last laps, really speeding up as the sprint teams made it to the front, ready for the final sprint of the tour.. all the Brits were going wild as Mark Cavendish started to hurtle his way to the finish line…would he overtake the faster Marcel Kittel ? (who won in Bastia,at the start)…everyone roared for him, as we watched the live action, and on screen as the finish line beckoned, and Cavendish thrust for the line…had he made it ? Oh No !, just beaten by half a wheel…as Kittel and his team mates stopped in front of the great British crowd, with everyone clapping and cheering…

More parading of past stars then took place before the presentations started, with a huge cheer for Chris Froome, who had won the overall race, and was presented with the winners yellow jersey, of the 100th Tour de France, I did have a distant view, although my best views were on the giant TV screen across the road.. a great day/night/3 weeks…has it been worth it ?… Of course it has !

Time to gather in my last views of Paris by night and make my way back to the bus stop, to pack on the crowded shuttle bus with the hordes, and to the heaving campsite for a good nights sleep…Bonne Nuit !

River of Fire..

I was up bright and early, making sandwiches and getting ready for my epic voyage in a canoe, along the River Loire

As I strolled down to the quayside it was already a buzz with people,boats,and music thumping out from some stalls that had been set up – it was a fishing competition, which explained why so many people with boats had been turning up last night, and were already fishing from them on the river, in the hot early morning sunshine.. whilst I was waiting for the canoe people, a great shout went out, and lots rushed down to the river, to help land and then measure a whopping fish ( I think it was a carp) 2.4 mts long…bigger than me…I’d better watch out on the river today ! – the poor blighter was carried off and dumped in holding pool, I suppose he’ll get released eventually !

The canoe people ( Canoe D’Anjou) http://www.canoes.fr/circuits.php had arrived by then, I was given my instructions in broken English (worse than my broken French !), and then we were packed into a rickety old van and up the river, to our various drop off points.. I was going furthest,  to Montsoreau and would have to paddle 27 kms back along the Loire, which they told me, because it was such a slow moving and wide river, would make it quite hard on my own ( it was, I can still feel my strained arms), although fortunately they supplied a double paddle, rather than single, which did help..I was soon out on the River, with all my valuables and camera in a waterproof barrel, which made for a tricky bit of balancing to get it out !

I’d set off just before 10-45 a.m., and they said they’d meet me at Gennes at 6 p.m. ! off I went out onto the wide river, hoping it would be easier than they thought.. it was nice floating along, as the birds on the riverbank blissfully sang out to greet me ..but it was getting hot, and I soon had to stop, in the middle of the river, for a change of headgear, and I’d taken the precaution of bringing my cycling gloves, to protect my delicate hands ! Not long after midday I was approaching Saumur again – I’ve come at this town by three differing modes of transport I thought, as I paddled along the base of the castle I was getting peckish, and soon afterwards found a nice deserted beach on an island in the river, to cool down in the shade of a tree,and eat my lunch..very,very warm , even hotter as I prepared to set off again, having to put on a long sleeved top, to stop my arms getting too burnt… the adventure continued, as slowly I had started to be able to recognise when the water became very shallow, even in the middle of the river, sometimes the canoe dredging over the top, almost getting stuck it was that shallow… around the differing islands, avoiding natural and man made obstacles , gaining a new perspective on the river and it’s inhabitants, although I did hear may fish jumping…I didn’t see any of the monsters caught this morning ! Every now and then I would just sit back, and let the river push me along, although slowly, as I looked at the sky overhead…blue and hot,hot,hot…

and by now getting very tiring..

I could see in the distance the bridge at Gennes, so knew my salvation was at hand, and watched as a sailboat overtook me ,perhaps I should have taken one of those ? then a new view of the campsite from below..and then I was back to Gennes, under the bridge, and hauling my canoe out of the river, and onto the quayside, whilst all the fishermen continued to congregate, looking for more ‘big fish’..it was 4-15 p.m., my 34 kms canoe trip had taken 5 1/2 hours, well within my expected time, as the canoe people found out when I rang them to let them know where their equipment was,and trudged back to the campsite and collapse !

I spent the rest of the day, just watching the world go by, as more cycle campers arrived and set up, and I considered my movements of tomorrow ..Bonne Nuit !

Take it Easy…and Do the Washing !

It was a little overcast this morning, and although I was up early…not early enough to book onto a canoe trip for today, so that’s settled it, I’ll be staying here another night, and canoeing tomorrow..

The weather remained overcast, and I was reluctant to do a load of washing in case of rain, so was forced to… read the paper (having been supplied by my Liverpudlian neighbours Milo and Do !), and do nothing !

By mid afternoon, it had brightened slightly, although there had been a few heavy showers, perhaps as well I didn’t go canoeing..and so I decided to go for another ride, this time to finish the loop, by riding into Saumur along the right bank of the river, and return via the left bank…and once I got riding the sun was soon accompanying me, as I swept along, into the wind, again, and relatively easily, within 40  minutes I was on the bridge in Saumur, looking at the fortress in the distance, as a horse and cart, with tourists came clip clopping along , not bothering about the great line of traffic behind it !

A further drink, and I was off again  finding the correct path was a bit tricky, although I eventually did, coming through the outskirts of Saumur, and looking up the river towards Gennes.. it was a really pleasant ride, with a special cyclepath marked at the side of the road, and all the time passing the various houses built along the river..with hardly any traffic on the road..lovely

I got back to the camp site, the sky was blue, the sun shining – time to do a wash load..and hung everything out in the evening sun to dry whilst I had my final French BBQ (for this year at least, perhaps ?)

An early night, ready for a long canoe trip tomorrow, which the canoe woman was not convinced I’d be up to – cheek of her !

Goodnight !

Hot in the Loire

I’d been amazed the evening before watching all the differing groups of people who were cycling and camping along the Loire, the grass strip in front of me had filled up during the evening, and just as quickly emptied the following morning as they all packed up and moved on – amazing, small family groups – some even with 2and 3 young children, babes in arms, marvellous, what great adventure, although what its like for their parents pulling them along I don’t know !

I’d got my bread and Pain au Chocolat from the baker, who came round in his van just after 8, tooting his horn ! and had a pleasant breakfast in the early morning sunshine..

I decided I should have a ride along the Loire, and so got my gear on, filled up with fluids, and off I set  with the sun on my back, and zooming along the banks of the Loire on the road…really enjoyable as the road just gently went up and down, although there was quite a fierce wind, which I hoped would push me home again ( it didn’t !)

I rode about an hour and a half to Bouchemaine http://www.ville-bouchemaine.fr/, skirting Angers as I did so, a busy spot, where I had a nice altercation with an impatient motorist ( must have been an woman !)

Bouchemaine is at the confluence of the Loire with the Maine, further away than I’d expected, and now into a hotter part of the day, so I rested under a tree, and watched the world go by…or not, as a Heron sat on a nearby fishing boat and the river chugged slowly along

then it was time to turn around, and return, back into the midday sun, and the wind now in my face.. hotter than I’d expected,I rode along, losing my way around Angers, and so travelling some distance out of my way,before I returned to the correct road, and continued along the Loire, drinking what little water I had left, and resting/cooling  in the shade a couple of times, until eventually I spotted the bridge over the rover at Gennes http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gennes,_Maine-et-Loirewhere I was stopping, at last redemption…over 3 1/2 hours riding, and around 70 kms !

I was able to drink over a litre of fridge cold water, and relax in the afternoon sun, reading a paper supplied by my neighbours – a nice couple from Liverpool !

As the late afternoon arrived, I watched the groups of cyclists again arrive, setting up their tents, and relax, I wonder how far they have to travel, or how much they do each day ?

I treated myself to a Gallette and Crepes for my dinner, from a stall set up on the campsite, washed down with some nice cold fizzy wine, luxury and peace…and looked out over the Loire, and lights on the other bank..

Bonne Nuit !

Sights of the Loire

I was up at the first light of dawn, must have been the nearby residents waking…and set off for my first destination for the day Saumur http://www.ot-saumur.fr/ , where as I arrived shortly after 8 a.m. was still sleeping, allowing me some great views of the Loire below me, and the nearby Castle and Chateau ,what a pleasing sight, as the Loire chugged slowly by, and occasional boats, I presumed of fishermen, gently going along the river… I walked to the Castle, to find it not open until 10 a.m. – that suited me, I wouldn’t pay anyway ! I walked down into the town itself,again just coming to life, and had a gentle meander through it’s old streets and churches

Then back to Wally, and another stop on the Loire… I drove to Angers, which was rather busy, so I didn’t stop, but had a nice lunch on an old quay, next to the Loire, before returning to Saumur, for supplies, then returning to a campsite I’d spotted on my morning trip Camping Au Bord de Loire WWW.camping-auborddeloire.com a brilliantly located site, next to the Loire river, and I got myself a pitch overlooking the river, watching it drift slowly by, as I settled down after my first shower in 10 days ! ( I had had a few ‘bed baths’ though !) and a nice steak for the BBQ !

Bonne Nuit !