We decide to leave the day before our crossing, spending the night at the CAMC campsite near Folkestone so that we can relax, check everything works and we haven't forgotten something critical.
Leaving our Folkstone stopover after a (very) early shower we head for Le Shuttle, speed through a seamless check-in and security check, wait in the queue for French passport check behind a rather tasty McLaren then park the outfit and head for a nice Starbucks coffee and snack before embarquement on an earlier than booked crossing. This is why we love Le Shuttle.
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The decision to travel on Sunday was a good one. Although it, as expected, proves impossible to park at a serviced aire which are full of HGVs, we settle for a relaxed lunch in the 'van at a small aire.
The running to Le Mans was extremely straightforward (gold star to the new motor - more comments in the 'car' tab) and we're now sitting in the 'van at our stopover campsite, Le Pont Remain, feeling quite chilled, even after driving through a torrential thunderstorm. Bordeaux or perhaps further tomorrow, all being well.
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....and we make it (in pouring rain) past Bordeaux to Camping Val de l'Eyre at Salles but the rain kindly stops for us to pitch the 'van.
A wet journey it was indeed - but free of camions again because it's a public holiday so keeping to a steady cruising speed was possible, apart from the Bordeaux ring road of course. Let's lie back, have a cuppa and chill for a while.
España tomorrow! We're aiming for Tordesillas with an overnight at Camping el Astral which is around 550km - so a longer day if we make it. Our normal plan is to have a relaxing late afternoon and evening so let's see.
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Well, here we are after a longer day, setting off at 8.45am and arriving here at 5pm for the journey of around 560km.
The legal limit for towing in Spain is 80km/h for our 4 tonne outfit which means, if you stick to this, you become a mobile road-block for the train of heavy lorries just released from holiday captivity. Common sense prevails but we take a relaxed approach with a couple of stops - one for a rather nice chorizo tortilla on the outskirts of San Sebastián. As is becoming the norm, the XC60 happily coped with all the challenges it faced, including some fairly long, steep climbs through breathtaking scenery.
Nice site, nice town - pity about the rain. Still we're feeling good - and it's uplifting to be in our second home country again.
Portugal tomorrow, ABW - so that's the end of this post about getting there...... See you in our destination country then?
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