The day we arived in London we were at a surprise birthday party for my Brother-in-law's fiftieth, the ol' fellas not getting any younger :-)
Then we had a day to relax before driving through the night for a 02:00 ferry.
So tired that we all had an hour's crash at a rest area happened before Paris was reached.
The outward journey was made all the more interesting by storms from Paris to Orleans through France. The rain was so heavy that we were driving through waterfalls falling from bridges that crossed the peripherique. The planned camp at Combreux was abandoned as we had to slow to 10 mph to see where we were going! A hasty retreat to the motel was in order. Setting up a family tent in a downpour is an over-rated activity I reckon.
Temperatures in the mid-thirties, fresh ripe fruit: cherries, nectarines, peaches, apricots, melons and plenty of vegetables and good meats made poolside barbecues a regular treat.
My father-in-law made the children a playhouse on the patio beside the pool.
Anyway, the weather was much kinder on the return journey and the family tent got an airing and we drove away from a quiet, shaded campsite wishing we had planned in a few more days camping...next year :-) Travelled to Dunkerque by Route Nationale single-carriageway roads. Interesting getting around Paris, the SatNav tried to take us through an alleyway wide enough for a pushbike!
A few day's in London gave us the opportunity to catch up with an old friend and take the children to the Natural History and Science Museums (if you haven't seen iMax 3D then make the opportunity, we saw Hubble and it was impressive).
So, we're travelling again tomorrow. Back in Applecross in a couple of days.
