sleeping matts

For the first month or so of our trip we had cheap sleeping mats. They looked the same as the fancy dearer models but punctured quickly (we are unsure whether Jennys ever retained air!) and were not very comfy. After many a poor night's sleep we splashed out on the well reputed Therma-rest brand and haven't looked back. A bit of a plug there but the difference is obvious and it's really not worth trying to skimp when it comes to getting a good sleep.

Anyway i drew some pictures of what it was like sleeping on our old mats............

le camping sauvage (wild camping)

We have been camping in campsites when we can but sometimes there is not one on our way so we will set up in an out of the way spot. It's not encouraged in many countries but in practice some are easier to do this in than others. Scotland is one place where it is legal under their roaming laws. You can camp overnight on private property or public land if you are not disturbing anyone or disrupting their animals or crops, and you must respect people's space (not camp in their backyard) and leave the area tidy.

Our wild camping experiences on the continent so far have been a bit mixed - the worst was a mozzie-infested wood in Belgium, and we had another poor one in France which has been christened "bugs and slugs camp". As we left we had to pick hand sized big brown slug/leaches from our shoes, bags and bikes. However, since then we've had some nice ones in woodland areas and fields and have aquired mozzie coils that deter most creepy crawlies.

Camping prices have been very reasonable in the Netherlands, Belgium and France. In Antwerp, we camped just outside the city for about 6.50 euro a night for both of us! A few others have been under 10 euro but on average I'd say we have paid 12 euro a night for the two of us. Often campsites in France have a swimming pool, restaurant etc so quite ritzy by our standards.

Below is a drawing of us sleeping in our tent in a wild wood in France. I must have been a bit over tired because I coudn't sleep and my imagination was running away with itself hearing the noises outside the tent. We had been talking about the wild pigs that live in france and I was picturing them snuffeling into our tent in the night.

plus de france

Salut! It's been a while since the last post, but we now have a mini laptop which will make the fandangled internet more accessible and hopefully help us to post here more regularly. We've made our way from Paris south to the Loire River, then along that for a while before heading east. We are currently in Dijon, on our way to Belfort (near the border) where we are meeting Colin and Liz to attend a music festival which is on from the 1st to 5th July.

Cruising past a nuclear power station on the Loire River

Matthew playing table tennis with a wee french boy at a campsite

M passes out on arrival at a campsite after a long, hilly day

Considering going for a swim in this mountain lake

Crouching pig fountain

This is how they spell pony in french - very cute, I thought you'd like it Libs.

Parking at the supermarket. Actually, lots of supermarkets have bike racks just outside (not this one)

Matthew patting a donkey. The poor thing had flies all over it's face. We shooed them all away but I'm sure they came straight back after we left. We considered trading one of our bikes for the donkey but I'm not sure he'd appreciate lugging our panniers across Europe?

The minutest frog I have ever seen, who was nestled into a crease in my pannier.

A gorgeous canal bridge on the Loire River. This was designed by Gustave Eiffel and apparently is the longest in Europe.

One of the highlights of each cycling day is stopping for lunch. There are lovely little towns all through the countryside so we always find somewhere nice to bask for a while (when it's sunny! On rainy days we huddle in bus shelters/pogodas/anywhere vaguely dry and don't take photos.)

We have been camping every night since Paris, mostly in campsites but in a couple of wild spots too.

Brushing my teeth at camp in Foret d'Orleans (Orleans Forest)

Bois de Justice (woods of justice?) where we found a luxury campsite with swimming pool etc. Matthew thinking about justice (and perhaps pondering "liberte, egalite, fraternite" or something).

Pretending to be in the Tour de France - this starts soon and they have been re-sealing lots of road sections along the route.

gay paris

We rode into Paris along a canal from the east side. It made it very easy as we didnt need to deal with traffic and motor ways. It passed through a lovely forest and suburbs and then industry. Just before the city centre it was very run down and people were living in improvised neighborhoods of caravans and shantys surrounded by rubbish. We were not sure if they were french nationals but they didnt seem to have access to any services. They seemed relaxed as we rode past, doing day to day stuff. A man had warned us not to stop but it didnt feel threatening.

These guys were doing amazing stunts on their roller blades just next to notre dame.

gargoyls !!!!


Jenny busy writing her new novel.

Paris has lovely gardens scattered all round the centre. Some are very regal with fountains and greek statues while others are more overgrown and cozy. They often have metal chairs scattered around them free to be moved about and people will be reclining or reading in them in their lunch break. We also saw a fashion shoot while we were having a snack - tres cool!




The second day in Paris we wandered around the latin quarter on the left bank and explored the book shops and atiques. Lots more fun and relaxed than trawling around the tourist traps.

We stumbled upon a lovely bookshop called Shakespeare and co that stocked english books.

Paying respects at Serg Gainsberg and Cioran's graves at montparnasse cemetry.

French toast

drying our stuff after a soggy few days.







camped on the Marne river in a villiage where Samuel Beckett retired.


Jenny inside a Monet painting. So many beautiful wild flowers.

Riding along tow path into Paris