So as you may have read a few posts ago, Sams van broke down, due to a faulty fuel pump a few weeks back im France, so we had to do a recovery mission to retrieve the old girl. We also wanted to make it to Mount St Micheal as we didn't make it last time.
We made a plan. I booked an over night ferry for my van that landed first thing on Saturday morning, close to where we had left the van to be repaired. We would then pick up Alice(the van) and drive the 100miles or so to Mt St Micheal, spend the night and then make our way back on Sunday stopping along the way to check out what ever we felt like checking out. But once again the old van had different ideas. I had the Friday off so that I could make sure the old girl was up to scratch and we had plenty of gas, water, food and fuel as I hadn't used betty since beerfest last year. It was after I had filled up with petrol and was heading back home that betty broke down. The fuel pump had gone. How very ironic. Luckily I had a spare electric one on board and so after a bit of fiddling I had it wired up and running.
The girls got home from work and we loaded up and hit the road. We where making good time and the traffic was light so we stopped for dinner at the services. After filling our bellies we jumped back in the van and I went star her up and, nothing. The fuel pump had gone again. I thought that I must have wired it up wrong or that it was just a dud one so i have another fiddle with it but nothing. I couldn't do that much as I had left my tools in Alice on the last trip. There was bit of panic and as we tried to get any of the roadside assist company's to come to our rescue in the time frame we had. Finally a very nice RAC man turned up and with his trusty multimeter informed me that there was no power to the unit so after a quick rewire we where on the road again with a race against the clock to get to the ferry on time.
Mental note; don't leave home with out tools.
We arrived at the ferry terminal with only 1min to spare and luck was with us as the next leg of our journey was trouble free. We had a good sleep on the ferry and made it to the the garage to pick up Alice in good time. I got the garage to do a wheel balance while we where there as I had a bit of a wobble. Then, in convoy, we headed off again.
We arrived at Mt St Micheal mid afternoon and what an amazing place it is. If you get the chance to visit then you really should, and if you don't your really missing out. I think it's one of my favorite things in France, well apart from crepes. Its a huge rock rock sitting in the middle of some sand flats about a kilometer from the main land and when the tide comes in it makes it an island, if the road wasn't there of cause but on a spring tide even the road goes under water. On top of the rock is a beautiful cathedral built in 966 with the most amazing views. On the walk to the cathedral is a village that winds it way up the side of the rock. It's a bit touristy but it's still very pretty and the views on the walk up are great but the views from the very top, and from outside the cathedral are breath taking. It was a crisp and clear day and I could have spent all day up there just looking across the sea but there was a cathedral to look round. There where heaps of cool little parts to the cathedral like a little garden hidden on the far side of the out side of the building. And the archway on the edge of the garden that looks straight down the cliffs.
It was getting late in the day and the sun was low in the sky so it was getting chilly so we headed down the hill to get some thing to eat and warm up a little. We found a nice little pub at the bottom of the rock with an open fire and warmed up with hot chocolate and crepes. Yum!
The girls then headed back in to the village to find a camp site to park up at for the night while I stayed a bit longer to get a few sunset shots of the mount.
I caught with the girls and after Sam cooked up her now famous carrots, peas and pasta, we watched a dvd then went to bed as it was getting pretty cold. The plan to get up early and make our way back to the ferry at Le Havra kind of went out the window as our beds where just to warm to get out of. But hunger took over and I wandered in to the village to find a store that sold French sticks and cheese, for a good French breakfast.
It was another fantastic clear spring day making the drive a very pleasant one even though we didn't have time to stop along the way for anything other than petrol, so I just had to make do with sticking my camera out the window and taking photos. Not something that would recommend any one to do as the results can vary greatly and there is also the small risk of crashing!
The rest of the trip home was plain sailing. The ferry home was good if not a little to long after another action packed weekend, but we make it back to number 6 with plenty of time to get a good nights sleep.
So thats it really. Another weekend away. This time making it home in the vehicles we left in.
As per usual there are some photos for you have a look at here or check out the photo list on the right.
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