Shared Parental Leave

We finally discovered why Samuel has been such hard work. His bottom front teeth finally seem to have broken through.

Lee very kindly took Gryff and Samuel out to get breakfast allowing me to stay in bed a little longer. After breakfast we realised that our Anniversary had arrived!

We had a relaxed start to the day, enjoying the morning sunshine and fine weather.

About midday we went out for a short walk around a little lake as our shade was all disappearing. It was shady and quiet there and Gryff had a lovely time exploring. Just as we were getting back to the car, thinking how good Gryff was being he decided he would do his own thing and run around going on peoples gardens.

Next stop trying to get some lunch after 2 we had missed the serving at a beachfront restaurant that looked popular but soon found somewhere just around the corner still with a sea view. We enjoyed our special anniversary meal with Samuel playing on the decking. We heard the distinctive new chink chink sound as Samuel sipped water from our glasses further evidence that his new teeth had erupted at last.

It was a bit hot to go to the beach so we opted for a cup of tea and nap in the shade. At about 5 we decided to pop out again to Cap Albrecht. There was an interesting fort to walk around and Gryff again loved his chance to explore.

We looked down on the massive beach as the tide was out so decided to head down for a walk on the beach. Lee quickly spotted a shop with whippy ice cream machine outside so ordered us two cones while a young lad smirked at our tentative French communication. Promenading along the front we spotted a few dogs out on the beach and were just contemplating heading down the steps at the end when we were unfortunately spotted by two Policemen who then wandered our way to politely inform us that dogs were also not allowed on the lower level path and only on the street level above. At this point we thought better not to deliberately disobey the law and headed back home for the England game.

I quickly heated up our gourmet tin of Coq au Vin with rice for romantic anniversary dinner before we all traipsed along to the bar.

There was a strong support for Belgium among the gathering at the bar and we had already noted a number of Belgian flags flying in the campsite. Gryff kept pawing us so I took him outside the camp. He kept dithering sniffing so I decided to just let him off the lead but he again quickly decided to do his own thing and I was chasing him back down the steps to the bar where he was seeking some fuss from the football audience. As we were trying to slink away at the end of England’s loss a woman started to speak to us about Gryff admiringly. Her bitch was coming into heat so Lee’s arm got a good work out pulling back a very interested Gryff. She explained to us that about half the full time pitch occupants in the camp were Belgian.

There was just time to take a few shots of the sun going down on the end of our epic trip before bed.

This morning Samuel woke us quite early and seemed rather grumpy. We broke camp in record time-even having a hot breakfast of Toulouseain cassoulet with eggs. We were paid up, loaded and away by 10:15.

Our stop was at Chateau d’Harcourt with Arboretum so we decided to use up some of our provisions in a picnic lunch. The car park was shady and grassy so just the perfect situation I had hoped for. Whenever you don’t need any bread you seem to pass Boulangeries in every village, but when you think you have plenty of chance to pick one up every shop you pass is closed and then someone else beats you to the last baguette in the village shop. I resorted to take some of the sliced bread which turned out to taste slightly sweet like it does in America. Urgh, but Lee enjoyed it.

The Arboretum was perfect for a hot day, shady and beautiful with interesting features. Gryff loved it and of course he found a dirty ditch to take a muddy splash. Unfortunately for him we found a handy hose pipe behind the facilities so could at least freshen him up slightly before the remaining 2hour drive.

We started to recognise some of the same sights and geography on this return leg of the journey and still got confused getting round Rouen. Finally we arrived just a short drive from the tunnel to settle into our final campsite near Boulogne. The site had the best grassy ground of the trip, neatly mown and green and springy we had most of the area to ourselves.

We went into Boulogne for some dinner but it was not a very relaxing experience with Samuel again. It was blowing a cool breeze so we sat inside and so were even more conscious of Samuels screeching. After enjoying a lovely portion of mustardy Moules we were both disappointed by our main plats. The restaurant had good reviews on google but the decor was old fashioned without any style and the food seemed without any appeal also.

Samuel seemed much better this morning. We enjoyed pain au raisins for breakfast for a change. It was a quick start as we had to get Gryff to the vet for 0900. We popped down to the village and waited outside for the cabinet veterinaire to open. We are accustomed to Gryff receiving plenty of fuss and admiration at the vets but this one was quite sullen and made no effort with us. He gave Gryff a quick check over and held out the tablet for him to eat. A moments hesitation from Gryff and the vet goes, ‘ok, you want the hard way then’ grabbed his jaws and shoved the tablet right down his gullet then clamped then shut. No time for niceties here! Stamp, sign; and the easiest way to earn 40 Euro in 5 minutes.

Back to camp and deciding what to do today. Lee has been feeling that he missed out on the museum of the 24 heures Le Mans and wanted to return, but what to do with Gryff? I was happy to miss it and have Gryff but if I had to have Samuel as well then I couldn’t carry him round Le Mans. Lee didn’t want to drive all that way by himself so in the end he was happy to take the little man round the museum leaving me unburdened to wander around the Plantagenet city with Gryff. We had an early lunch of BLT baguette then off we went.

It was another baking hot day so I was happy to go slow and enjoy the cool airy cathedral and churches and find water fountains for Gryff to drink from meandering around the narrow, quiet cobbled streets.

Down in the town centre I found an ice cream cabinet for a cone then headed for a park area to relax and wait for Lee.

Once Lee was finished he tracked my position on maps and I was tracking his progress so I took Gryff out the gates just a minute or so before the top box Zafira came round the corner and we could quickly hop on board to silence a crying Samuel.

We stopped to explore our Village on the way home and Lee enjoyed a cool lager in the bar tabac while the French footy match was on.

It was still very hot in the streets but when we got out of the car at our camp it felt pleasantly cooler. We decided to take a dip in the lake. Dogs were not allowed on the beach according to the signage but there were a couple others down the far end so we let Gryff have a swim with us. The water was a lovely bathing temperature and Samuel enjoyed taking a dip too.

Samuel still running a temperature this morning and we both felt very relaxed at the new camp ground so we had a chilled out day.

We ventured out to the village only to buy supermarket provisions as we were low on everything. Samuel wanted lots of cuddles which was not such hard work when you’re not in a rush to do anything.

Lee decided that he was going to cook one of his favourite simple recipe dishes of chilli lemon prawns with pasta so I took a well deserved rest. It was the first day of the trip I felt happy to do nothing but enjoy being together. Samuels appetite seemed to come back in the afternoon and he then enjoyed a nice long nap being cuddled in the shade.

At 6pm we got out to walk the 4.5km around the lake which was lovely and quiet and gave Gryff a bit of time to be free.

We had a simple supper of pate and cheese with bread and salad.

Another moving on day. Samuel slept fairly well and seemed ok this morning. We started with a lovely breakfast of scrambled eggs with toast. It was a most efficient packing up but we still didn’t manage to get out the camp before 11. An unofficial race was on between us and British couple in a camper van. I was disappointed when they drove off from their pitch only a few minutes before us but then we discovered them sorting out their water tanks at reception and thus we beat them to the gates. Hurray. A couple of minutes down the road I remembered that I had forgotten to get my passport returned by the campsite after paying the bill - I won’t be leaving it as assurance again! A quick turn around and we were on our way.

We stopped in Angers for lunch and the England match starting at 2. I left Lee and Gryff there to watch the tv and went walking around the town with Samuel.

There was a service of ordination starting in the Cathedral so I didn’t get to look around inside. Samuel quickly fell asleep and gradually slipped lower in the carrier.

I admired the formal gardens around the castle but discovered that walking around it entailed a longer route than anticipated so I ended up climbing a long flight of stairs back up in front of the cathedral again. An hour was plenty long enough to look around carrying such a heavy lump.

Met Lee back at the car perfectly on time. England had won and he enjoyed a strong, if rather expensive, beer and so was in good spirits.

We arrived at the next camp rather tired and, with it being a Sunday we had no chance to get fresh provisions so we just had to eat at one of the cafes beside the lac. We enjoyed some lovely Gallettes.

The morning was again quite chilly but we were soon warmed up and enjoyed a beans and egg breakfast with tomatoes and toast. Samuel had a little nap giving us a while to relax before getting ready for our next adventure.

The previous day Lee had spotted pedal carts for the family so we decided to give it a go. Just around the corner from our campsite so we wandered over and got into position with Samuel in a modified bike seat between us and Gryff running alongside. We started out with Lee driving and me holding Gryff on the extending line but it wasn’t working too well so we swapped seats and Lee put Gryff back on the short lead and me in charge of the steering. We hadn’t gone 50 feet before Lee starts thrusting the map in front of me asking where we are going? I took hold of the map to navigate forgetting that I am sat in front of the wheel and, with the wobbly steering, the cart immediately veered towards a parked car. Lee quickly grabbed the wheel again, narrowly avoiding a path of certain destruction and screeched ‘what are you doing?’

‘Sorry, sorry’ I replied, ‘I haven’t yet adjusted to driving here and you distracted me.’

Fortunately Lee gave me another chance and I retorted that I never ask him to nav as well when he is driving. Neither relaxing in our new roles, and Gryff getting on better at fixed position, we swapped back to our natural positions after another few turns.

Coming back along the home straight we passed through the Main Street and gained some interested looks from the locals sat at the bars. There seemed to be a UK bike ride event going on so we received a great cheer from the gathering at one of their check points. I think people were quite impressed by our well behaved Gryff trotting alongside our family.

We wandered back to get some lunch at one of the places we had passed but it was a lot farther on foot and there was very little shade. We both enjoyed a gallette complet with ham, egg and cheese, followed by a crepe Sucre and left feeling like we could have eaten it all again.

We had another relaxing afternoon rest cuddled up on the blanket back at camp then packed up for a picnic dinner at the beach.

The beach was blowing a bit of a sandstorm and Samuel was thirsty, grouchy and not enjoying it at all. It was too sandy to get out most of our food so after a small bite and cup of tea we had had enough. I took Gryff down to the sea and let him off for a run about and he loved it, then we retreated to the comforts of our tent.

Lee got distracted as we arrived back and saw that the World Cup match was on in the bar so I took Samuel to have a refreshing bath before bed. The French campsites seem to be quite well equipped when it comes to baby bath facilities.

The morning was cooler than we had grown used to. The wind was still very breezy so we didn’t fancy the beach but rather decided to head to La Rochelle for some moules frites. We seem to have had difficult weather the whole time we have been on the coast this trip.

It was more sheltered at La Rochelle so we soon started to feel hot in the sun. We strolled around the town and found ourselves in front of a row of restaurants along the water front perfectly at 1230 and so easily accomplished our mission. An accordion player serenaded all the lunchtime diners and Samuel was watching him attentively

Back at base camp we had a chilled afternoon as we all needed a rest. We were both so excited to see Samuel crawl for the first time finally!

After dinner we enjoyed a quiet evening walk on the beach. We decided we could let Gryff off at this time of day since it was almost deserted. He was upset at the buoys and barked at one for a few minutes, then went into a zoomie and careered right into my shin, the second time he has tried to take me out this holiday :( ouch this one is going to bruise.

The temperature hardly seemed to drop all night but the morning was hazy and muggy. Our host spotted Lee popping out with Gryff and let him know that his wife was tumble drying our clothes which I had left on the line in the hope that the morning sun would burn off the remaining dampness. It was a kindness I had not expected and about half an hour later she was delivering me a pile of fresh dry baby vests etc.

We enjoyed our croissants and homemade jam on the patio and then quickly packed up for the road once again, amazed that we were all away before 10am!

We turned off for Coulon to see this ‘Little Green Venice’ of France. The weather was again turning really hot so we searched for a shady restaurant to keep cool over lunch. It was a bit touristic so our burger and pizza cost more than yesterday’s lovely formula lunch but never mind.

Next it was onto a boat to explore the waterways for an hour. We decided that the flat bottomed boats looked sturdy enough not to capsize easily and the channels shallow enough to stand up in, so the risk of taking Samuel onto the water in my stretchy carrier was very low.

Gryff was a bit reluctant to get on board and we were not very patient in the hot sun so Lee picked him up and I pulled his lead and he was on the boat, albeit on the seat next to me. I couldn’t get him to go on the floor and as we struggled to get the boat going in the right direction I had Samuel strapped to me, trying not to hit him as I paddled and then the dog trying to sit on my lap!

Lee was desperate to overtake a slow moving tour group in front of us and just as we were trying to get by we crashed prow into the bank. Gryff had not been braced for the impact as Lee and I had so he went crashing into the seat in front and then he was on the floor of the boat at last, and the shock of it all sent Samuel into screaming. After this set back we could not catch up with the tour group again, but at least Gryff was lying on the floor of the boat and eventually I got Samuel off to sleep. It was once again roasting full sun so Lee Pearce got a touch hot and teasy so it was not the tranquil boat trip we were hoping for.

An hour later we were at our next beach campsite. With Samuel asleep in the car we got the tent up in no time. The wind was rather blustery so it was a bit chilly cooking dinner outside but I had to keep a close eye on the hob as the ring kept blowing out. After the heat of the day before it was a welcome relief to have to put a jumper on! After having to watch Samuel even closer while staying in rented accommodations it is quite nice to be back in our own ‘Château Coleman’ again:)

Why don’t babies sleep in longer when they go to bed so late? Samuel woke us up early enough to enjoy the beautiful panoramic view from the balcony.

We popped into the town for some breakfast but it seemed very quiet.

On the road again the temperature soon rose and Samuel was quite unsettled. Finally he had just gone to sleep in the car shortly before we were looking for somewhere to stop over lunch. We found a little restaurant with terrace under the mound of an old abbey and the formula menu was quite lovely.

After lunch we thought we would stop for some wine tasting. The wines were lovely but rather expensive. After trying the third bottle I suggested that I ought to check on Gryff, and as an after thought I handed Samuel to Lee, thus making it more difficult for him to get his wallet out of his pocket! It did the trick and we were on our way empty handed.

It was sweltering hot even in the shade so we couldn’t face any sightseeing during the afternoon and headed for our next little gite. After doing a load of laundry and Lee having a refreshing haircut, shower and nap we roused ourselves again to go out for dinner in St Emilion.

It was still glowingly hot outside and even through we were sat in the shady square outside below the monolithic church we were sweating finishing our dinner. Just time for a meander through the town to enjoy the sunset views.

Relieved this morning that the ants were not launching a fresh attack on the tent. We got everything packed tidily as quickly as we could and, with the car freshly shod, we hit the road for the mountains. We again quickly felt like we could be in Canada driving past glistening lakes.

It was again a beautiful drive. After lunch we arrived at Artouste, just too late to ride the mountain train but we had time to go up the Gondola for a coffee. So we did that.

One of the wonderful things about having a dog like Gryff is that we know we can confidently take him anywhere and he will be fine. He never shows fear or nervousness at new experiences. And so it was with the Telecabine, he follows without more than a moments hesitation. There was a cool breeze down at the car park so we had grabbed some jackets and layers of clothing for Samuel before our ascent but the cafe was well sheltered and in the sun so we were now all boiling despite being at 1900m. There was a patch of snow left which Gryff loved rolling in.

We carried on our journey descending to Pau. Having booked an apartment, it was lovely to spend some time inside again with all the luxuries of bathrooms and kitchen within a few feet. Just before 8pm we realised that we had no bread and needed a snack so I dashed out with Gryff to try to make it to a bakery before closing. At 20:15 I thought I was all out of luck when I found a small convenience shop with a couple of baguettes just inside the door. At that point it didn’t matter how fresh they were, I was just pleased that we had something to go with some cheese and tomatoes. Gryff gave me some positivity as he kept sniffing it hopefully on the way back.

Woke to the awful discovery that ants have been attacking the tent. We now have a series of tiny holes all over the place :( gutting.

Going the distance has taken its toll on the car tyres. The twisty road under heavy load has worn the tyre edges so Lee wanted to get them replaced before our drive in the Pyrenees tomorrow.

First we wanted to get our walk in before the mercury rose too high. We didn’t have to venture too far along the route to be wowed by the terrain. We let Gryff off and he was in his element. We decended down over slippery rocks worn smooth by so many feet. When we reached the river at the bottom Gryff made one of his puppy frenzies. Next the route followed some metal walk ways suspended on the cliff face.

We were just thinking about getting Gryff back on his lead when he found a group of Germans enjoying their lunch on the river bed. He quickly snatched a half a cantaloupe melon and dashed off with it. He got a couple of chomps in at a time between us trying to catch him and very soon it was gone. Fortunately the victims of the robbery were not mad about it and the whole group was laughing loudly at the cheeky opportunist.

The sun got hotter by the time we were climbing back up so we were glad to reach the town again and enjoy a scenic lunch with delicious vino.

Then we had to go down to the nearest big town to get these tyres. Between google translate and some gestures we managed to communicate our needs and before too long we were away again.

The trip down to Barbastro gave us the opportunity to visit another cellar. This time the impressive Sommos estate. Our main difficulty in paying a visit is what to do with Gryff so we had to take turns to mind him and taste the wine.

We returned to camp for a cup of tea followed by a cool off in the pool again. Samuel again seemed to enjoy himself but not for too long to save him getting too cool.

Lee then went to the bar to watch the first England match and I took Samuel and Gryff out for a walk up to Alquézar again. I couldn’t get further than the tarmaced surface as I had a tired baby and I forgot to take his dummy with me - fail!

Today was very relaxed. We tidied up our camp and had a leisurely breakfast before getting organised to go out.

Unfortunately we realised rather late that it is necessary to book visitation to most cellars. Nowhere was offering any tour in English as it’s low season but we planned a trip to the nearest village and winery Alogia there. We wandered through the charming small streets and then stopped for a drink in the square. It was midday and very quiet.

The winery was running a tour for a group of Spanish and the guide translated the very barest minimum details for us. It was a free tour and tasting and we both enjoyed the red so we bought a bottle to enjoy later. The group enjoyed watching Samuel play with a simple bowl of used corks and the guide commented that she thinks he will enjoy his wine later in life.

We went back to camp for some lunch. It was lovely and quiet and so hot so we decided to enjoy the pool and relax for the afternoon before our booked paella night next door. We worried that the baby pool might still be a little cool for Samuel but we slowly dipped him into the water and then he bounced a bit and we took him out before he got too cold. Daddy’s lovely black beach towel was toasty warm from lying in the sun so he soon warmed up again and was happy playing with the artificial grass. Gryff was less happy being left on the terrace below the pool after we were kindly informed that he wasn’t allowed in the sunbathing area either.

Samuel had a lovely long nap in his pushchair before we went over for dinner. He of course woke up crying just as we drove him across the road, perfectly timed to make an entrance. Our meal was lovely but we were both stuffed by the end.

Packing up camp again is now getting a bit tiresome. We know exactly what we are doing, but Samuel gets bored or needy or frustrated or falls over and demands attendance.

Driving down to Pamplona the scene change is dramatic. Leaving behind the luscious steep green valleys onto the rolling yellow green hills and plains.

We haven’t had breakfast and we need fresh provisions so we are buoyed by the welcome sight of a supermarket and better still a BK!

Morale boosted, Lee is made even happier when he finds a vino he savoured yesterday lunch in the aisles. Shopping in foreign supermarkets is so daunting and baffling at times it seems to take an age.

The rest of our drive is a real pleasure. No more tolls and turn after turn presents new unfolding views. We feel like we could be driving through a spaghetti western scene.

It is also nice to be sitting down for a while as I am tired from all the walking of the previous days. I keep asking Lee if he can notice me losing any weight yet and he replies that he is trying to do his bit by keeping me as active as possible by requesting brews and letting me trot back and forth doing the dishes, taking the dog out and fetching water etc.

Our next campsite is lovely. Terraces of red hues planted with native trees, shady and grassy with good facilities. They have open air showers, Lee reports. Wonderful, I really want a shower before dinner so I head off to check them out.

The thing one needs to remember in these European campsites is that the colour of the taps is meaningless. A blue tap spouts scalding water and a you can keep pressing a red one a hundred times and it won’t get any warmer than when you started. So it was with the outdoor shower. I was given hope by the appearance of a red press button, and after all the faff of carefully undressing and hanging my clothes on the hook in the doorway I was just going to endure it.

We then bathed Samuel and went out to the restaurant opposite for dinner. The waitress had just brought a delicious cool jug of Sangria and was taking our order when Splash! While our heads were turned Samuel had reached the handle and pulled the whole jug over, pouring the red drink all down my skirt. He is such a little trouble maker now! We were both quite merry by the end of meal and still had to finish setting up the tent furnishings in the near dark. I think it will be a relaxed start in the morning.

Today we again raced the tide to get to the coast while the sea was out. Down the bottom of a twisty road we found ourselves at a property full of chained dogs barking and jumping, sounding their intruder alarm at us. Lee likened it to the film ‘wrong turn’ so we did a seven point turn and parked the car back up on the public road. Then, as any sensible people would, we proceeded back down on foot, through the gauntlet of frustrated hounds to the path clearly marked ‘SEA, MER, MEER’ etc. I began to worry that it might be as hopeless as yesterday’s attempt but we soon spotted the coastal path with other walkers and easily reached a sturdy viewing platform.

Arriving at the beach we let Gryff have a run around and he stole a stick from a tall German and tried to entice him to play ‘chase me, chase me.’

The geography of the Basque Country reminds us of so many different places we have visited. Sometimes Madeira, Canada, Switzerland or Cornwall. But we both remarked that the rocks forming this beach really reminded us both of that at Llantwit Major where we visited with a young Gryff on New Year’s Day 2017.

Getting back up from the beach we were again so glad not to have limp mode coming on as we might have been stuck there in a most unwelcoming spot.

On to San Sebastián for lunch today we arrived rather hungry and so morale was low while we searched for somewhere promising to eat. Samuel did lots of cooing at the waiters and neighbouring diners. People are always stopping to interact with him and lit up by his endearing smile. I have been feeding Samuel some artichoke purée from the French baby food aisle so today I thought I would have artichokes for starter and it was delicious.

We enjoyed walking along the sea front admiring the fine sea front buildings and vast expanse of beautiful sand that we unfortunately couldn’t take Gryff onto.

Lastly we took a ride up on the funicular to look down on the city but a light rain was starting to wash the colours out of the view and we were all tired so we headed back home.

Samuels bed time seems to get later and later. I suppose that he will not change his body clock while we are away so he now won’t go to sleep before 9, sometimes not until 10 which leaves us with very little evening time since entertaining him becomes a bit difficult from 7.

A lovely morning for a change! So nice to open the tent porch up and enjoy the view with some sun.

After a cooked breakfast and a check of the tide times we decided to quickly get on down to the beach as low tide was 1133 and the geological features all disappear at high tide.

Unfortunately all paths down to the rocky shore seemed to have eroded and while it would have been fine for the two of us to scramble down it was an unnecessary risk with little Samuel so we enjoyed the view but never made it to the water.

A steep climb back up to the campsite we felt very deserving of a cold one in the shade on the main patio.

We headed down to Lekeitio for a late lunch outing and had some rations of omelette and octopus on the harbour front before wandering the deserted streets. It was again beautifully sunny but with a fresh breeze off the sea.

Lee loved the windy coastal road drive there and back, the car suddenly having its power back and no issues - seems that his efforts paid off no end.

Back at camp we really wanted to enjoy a relaxing evening bathe in the inviting infinity pool. But between both our boys it was far from relaxing-if Samuel wasn’t wailing because one of us splashed down the slide then Gryff was whining from behind the railings that he wanted a go. Samuel hadn’t even touched the water, us deciding it was much too cold, but he looked thoroughly upset.

We felt all cosy in our tent last night during the wind and rain. We were in no rush to get out this morning as it was dry but cool. We played with Samuel and spent time getting him properly fed and washed.

After deciding to visit Bilbao we encountered some issue with the car. It kept entering a limp home mode and so we deliberated about what to do. The only blessing during all this was that Samuel was fast asleep in the car. We went on with our journey but at the toll stop the car played up again

Arriving in Bilbao we immediately spotted a garage and decided to seek some assistance in diagnosing the issue. Two kind mechanics plugged in the computer and told us it was the EGR system leak. Some shrugs and ‘De nada’ - nothing serious - we thanked them thoroughly and got on with our sightseeing.i

Our timing in Bilbao meant that after wandering through the old town we spotted the bilboats jetty shortly before the 1600 sailing. The notice depicted a No Dogs sign but we asked the ticket chap and he replied that it was allowed for Gryff as he has a golden retriever of his own. Feeling smug we climbed on board and settled on the spacious top deck. Samuel quickly fell asleep in my arms leaving us free to enjoy the cruise. It had been chilly as we got to Bilbao but the weather was now lovely and sunny but with a cool sea breeze. It was a perfectly relaxing way to enjoy the sights of the city.

Next we headed to the funicular to catch a view of the city from the hilltop park. It was a long exhausting day in Bilbao but Lee had really enjoyed it and we agreed that it is our kind of city.

Back at the campsite after the same car troubles getting home, Lee set about to fixing his engine. An hour later and clean up of the valve seemed to have done it he trick but we will test it tomorrow.

We woke feeling like both of us had hardly slept at all last night. But it was 8 so equivalent to a lie in! We packed up and made it out for breakfast by 10, and all before the rain started.

It was a wet drive to Spain but we stopped at St Jean de Luz for some lunch. Lee had Samuel tucked up inside his rain jacket just with his little head out, so cute. It looked like a lovely little place but the wind was gusty and rain started coming more heavily so we quickly picked somewhere to eat and enjoyed a relaxed last meal in France.

After restocking at a supermarket we got back on the road, just another hour drive to Itxaspe. The weather seemed to have improved considerably. We expected to take down and put up our tent in the rain today but escaped at both ends! Having grown accustomed to the empty spacious pitches of the French sites we were less confident about fitting our big tent on the cramped terrace but it did just fit.