Adventure Overland & Travel Show, Stratford Upon Avon, 25-27th September 2015

Our MotorhomeFun basecamp at the show: making friends enjoying a meal

I am going to take a little break from documenting our summer road trip to share with my faithful readers this lovely event that took place this weekend at Stratford Upon Avon, Warwickshire, England.

View of town from show grounds

We were cordially invited to attend this event by the motorhome365/motorhomefun community, which we joined online earlier this year, and we had been looking forward to it even since we got the tickets a few months ago and it certainly didn’t disappoint.

A nicely converted 4×4. It’s got adventure written all over it

This is a major national outdoor show for all kinds of alternative travel and holidays, including motorbikes, 4x4s, trucks, unimogs, RVs and any other type of vehicle you can think of. I was awe-struck by the multitude of innovative design and imagination gone into producing these magnificent and cool methods of transport for just about any kind of need. It really is a case of ‘any which way you can’ to make your dream holiday/trip/adventure/trek a reality: if it had wheels, it was there. I had never seen anything like it and, once again, my camera was working overtime trying to capture all these vehicles transformed into some sort of comfortable home on wheels for the brave, the spirited and the adventurous.

This truck caught my eye

And how about this one for humour?

Dare you get closer?

More inspiring set-ups

And this one?

Take your pick

Really spoilt for choice!

And there is wild cooking too!

You’ll be safe up there from snakes!

Apart from the vehicles themselves, we were also very keen to meet face to face all the wonderful people we have met over the last few months on the motorhome365 forum and it was lovely to put faces to names and have a proper conversation. Meeting people online and having virtual friends is all very well and good, but you can never substitute the pleasure of seeing them in real life and having a laugh sharing experiences over some food and drinks.

The faces behind the forum chat. Nice to meet you all!

Ready for the communal BBQ

Various activities were organised by our friendly hosts – David, Sylvie, Nigel and Pamela – for everyone to join in and I particularly enjoyed the BBQ and Jacobs/American table to which everyone brought a dish, either savoury or sweet or both to share, as well as Sunday morning Bacon Butties and coffee, cake and chat sessions. It all went very well and a good time was had by all, with the added bonus of some magnificent weather that couldn’t have been more perfect for the occasion.

BBQ meal in full swing

A very well equipped base for us all to enjoy

A sneaky peep inside with delicious food on the tables

I must also mention there was a prize (nice bottle of whisky) for the motorhome that had travelled the furthest to get there and, guess who won it? Yes, you’re right: yours truly: 150.625 miles (241km) from Bognor Regis to Stratford’s Race Course, with good old Adonis at the wheel. I’m so proud of him for driving all that distance in heavy traffic after a hard day’s work! He more than deserves that bottle and I’m sure he’ll enjoy it soon enough.

I loved the inside of this RV. Thanks, Sue, for showing me around!

More wonders!

And they just keep coming!

Getting bigger!

Enjoying a walk with Beano round perimeter

An alternative kind of town!

You just have to love this!

I am already looking forward to next year’s gathering!!!

And it was sunny, warm and with blue skies!

Pietra Ligure, Savona, Tuesday 28th July 2015

Pietra Ligure viewed from Campeggio die Fiori

We got lucky at Lake Garda yesterday and found a wonderful sosta Camper La Spiaggia at Desenzano del Garda, just a few metres away from the lake and with very good facilities, including free showers and a pizza restaurant/takeaway just outside, where we purchased a most delicious pizza with fried calamari to take back to the van. I have to say that this is possibly the best pizza I’ve ever had: light and crispy and with just the right amount of topping and for only ₤8! Prior to that, we had indulged on a Sangria and a glass of white wine for Adonis, which opened up our appetite for the pizza to follow.

The view of the lake from our pitch at sosta

We also enjoyed a few swims in the lake as it was still very hot yesterday and we were very amused by the change between morning and afternoon for, while the beach was practically empty before lunch, when we went back after siesta, the lake was teeming with expensive-looking yachts and a lot more people on the shore, but even then it didn’t feel overwhelming and there was plenty of room for everyone.  We also noticed that the mountains around lake were a lot more visible at that time of day, which was quite extraordinary, as they were almost invisible in the morning.

The nearly deserted lake Garda and beach in the morning and no mountains

A much busier lake Garda in the afternoon

A particularly liked this little baby!

And look at those mountains now!

I even got to swim with swans in the view of the mountains

Experimenting with the zoom lens

All in all, it was a very pleasant stay and experience and definitely a place to recommend and come back to. The sosta would have cost ₤12 a night without hook-up, but we used it this time for the air conditioning and to charge up gadgets and we paid an extra ₤3.60 for the privilege.

Our pitch with hook-up at wonderful sosta in Desenzano.  We’ll be back!

This morning, we changed our mind about going to Ovada and headed straight for the coast as our last stop in Italy before crossing back to France tomorrow.

Some chalets at Campeggio dei Fiori and Pietra Ligure in background

We first tried a campsite in Arenzano, but they didn’t allow dogs, so we carried on along the coast on the A10 to Campeggio dei Fiori in Pietra Ligure, only 600 metres from the beach. We got here just before 2pm and, to our dismay, found it had closed for lunch so we had to wait in their car park until 3.30pm for it to open. We were lucky and, after paying a steep ₤44.50, we were shown to a fairly spacious pitch, but we didn’t feel like going to the beach after all that driving and hanging around and were quite happy to sit here, as it is a lot cooler and cloudy now and we are not desperate for a swim. There’s a swimming pool here too, but one must wear swimming caps, which we don’t have and, although I’m pretty sure they can be bought on site, we haven’t bothered as we are not likely to use them again. Everything considered, we don’t think the site is worth the daily fee, as the facilities are quite basic and the ground uneven with difficult access to the pitch and the whole thing could do with a bit of TLC and modernising, but I suppose we are still grateful that we had somewhere to stop for the afternoon and spend the night without driving any further.

Glad to get this spacious pitch at Campeggio dei Fiori, but access was tricky

So it’s back to France tomorrow to Bas Thorenc, in the Alpes Maritimes, north west of Cannes and Grasse.

Thank you and see you soon, Italy!  Sign at entrance of Pizza restaurant and Takeaway in Desenzano, Lake Garda

Monzambano, Italy, Sunday 26th July 2015

The lovely and roomy sosta by pond at Monzambano

We tried to stop at the sosta at Noale, but the barrier didn’t work and we couldn’t get in. We were a bit irritated as it was already 1pm and very hot again, which has been the theme for the last 3 weeks. A quick look at the Stellplatzfüehrer showed another sosta slightly north west of Noale at Castelfranco Veneto and we made it there within 30 minutes. This is a very adequate sosta for €5 a night and, luckily, the ticket machine and barrier were working, so we felt very relieved to be able to stop for the day without further travelling and we enjoyed a cold beer in the shade of a ring of trees before lunch.

Our shady spot by ring of trees at Castelfranco Veneto

After siesta and Beano’s walk, we did a small shop at the Co-op supermarket by the sosta and just enjoyed a relaxing evening.

A wider view of the sosta at Castelfranco Veneto with more marking bays

Yesterday, we left just after 9am and made it to Monzambano by 11am via Cittadela, Vicenza and Verona, following the R53 and A43/E70 to Peschiera del Garda. We are just south of Lake Garda and it really is a most charming spot by a pond full of exotic geese, ducks, herons and other aquatic birds. It has room for 102 motorhomes and the €13 daily fee includes electricity and water, as well as the use of a toilet (the squat version, I’m afraid) and washing facilities and there are also showers that work with a token to be bought at reception for 50C.

Geese at Monzambano’s sosta

More exotic aquatic birds at sosta

A lonely heron

As it was the weekend and it can be quite difficult to find a pitch on Sundays in the summer (like it happened last Sunday at Barcis), we decided to stay here for 2 days and enjoy a meal in town. We ended up in lovely Trattoria del Caminetto, which served local specialities that we both enjoyed very much. I had never eaten (or seen) Ravioli stuffed with pumpkin and almonds, which was utterly delicious, and Adonis had a Carpaccio with mushroom, equally scrumptious.

The calming pond and ducks at Monzambano’s sosta

Today we walked into town again for the Sunday market and bought some bread and some other pasta dish we’d never seen before, a bit like a roulade with ham and bechamel sauce and covered in cheese and, again, it was very tasty and enjoyable.

The rest of the day, we just spent chilling by the pond, reading, crocheting and on social media, as we have a very good reception here.

Tomorrow, we are heading further south west to Ovada, south of Alessandria, but might go an have a look at Lake Garda to try our luck and see if we can stop for the day.

Camping Stella Maris, Umag, Istria Peninsula, Croatia, Thursday 23rd July 2015

Lovely sunset at Umag

We couldn’t stop in Slovenia for a day or two as we would have liked as the motorhome aire we had chosen in Portoroz by the Marina was totally unsuitable this time of year due to the absolute lack of shade and, in this heat, that would have been suicidal for the steep price of €26, so we went into reception to ask if they could recommend somewhere with shade and they said there was a campsite just round the corner and we followed the road as indicated with the Tomtom selecting a ‘point of interest near you’ just 5km away. We didn’t realise that was taking us over the border to Croatia and we ended up here just after 11am at this fantastic campsite of Stella Maris, which is part of the Stella Maris holiday resort, with everything you could wish for a family holiday. We were very impressed with the place when looking around choosing a pitch and decided to stay for 3 days, today being our last.

Our large corner pitch with welcome shade and a water tap 

The facilities are spotless, with lots of washing and shower blocks all over the place, the pitches are very spacious and with much needed shade, as we are totally surrounded by pine trees and oaks. We have pitch No 303, which is in a very convenient corner for extra space and we have a water tap a few paces away, very handy for cooling Beano down.

One of the many wonderful and pristine washing and shower blocks with outside showers for a quick cool down

Plenty of shade all over the campsite

The site itself is a mere 5 minutes walk to the beach, although there are 3 altogether, as well as two supermarkets, one on site and a very popular Konsum just outside. There are all kinds of kiosks, café bars, restaurants and ice cream outlets, as well as souvenir shops, where we bought 2 new hats to celebrate our first ever visit to Croatia.  Something that amused us greatly were the people sleeping in the water with their heads and shoulders on the sand, just to keep cool, or groups of friends just sitting in the water having drinks and a chat for long periods of time while we sat in the shade.  Just like in Italy, It has been too hot to lie in the sun at all.

One of the pretty beaches by camping

Having a nap in the water!

Or you can keep cool here, not far from the shore!

Umag also holds the Croatian Tennis Open Championships, which are going on at the moment, and the tennis ground seems to be full every night, which gives the town a warm and lively atmosphere.

The Tennis Ground, a very popular venue surrounded by bars and restaurants

As for family entertainment, there is a climbing wall area on site as well as mini golf, ball painting and floating rides on the Adriatic sea. This proved to be a source of great hilarity for us as I decided to climb on the floating pyramid after having had 2 mojitos and it would be fair to say that it wasn’t the greatest idea I’ve ever had, as just getting on the wretched thing was near impossible and got stuck fast with one leg on a ring at the bottom of the pyramid and one arm somewhere else above my head and I couldn’t go any further up. Adonis kept going up and I kept going down, which triggered on me an attack of the giggles that didn’t help at all and resulting with me falling back into the water with a great splash. I tried a couple more times with the same result, so I gave up on that and tried my luck on the ‘easier’ kiddies’ rides, onto which I was able to climb with Adonis’s help pulling me up from the top. We decided to go down the slide and, encouraged by my dearest success in making it all the way to the bottom, I bravely followed only to find myself falling off the side not even half way down. After all that strenuous exercise, I felt it would be a lot safer just playing dead in the water, which is what I ended up doing before I gathered the strength to swim back to shore. Fortunately, no photos or videos are available of my disgraceful performance on the Adriatic sea, but Adonis and I were still laughing about it this afternoon and no doubt it will remain a source of amusement for many years to come…

The floating activity centre

The pyramid and slide that defeated me!

That pyramid was even more appealing in the stunning sunset

The site fees from 11^th July to 21^st August for 2015 are €16.30 per pitch per day plus €7.80 per person per day and there are extras for dogs, etc, but we think it’s really reasonable and wouldn’t hesitate to come back here again. The total bill for the 3 of us for the 3 days came up to 801 HRK (Kunas) (£77.89 or €106.16): not bad at all.

How about a nap on one of these beds at one of the beach bars?

My favourite beach bar, where they make the most delicious and refreshing Mojitos …

All served by cool and friendly waiters!

We have simply loved the place and even didn’t mind the music at night, which is part of the summer entertainment and of very good quality. Last night, we listened to a saxophone player playing and singing old Jazz classics while we enjoyed a drink at one of the bars on the beach and he was really first class. We left at midnight, which is quite unusual for us these days…

View of beach from the pier

We have noticed that Umag is a very popular resort among eastern European countries, judging by the vehicles’ registration plates, and we can really understand why: it is simply superb!

Tomorrow, we are heading back to Italy, hoping to stop at the sosta in Noale, Veneto, but who knows where we might end up???

Grado, Italy, Monday 20th July 2015

The beach at Grado

Our first visit to Italy in our motorhome through the Brenner Pass started with stunning scenery in very hot weather and it was only spoiled slightly by the slow-moving traffic on both sides of the border due to roadworks in Austria and the toll booth in Italy, which added over an hour to our journey. The best thing about this snail-pace progress was that I was able to take lots of photos along the way to capture the natural beauty of the area.

Cable cars nearing the Brenner Pass in Austria

Enjoying the lovely scenery in slow-moving traffic

More lovely sights on the road

We finally stopped at the motorhome aire of Brunico at around 2.30pm, but there is no overnight staying here, so we had lunch and took Beano out for his walk and were on the road again at about 4.30pm heading for the aire in La Villa/Stern, which hosts a first-class aire with a pristine toilet and shower block, of which we made good use for a mere 50 cents for a 2-minute shower or €1 for 4 minutes. We found that 2 minutes was ample time just to cool down with a cold shower and save the water in our tank. The aire also offers free WiFi, with the user name and password displayed on the electronic board. After such a long and hot day on the road, we just chilled outside the van and admired the impressive view of the Dolomites. This aire, brilliant as it is, is the most expensive aire we’ve been to in our 6 years of motorhoming, costing a steep €26 a night, more expensive than most campsites we’ve been to. Still, we needed to stop somewhere and the location was really special.

View of the Dolomites from La Villa/Stern sosta (aire)

Yesterday, we stopped briefly just outside Cortina D’Ampezzo by a free motorhome aire on the S51 to take even more photographs of the breathtaking views of the Dolomites. Truth be told, I kept clicking away for quite a while along the road and I really had to force myself to put the camera away, as every bend, of which there were many, was a photo opportunity not to be missed.

The Dolomites from just outside Cortina D’Ampezzo

A free sosta outside Cortina D’Ampezzo

This road is definitely NOT for the faint-hearted due to the numerous hairpin bends and uphill climbing. Neither of us had ever been so high up on a road before (2,100m on R48 west of Cortina) and once again, the driving was slow and arduous and we both felt grateful for our new Hymer’s bigger and more powerful engine, as we don’t think our beloved old Elddis would have made it all the way up there.

Spectacular views all the way

Looking back on a windy road up in the mountains 

Mountains and alpine forest to delight the eye

Our destination was Lago de Barcis on the S251, east of Belluno, and it seemed that everyone around had decided to spend Sunday by the lake, as every available parking space along the road had been taken up and the motorhome aire in town was full, so we made our way to the steep Camping San Francesco, which was also full, but the manager kindly let us stay on the site’s car park right at the top, for which we were most grateful, as we didn’t fancy another day like Saturday. We were lucky enough to have a tree next to us for much needed shade, but the site itself also has lots of trees and shady spots all over the place for pleasant meals and siestas.

Parked by a tree to provide shade and a nice view at the car park in Camping San Francesco

I really enjoyed my walk with Beano up the hill through the woods past the Acienda with its goats and chickens. There is a lovely view of the campsite and the lake below with its impossibly blue colour, but unfortunately, I didn’t have the camera with me then and it was too hot and too steep to go up again.

After Beano’s walk, Adonis and I strolled down to the lake, where we enjoyed a refreshing swim, even though the water was warm. It rained briefly, but nobody seemed to mind, as even the rain was warm and we were already wet anyway.

We thought the €13 fee for the day was cheap and I’d definitely use this campsite again, as the management was kind and helpful, the setting is just beautiful and the facilities clean and pleasant.

This morning we did a shop at Super Spar for local delicacies, wine and beer and carried on south, past Pordedone, where we joined the motorway H23/E55 past Udine and Palmanova to Monfalcone, with the idea of stopping at the aire or sosta there, but this was totally unsuitable in an industrial estate and on full-on sun, therefore we headed south west to Grado, where we arrived before 1pm. This is a lovely aire with Bougainvillea shrubs and a green area with trees for to walk Beano by the water tap.  We are at the far end, with hedges on two sides for shade, which is imperative at temperatures reached 38°C inside the van this afternoon.  Luckily, we had electricity included in the price and were able to put the aire conditioning on, which works very efficiently.  The sosta costs €13 a day.

The large sosta at Grado with attractive Bougainvillia shrubs

We walked to the beach (about 15 minutes) and paid €6 to enter it, but were refunded €4 on our exit when we returned the entry cards.

Looking towards sosta’s entrance and green field at the back, where water tap is (Grado)

The Adriatic sea was ridiculously warm and it felt like a baby’s bath. We swam far out into a floating platform to rest and dive from before swimming back to the shore. It was too hot to sunbathe or even to stand on the sand, so we returned to the van, as we were concerned about Beano and we all had a cold shower in the van, including Beano, which has been panting overtime today due to the heat. It is 11pm now and the temperature is still 29.9ºC. I am writing now because I simply cannot sleep in this heat and I intend to have another cold shower before bed!!!

The very warm Adriatic Sea and the floating platform to swim to and jump from at Grado

Too hot to stay in the sun. We didn’t last very long and headed back to the sosta

Tomorrow we are planning to cross into Slovenia: first time for both of us.

Tiroler Zugspitze Active and Family Resort, Obermoos, Erhwald, Austria, Friday 17th July 2015

Our generous pitch at Tiroler Zugspitze Family Resort

We have spent 4 days at this magnificent campsite in the Tirol, surrounded by stunning scenery of the high mountains of the Alps, the highest being 2,962 metres, and lush alpine forests, ideal for dog walks as they provide much needed shade. I must admit I didn’t expect it to be so hot, as we are 1,000m up, but temperatures have been above 25ºC most of the time and quite humid.

The majestic Alps

We booked for 2 nights initially, but after the first day, having tried all the wonderful facilities provided, we decided this little jewel was worth a longer stay so that we could indulge on a few days of luxury.

The Reception area at Tiroler Zugspitze Active and Family Resort,

The campsite/hotel/family resort is nothing short of supreme excellence and for €50 a day for the two of us we can enjoy all the first class facilities on site: indoor/outdoor swimming pool with a water slide for children, a gym, the spa centre with jacuzzi, sauna, steam room, sun grotto, all kinds of jet showers (hot and cold) and superb washing and shower block with large cubicles with own basin, stool and mirrors, as well as washing up and laundry facilities with a large drying room, all immaculately kept. There is, of course, a restaurant/bar at the entrance offering all sorts of beverages and ice-creams and I even ventured to try the Special House Ice Tea with lemon, lime and mint, almost like a Mojito without the Rum: very refreshing and utterly delicious!

The fantastic indoor pool

Water slide on the outdoor pool

The relaxing outdoor pool area

The immaculate spa reception area

We’ve really had a chance to chill out after 10 days on motorhome aires in France and Germany and we already feel we’ve had a proper holiday and we still have 6 weeks to go.

The washing, shower, gym, swimming pool and spa facilities block

Apart from making the most of the facilities on site, we also ventured into the town of Erhwald, 3km down the road through the lovely cooling forest path, which took us around half an hour. We strolled gently to the other end of town and bought some postcards for the family and got the bus back, as it is an uphill road back to camp and the sun was beating down strongly by then. The bus cost €2.90 each, which we thought was very reasonable indeed, especially when we compare it to the Public Transport prices back home. Poor Adonis had ventured out walking on his own both ways the day before to buy some beer and came back feeling very sorry for himself and sweating buckets. Why on Earth he didn’t cycle down I shall never know and it will remain a mystery to the end of my days.

The inviting alpine forest surrounding the campsite

Hiking into Erhwald

Picturesque house in Erhwald

Erhwald

I’ve also had a chance to do some washing and change the bedding, the washing machines working with a token which can be bought at the reception shop for €3.50. The driers are free, but I chose to hang my washing in the nice, warm drying room and everything was dry by early afternoon.

Beano’s walk through the alpine forest

Something that I marvelled at during my walks with Beano through the woods are the beautiful butterflies everywhere, similar to the Red Admiral, but darker, smaller and with a fine white edge on their wings. They fly in large groups and sometimes they even seem to lead the way. I felt I was in an enchanted forest and it’s a simple memory I will treasure forever.

An obliging butterfly posed long enough for me to photograph it

Just outside the campsite there is the cable car station to go up the mountains, but we did not take advantage of this facility, although I can image that the views from the top must be absolutely spectacular.

I have to confess that I feel a little sad to be leaving this superb and idyllic place, but now we have Italy, Slovenia and Croatia to look forward to. First stop: Brunico!

Blaichach, Germany, Monday 13th July 2015

Stunning setting at Blaichach Stellplatz and camping

For once we stuck with our plan and did cross into Germany on Saturday 11^th, our first stop being Haslach. The aire or Stellplatz here is free and flat in a car park by a pretty church and gardens and we parked under the shade of a tree, arriving in time to witness a wedding celebration, as the guests were enjoying some drinks outside in the gardens by church. We felt it was very quaint and felt very happy for witnessing this special occasion.

Stellplatz at pretty Haslach

Park and Gardens by Stellplatz at Haslach

Haslach itself, like all the German towns we’ve visited so far, is a very attractive location, made all the more special with the bunting and flags hanging all over town for the summer celebrations . It was very hot and, after strolling around enjoying the sights and photographing the picturesque fountains and buildings, we sat down at one of the bars near the Rathaus (Town Hall) to cool down with a couple of beers.

Attractive Haslach

Ready for summer celebrations

Enjoying the sights

Interesting and original fountains in Hahlach

Humourous sculpture and fountain

I just love this outside Rathaus

On Sunday, we left for another Stellplatz at Kißlegg, mainly because there was swimming available and the weather was rather hot. This is a very good Stellplatz for €7.50 a day, situated by an excellent leisure area by the lake with amenities and entertainment for all the family, including some very cool floating apparatus I had never seen before, shaped like a planet surrounded by a ring, a bit like Saturn. I loved watching various families riding on them and seeing the Dads having as much fun as the kids. I felt tempted, but I thought it best to leave it to the ‘other’ kids (I am kind that way, and of course,  and not because I was terrified of making a fool of myself at all). The toilets and shower facilities were spotless and everything was very well organised, as you would expect in Germany. We really liked it there and would have stayed another night had the weather stayed hot, but it clouded over on Monday morning with a little rain and we decided to move on.

Lake at Kißlegg with lots of activities for all the family

Water rides for kids of all ages!

And a swimming pool too

We continued our way south east towards Austria and found this delightful Stellplatz/campsite just north of the border and west of Immenstadt in Blaichach. It’s cost us €15.10, but it has lovely and clean facilities with stunning views of the Alps and with an easy walk to the lake, suitable for swimming and, by the looks of it, for fishing too, as there were a couple of set up swims for that purpose. However, the day’s been overcast and not too hot (25ºC in the van) and we didn’t feel the need to cool down with a swim. This site stays open all year and a fellow camper showed us pictures of what it looks like in winter and we felt like we might like to visit then.

Blaichach lake

We are crossing into Austria tomorrow, with the intention of stopping at a campsite in Obermoss, south of Garmisch-Partenkirchen and north west of Innsbruck. Will we make it, though?