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After the big bang last night we didn't really sleep much more. An hour before we dock the on board alarm call of tinkling Celtic music starts to filter through the speakers, building in volume and tempo.
Our helper arrives and takes us to the car deck and soon after 07:15 we are out into a dark morning, clearing border control and driving, on the left, through Poole's almost deserted streets.
20 minutes later we stop and make coffee and breakfast then continue on a windy and rainy drive along the south coast. Conditions were just like this last time we drove this route coming back from last year's Christmas cruise, but Mary*Lou is much harder to control with strong crosswinds.
We have another stop at Two Bridges near Launceston and finally arrive home at 12:30
It's been a fantastic trip.
Thanks to everyone who has been following us here, and for all of the messages on text, email and facebook. We hope we've been able to share some of our enjoyment and experiences with you all.
We've seen mountains, tunnels, valleys, lakes, vineyards, farming of all sorts, and in our home away from home we've gone to sleep and woken up with all of these and more just outside our windows. We've visited some of the jewels of Europe like Florence, Venice and Innsbruck. We've eaten giant ice-creams, fresh farm produce, pastas and pizzas and bratwurst and cinnamon buns. We've bought food in markets and fish straight off the boat. We've stayed on campsites good and bad, aires and sostas, France Passions and Fattore Amicos. Oh, and there was the Grand Prix weekend, the museums, the candle lit procession and the mountain top wedding.
Then there were the thunder storms, hails and mozzie bites.
We can recall people we've met, not all of whom are mentioned in the text; Adam the crazy host at Monza and Nico Rosberg there as well; Anna working all night to press grapes on time; Senor Grumpisi and Frau Ichnichlichinglisch; the Europcar lady who directed us in Verona; the Frenchmen who led us to a campsite; the student in Florence who showed us how the ticket system worked and the Aussie backpacker we chatted with on the bus to Venice; also in Venice the father and daughter we chatted with over dinner; the Canadian who gave us his map in Ravenna; Luca the ever attentive manager at Lake Iseo and the Dutch family who were our neighbours there.
We've travelled in ferries, buses, trams and of course the van and we've driven on everything from gravel tracks and alpine passes to autobahns and former grand prix circuits.
So for the final countdown:
6 - Weeks away
5 - Countries visited; France, Switzerland, Italy, Austria and Germany
4 - Modes of transport - boat, bus, tram and motorhome
3 - Thousand miles - actually 3220
2 - Happy Campers
And finally
1 - The one, the only, Mary*Lou
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