Postscript

Our year had been truly fantastic and we have already noted that while we were travelling time seemed to pass slowly and very pleasantly.   Within a few weeks of our return, however, we were back in the old routines (though unemployed) and in surroundings that had been familiar for longer than we like to remember and our year out became detached in our recollections like a dream and seems further away than the last frantic days when we were rushing to tidy and empty the house before leaving.

Eventually, after several weeks of comparative idleness, we were offered jobs and as we may not find it easier as time goes by to find jobs, we thought it smart to go back to work.   However, we are now looking forward to reaching a time - not too far off - when we can decently retire.   We now have much firmer ideas of what it takes to be long-term travellers and will prepare with even greater care for the next trip.   We are already working on the ideal spec for a long term travel caravan and have definitely revised  our ideas on tow cars.    We knew taking a car any colour than white was a mistake but it was such a good deal and so comfortable.    We shall repeat the error.

The car, which had driven us mad, became almost perfectly behaved once we crossed the Alps.   Its manufacturer took a generous and far-sighted view of our problems and made a substantial contribution to the costs of its continental repairs and gave us a free service - it really does pay to complain to the Head Man.   We have not concealed the name of the car's maker but we don't want to bite the hand ...    They are despite our problems and complaints one of the best and have one of the best group of dealers anywhere.   In thirty years on near exclusive use of this make we have had very few complaints until this particular unloved model.   However they managed to continue their unbroken run of substandard service.    Of the numerous jobs they were asked to do at our expense only the defective lamp in the clock was replaced.   They fiddled with the door lock and confirmed that it needed replacing.   The intermittent ABS warning was far too difficult for them even to look at even with the give-away clue that it had started after the catastrophic failure of a wheel bearing.   They kindly and at no charge steam cleaned the engine and told us the rocker covers were leaking.   Sure the leaked a bit but after the years of grunge were removed they leaked a lot more and the car reeked of burning oil.

They kindly and at no charge repacked the CV joints which their Bordeaux colleague had filled with the wrong grease.   He, however, had fitted the correct clips to keep the rubber covers (boots) in place and the rain and road muck out,      They, on the other hand, used "tie wraps" and did not even use the proper tightening tool and were not in the least apologetic when it was pointed out that at least one the boots had slipped off exposing the CV joint to the elements.   We will have send another email!

Some things had changed in the UK.  Draconian measures against speeding motorists are in the vanguard of the "nanny state" with its barmy PC policies.     In our county they have recently announced with some pride that seven times as many otherwise decent and law abiding citizens have been zapped by the new mobile cameras.    One of these infamous trucks regularly sits on bridge near our village and nick the hapless motorists on the new dual carriageway below.    Within easy range of radar is a lay-by which to the certain knowledge of the zappers and their bosses is the staging post for regular attacks on the compound where we keep our caravan.   In truth the compound had become the spare part depot for a well known sub-section of the caravan using public.    We and the Police know exactly who is responsible.  The lack of law enforcement just yards from one the most regular speed check points in the county has resulted in the closure of the compound with the obvious loss of amenity to its users and loss of income to the hard pressed farmer who ran for years without serious crime before the new road came.

Another  of the reasons we gave up the idea of being out for two years was that we knew we would have to fill in tax forms not the least because they owed us.     After having done this and indeed  getting a refund we had another example of the relentless march of the nanny state.      For some reason he sent us a form P86 and dependant upon our answers he was going to decide our residence status!   We thought we had just been on holiday - albeit for a little longer than usual.   We had not told the taxman where we had been thought he can probably connect our web journal to us if he sets his mind and to it.   Does every one that drops out of the tax system for a year get this form?   As they know we have paid taxes for almost 40 years we think it a bit outrageous to be asking when did we arrive and how long were we going to stay.

Our daughter has now given up her engineering job with a well-known motor manufacturer, sold her house and set off in our footsteps.   As we write this, she has crossed France and northern Spain and is heading for the Costas where we plan to join her for a few days break next in March.

Last updated:  18/03/01