Crossing the Channel from Dover to Dunkirk once again, water smooth as a blue ribbon, brings memories of the excitement of our journey eighteen months ago, when our travels lay before us. This time it’s for the final stint – only three months left! Nevertheless we’ve got plenty of adventures up our sleeves and what’s more, we have our new companion with us – our very own Sat Nav, whom we have christened Wendy, as in When d’y think we’ll get there, although Terry favours “If we”…as our gear box has still not had its service and we’ve still got half of Europe to cross and back again. Still, we’re cool, as they say, and Van is behaving himself…sorry, we’ve anthropomorphised practically everything….We drive a few kilometres the other side of the Channel and stop the night in the most delightful city of Veurne. There is a free “aire” for camper vans quite near to the canal…

And we just have time to explore a little before we lose the light. New public art is a pleasant contrast to the wonderful architecture of these old Belgian buildings…

This little corner of Belgium escaped the Germans in the first World War, mostly because of its geography. It’s a friendly place, and despite rain in the night when drops fall onto the canal with a kind of beaten aluminium effect, the sun comes out the next day and we can’t resist another little wander round these charming streets. A quick peak into the cathedral reveals a fantastic stained glass window, followed by a tour round the Louis Baretta exhibition. For a couple of euros each not only do we have our own personal tour guide to explain the art and history of this fascinating but rather tragic artist, but we also meet an archivist who is highly involved in the restoration of the stained glass in York Minster! Such a small world…

Oh well, time to travel on. Thank goodness my new best friend Wendy is tackling the motorways and the juggernauts….