Yes, it’s time to bid farewell to their furry friends and set off from Lucca, not before the two intrepid travellers have been well and truly rocked by what turns out to be an earthquake north-east of Parma.  Near Aix-en-Provence they discover what a dangerous place it can be, warned by two very gallant gendarmes to park the van in front of a garage in case of armed robbers! They are very well protected by police, guard dog, security, etc, and escape unscathed…

It’s a cold journey north, snowing in Lyon, and bitter near Troyes where we find a campsite that is open with facilities that remind me of camping with my parents forty years ago… However, we make it up to Dunkerque and on to Lincolnshire without a hitch…

And that, dear friends, as they say, brings our travels to an end for the time being. Somehow it feels like a new adventure is just beginnning…