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Tapp's Travels

Our Travel Blog

  • OUR TRAVELS
  • Travels in 2026
    • FRANCE 2026.
      • 1. DO WE NEED A DISASTER TO START?
      • 2. MORLAIX.
      • 3. RELEASE INTO FRANCE!
      • 4. HEADING EAST.
      • 5. LE LOIR ET LA LOIRE.
      • 6. EXCURSIONS FROM SAINT-PÈRE-SUR-LOIRE
      • 7. SANCERRE.
      • 8. CLAMECY.
      • 9. STILL AT CLAMECY!
      • 10. AUTUN
      • 11. CHAGNY AND SURROUNDS.
      • 12. MÂCON
      • 13. SAINT-POINT.
      • 14. NORMANDY.
      • 15. BIRTHDAY NUMBER TWO – STILL IN NORMANDY.
      • 16. CROZON PENINSULA.
      • 17. CROZON – PART 2 AND HOME.
      • 17. CROZON 2 AND HOME AGAIN.
    • Vietnam and Australia
      • 21. HONG KONG AND HOME.
      • 20. LAST WEEKS IN AUSTRALIA.
      • 19. STILL IN LONGREACH!
      • 18. LONGREACH!
      • 17. SUNSHINE COAST.
      • 16. BRISBANE.
      • 15. A WALK IN THE PARK.
      • 14. AUSTRALIA AT LAST!
      • 13. HO CHI MINH CITY.
      • 12. MÒRÈ PHÙ QUÒK
      • 11. PHÙ QUÒC.
      • 10. SAPA AND THE HIGHEST POINT IN SE ASIA.
      • 9. HA LONG BAY.
      • 8. MORE TANGLED WATERWAYS.
      • 7. INTO THE RED RIVER DELTA.
      • 6. HANOI.
      • 5. TEMPLES, TEMPLES EVERYWHERE!
      • 4. GONE CRUISING!
      • 3. THE LAST DAY IN HANOI – FOR NOW!.
      • 2. THE FIRST MORNING OF THE YEAR!
      • 1. HEADING TO VIETNAM.
  • Travels in 2025
    • Yorkshire and Northumberland.
      • 1. HEADING NORTH.
      • 2. MORE YORKSHIRE.
      • 3. CORBRIDGE, HEXHAM AND PANTS!
      • 4. NORTHERNMOST ENGLAND!
      • 5. INGRAM VALLEY, THE BORDERS AND VERA’S HOME.
      • 6. DUMFRIES AND THE DEVIL’S PORRIDGE!
      • 7. THE LAKE DISTRICT.
      • 8. APPLE WEEKEND, KIRKBY LONSDALE AND JAMAICAN TOBOGGANERS.
      • 9. LAST STAGES – HEADING SOUTH.
    • Spain & France.
      • 11. NORTH BRITTANY AND HOME.
      • 10. MONEY, MONEY, MONEY.
      • 9. CHALANDRAY TO BRITTANY.
      • 8. NAVIGATION ERROR!
      • 7. WE HAVE TO LEAVE GONDRIN SOON! REALLY!
      • 6. STILL AT GONDRIN!
      • 5. GONDRIN AND THE GERS.
      • 4. LEAVING ASTURIAS – WILL WE GET THROUGH THE PAYAGE BARRIER?
      • 3. THE ROAD TO NOWHERE FAST!
      • 2. ASTURIAS – BY ONE KILOMETRE.
      • 1. FERRY TO SANTANDER.
    • Thailand and Australia
      • 1. LEAVING THE COLD AND THE WIND!
      • 2. INTO AUSTRALIA
      • 3. HEAD WEST, YOUNG MAN!
      • 4. ADELAIDE AND RIVER MURRAY
      • 5. MONARTO & THE BAROSSA.
      • 6. THE ADELAIDE HILLS.
      • 7. MEET ALFRED.
      • 8. GETTING OVER ALFRED & A TRIP INLAND..
      • 9. STANTHORPE.
      • 10. BACK TO THE COAST.
      • 11. BRISBANE CITY.
      • 12. SAMFORD AND THE MOUNTAINS.
      • 13. MORNING TEA AND SMOKO.
      • 14. THE END IS IN SIGHT!
  • Travels in 2024
    • NORTH COUNTRY TOUR 2024
      • 1. WORCESTER GHOSTS!
      • 2. SIGNS
      • 3. MISTS, FRETS AND SUNSHINE!
      • 4. NORTHUMBERLAND’S GHOSTS – AND SHOES.
      • 5. MORE NORTHUMBERLAND.
    • Spain and France 2024
      • 1. BACK TO SPAIN!
      • 2. PARTY, PARTY!
      • 3. MR AND MRS OVIEDO.
      • 4. MOUNTAIN ROADS.
      • 5. MOTORWAY MAYHEM!
      • 6. LA BROUQUÈRE, GONDRIN
      • 7. BASTIDE COUNTRY.
      • 8. CÔTE DE FUMEL (PART 1).
      • 9. CÔTE DE FUMEL. PART 2.
      • 10. TIME TO MOVE ON?
      • 11. BIRTHDAYS.
      • 12. BUMPS AND ASTROBLEMES.
      • 13. TRAGEDY.
      • 14. LIGHTNING NEVER STRIKES TWICE!
      • 15. BRITTANY AND HOME!
    • Regent Seven Seas Cruise
      • 1. Lisbon
      • 2. LISBON AND AWAY!
      • 3. MADEIRA
      • 4. TENERIFE
      • 5. GRAN CANARIA
      • 6. LANZAROTE
      • 7. AGADIR, MOROCCO
      • 8. CASABLANCA, MOROCCO
      • 9. CÁDIZ
      • 10. BARCELONA AND HOME.
  • Travels in 2023
    • UK Tour (Not Greece!)
      • 1. FIRST TIME IN GREECE? MAYBE, MAYBE NOT!
      • 2. PENRITH AND THE NORTHERN LAKES.
      • 3. NORTHUMBERLAND – WHERE IT (USUALLY) NEVER RAINS!
      • 4. THE FIRST FROST!
      • 5. A TALE OF TWO BRIDGES.
      • 6. NUNNYKIRK TO THE BITTER END!
      • 7. FROM SCOTLAND TO NORTHALLERTON.
      • 8. DEER, DEER, DEER!
      • 9. THE FINAL TWO WEEKS.
  • Travels in 2022
    • Australia
      • 1. FIRST, WE HAVE TO GET TO OZ!
      • 2. JET LAG AND OTHER PROBLEMS!
      • 3. ULTIMATE AND OTHER DAILY ACTIVITIES.
      • 4. STANTHORPE AND BACK.
      • 5. SUNSHINE TO MELBOURNE.
      • 6. MELBOURNE AND BACK TO THE WARM!
      • 7. SUNSHINE COAST
      • 8. CARS AND LIGHTS!
      • 9. THE FINAL TWO WEEKS.
    • Spain and France
      • 1. WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT?
      • 2. DISASTER STRIKES AT COFFEE TIME!
      • 3. A LA FRANCE
      • 4. RURAL SOUTH-WESTERN FRANCE
      • 5. LES JOURS FÉRIÉS (BANK HOLIDAYS)
      • 6. RESTAURANT TROUBLE.
      • 7. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN THE GERS.
      • 8. WE LIKE THE LOT A LOT.
      • 9. A LOT MORE!
      • 10. NEARLY TIME TO HEAD NORTH.
      • 11. THE CHER
      • 12. BRITTANY – EN FIN!
    • Norwegian fjords
      • NORWEGIAN FJORDS 1
      • NORWEGIAN FJORDS 2
      • NORWEGIAN FJORDS 3. (NOT QUITE BERGEN!)
      • NORWEGIAN FJORDS 4 (BERGEN)
      • NORWEGIAN FJORDS 5. (ÅLESUND)
      • NORWEGIAN FJORDS 6 (GEIRANGER)
      • NORWEGIAN FJORDS 7. MOLDE AND MOLDE
      • NORWEGIAN FJORDS 8. FLÅM
      • NORWEGIAN FJORDS 9. STAVANGER DAY 1
      • NORWEGIAN FJORDS 10. STAVANGER AND HOME!
    • England
      • 1. SCARBOROUGH
      • 2. SAWDON TO DANBY WISKE
      • 3. WISKE AGAIN, LIKE WE DID LAST SUMMER!!
      • 4. NORTHUMBERLAND
      • 5. THE RUNNING FOXES.
      • 6. CAN WE SEE THE WHOLE OF NORTHUMBERLAND?
      • 7. NORTHUMBERLAND CONTINUED!
      • 8. PENRITH AND THE LAKES.
    • Spain 22
      • SPAIN 1. 222222222
      • SPAIN 2. COPS AND ROBBERS!
      • Spain 3. Caceres
      • SPAIN 4. POTATOES, PORK & PAPRIKA
      • SPAIN 5.
      • SPAIN 6. MARMALADE
      • SPAIN 7. CONIL, CADIZ, COCKERELS AND CALOR GAS
      • SPAIN 8. RONDA
      • SPAIN 9. SUNDAY LUNCH.
      • SPAIN 10. TORNADOS AND BAUXITE!
      • SPAIN 11. CORDOBA
      • SPAIN 12. ORANGES, OLIVES, MORE ORANGES & MORE OLIVES!
      • SPAIN 13. TOLEDO.
      • SPAIN 14. CHERRY BLOSSOM AT LAST!
      • SPAIN 15. A WALK IN THE PARK.
      • SPAIN 16. MOUNTAIN VILLAGES.
      • SPAIN 17. THINKING OF HOME.
      • SPAIN 18. HEADING NORTH.
  • Travels in 2019
    • Austria December 2019
      • OBERGURGL – DEC 2019 – Part 2
      • OBERGURGL – DEC 2019 – Part 1
    • Danube 2019
      • 14. TIME FOR HOME
      • 13. BUDA AND PEST
      • 12. MORE FRENEMIES
      • 11. “FRENEMIES” FRIENDS AND ENEMIES
      • 10. SKELETONS IN THE CLOSET
      • 09. OUR SHIP
      • 08. FORTRESS DAY
      • 07. INTO THE HILLS
      • 06. MONDAY AT CONSTANTA
      • 05. THE END OF THE LINE.
      • 04. PARIS OF THE EAST
      • 03. THE IRON GORGE AND PLÉVEN
      • 02. HAVE WE GOT INTERNET?
      • 01. HAVE WE GOT TIME?
    • Spain May 2019
      • 15. THE FINAL STAGES.
      • 14. NOT THE BEST OF DAYS!
      • 13. YES! DUORO VALLEY
      • 12. OVER THE HILL
      • 11. GUADALUPE
      • 10. PLASENCIA AGAIN AGAIN
      • 09. STILL AT PLASENCIA
      • 08. PLASENCIA
      • 07. LIVERPOOL. WHERE’S THAT?
      • 06. MORE PASSES
      • 05. WHERE HAVE WE BEEN?
      • 04. FIRST THINGS
      • 03. MISSING FRIENDS
      • 02. FORTIES AND FIFTIES
      • 01. SPAIN OR NOT
    • Myanmar 2019
      • MYANMAR & OZ. 33
      • MYANMAR & OZ. 32
      • MYANMAR & OZ. 31
      • MYANMAR & OZ. 30
      • MYANMAR & OZ. 29
      • MYANMAR & OZ. 28
      • MYANMAR & OZ. 27
      • MYANMAR & OZ. 26
      • MYANMAR & OZ. 25
      • MYANMAR & OZ. 24
      • MYANMAR & OZ. 23
      • MYANMAR & OZ. 22
      • MYANMAR & OZ. 21
      • MYANMAR & OZ. 20
      • MYANMAR & OZ. 19
      • MYANMAR & OZ. 18
      • MYANMAR & OZ. 17
      • MYANMAR & OZ. 16
      • MYANMAR & OZ. 15
      • MYANMAR & OZ. 14
      • MYANMAR & OZ. 13
      • MYANMAR & OZ. 12
      • MYANMAR & OZ. 11
      • MYANMAR & OZ. 10
      • MYANMAR & OZ. 09
      • MYANMAR & OZ. 08
      • MYANMAR & OZ. 07
      • MYANMAR & OZ. 06
      • MYANMAR & OZ. 05
      • MYANMAR & OZ. 04
      • MYANMAR & OZ. 03
      • MYANMAR & OZ. 02
      • MYANMAR & OZ. 01
  • Travels in 2018
    • Portugal 2018
      • EURO-TRAVELLERS 2018. 17
      • EURO-TRAVELLERS 2018. 16
      • EURO-TRAVELLERS 2018. 15
      • EURO-TRAVELLERS 2018. 13
      • EURO-TRAVELLERS 2018. 12
      • EURO-TRAVELLERS 2018. 11
      • EURO-TRAVELLERS 2018. 10
      • EURO-TRAVELLERS 2018. 09
      • EURO-TRAVELLERS 2018. 08
      • EURO-TRAVELLERS 2018. 07
      • EURO-TRAVELLERS 2018. 06
      • EURO-TRAVELLERS 2018. 05
      • EURO-TRAVELLERS 2018. 04
      • EURO-TRAVELLERS 2018. 03
      • EURO-TRAVELLERS 2018. 02
      • EURO-TRAVELLERS 2018. 01
    • North Country 2018
      • NORTH COUNTRY 2018. 12
      • NORTH COUNTRY 2018. 11
      • NORTH COUNTRY 2018. 10
      • NORTH COUNTRY 2018. 09
      • NORTH COUNTRY 2018. 08
      • NORTH COUNTRY 2018. 07
      • NORTH COUNTRY 2018. 06
      • NORTH COUNTRY 2018. 05
      • NORTH COUNTRY 2018. 04
      • NORTH COUNTRY 2018. 03
      • NORTH COUNTRY 2018. 02
      • NORTH COUNTRY 2018. 01
    • France 2018
      • FRANCE 2018. 14
      • FRANCE 2018. 13
      • FRANCE 2018. 12
      • FRANCE 2018. 11
      • FRANCE 2018. 10
      • FRANCE 2018. 09
      • FRANCE 2018. 08
      • FRANCE 2018. 07
      • FRANCE 2018. 06
      • FRANCE 2018. 05
      • FRANCE 2018. 04
      • FRANCE 2018. 03
      • FRANCE 2018. 02
      • FRANCE 2018. 01

8. NAVIGATION ERROR!

So, it’s time to leave Brantôme.   We are heading a bit further north to the other side of Poitiers, just short of Parthenay, to a place called Chalandray.  All reviews of the Camping du Bois de St. Hilaire say it’s…

John TappJuly 8, 2025December 24, 2025 Spain & France. No Comments
8. NAVIGATION ERROR!Read more

7. WE HAVE TO LEAVE GONDRIN SOON! REALLY!

I rather abruptly abandoned the story at Vallons-sur-Baise.  Now I’ll take it up again, but at Valence-sur-Baïse – the correct spelling!  In the valley of the Baïse, nicknamed the “happy valley”, the river flows a distinctly yellow colour. The Baïse…

John TappJuly 7, 2025December 24, 2025 Spain & France. 2 Comments
7. WE HAVE TO LEAVE GONDRIN SOON! REALLY!Read more

6. STILL AT GONDRIN!

A wild howling banshee screamed out over the otherwise peaceful town of Vic Fezensac.  What on earth?  Is it a Harry Potter display?  A low-flying helicopter display team overhead?  Ahhh!  It’s Wednesday.  The first Wednesday of the month.  Middle of…

John TappJuly 3, 2025December 24, 2025 Spain & France. 1 Comment
6. STILL AT GONDRIN!Read more

5. GONDRIN AND THE GERS.

Well, well!  We did get into France no problem!  I really don’t see what all the problems were about last year.  Same credit card.  Same payage lane, (I’m pretty sure).  Five seconds and we were through.  Well, maybe twenty!  Not…

John TappJune 27, 2025December 24, 2025 Spain & France. 1 Comment
5. GONDRIN AND THE GERS.Read more

4. LEAVING ASTURIAS – WILL WE GET THROUGH THE PAYAGE BARRIER?

That was where we were “yesterday”.  Up near(ish) to the snow! A quick swim in the pool as the local aerobatic team did a parallel fly-past at 10,000 m.  (But pilot number nine didn’t get the email!) Now it’s time…

John TappJune 18, 2025December 24, 2025 Spain & France. 1 Comment
4. LEAVING ASTURIAS – WILL WE GET THROUGH THE PAYAGE BARRIER?Read more

3. THE ROAD TO NOWHERE FAST!

Well, not exactly nowhere, but the road is certainly a slow one!  We have decided to get a bit more “close and personal” with the high ground to the south.  The Picos de Europa.  Covering some 500 km², the peaks…

John TappJune 10, 2025December 24, 2025 Spain & France. 1 Comment
3. THE ROAD TO NOWHERE FAST!Read more

2. ASTURIAS – BY ONE KILOMETRE.

Our campsite at Colombres is nestled just inside the border of Asturias.  One kilometre further east and we’d be back in Cantabria. The term “Asturias” is named after its ancient inhabitants, the Astures, primitive inhabitants of the banks of the…

John TappJune 2, 2025December 24, 2025 Spain & France. 1 Comment
2. ASTURIAS – BY ONE KILOMETRE.Read more

1. FERRY TO SANTANDER.

Before we catch our boat to Spain we have some stuff to do. Three months in Australia has left one of us with a bit of washing and ironing! … and another one of us with a pile of paperwork! …

John TappMay 23, 2025December 24, 2025 Spain & France. 9 Comments
1. FERRY TO SANTANDER.Read more

14. THE END IS IN SIGHT!

One thing Australians do a lot of, is gambling!  Every hotel, tavern, RSL (Returned and Services League) club, and surf lifesaving club has a gaming room.  I’ve never been in one – you have to be able to prove you…

John TappMay 4, 2025December 24, 2025 Thailand and Australia 2 Comments
14. THE END IS IN SIGHT!Read more

13. MORNING TEA AND SMOKO.

We’ve had a number of really good meals in Australia – and, admittedly, a few dodgy ones.  But these latter ones have usually been when we choose the cheap seniors meals!  We had one of the good ones at Monica’s…

John TappApril 29, 2025December 24, 2025 Thailand and Australia 1 Comment
13. MORNING TEA AND SMOKO.Read more
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