Every cloud has a silver lining and always look on the bright side of life!

One of the wettest places in England – Borrowdale, Cumbria. The wettest place in Italy? Wherever I am!

Driving the mountain passes of the Dolomites has been a ‘must do’ for me for many years, since first sampling them in the early 80s on the bike, then in the 2000’s in the motorhome. But they washed me out this time, the scenery that I longed to view was shrouded in low cloud and would be all week, so it was time for Plan B.

I love travel, obviously!

Yesterday I was in Italy and tonight I’m in typical English pub in Kent. There’s something nice about hearing the chit chat and banter of the English tongue, the real ale, oak beamed ceilings and exposed brick fireplaces. Yes I’m back home, if the south could ever be considered home for a northern lad? But you know what it mean. Maybe it’s just change, like when I did my trip with Paul to Waterloo in Belgium, I remember saying “It’s great to be driving abroad again”.

I left Fussen at 8am this morning and by 8pm I was in the pub! The showers and heavy clouds around Fussen could not hide the magnificent mountains, still with remnants of their winter snow clinging to the shaded crevasses. As I headed to the motorway I thought ‘I really must return to Austria and the Dolomites’. Not that Fussen is in either, it is just over the border into Germany like Gretna is into Scotland.

I ventured north away from the mountains but still enjoyed the green wooded and hilly scenery even from the motorway.

I had no definite destination in mind but really wanted to make Reims in France, 400 miles away. 60 miles short of Reims I reprogrammed the satnav for Calais, yes another 200 miles but hey, the car and traffic were going well, and dare I say even me?! I winged it to the tunnel which turned out to be another lesson in travel, I could’ve saved myself €40 had I booked on my mobile phone before arriving 🙄

Having friends and family nagging me on my shoulder virtually, to ‘take it easy’, I booked into The New Flying Horse Inn near Ashford, Kent and will take my time coming home on Thursday 🤗