Devall Travels

With the Shuttle booked for 1136 we arrived about an hour in advance and checked in. "Here we go". Disruption caused by a train being taken out of service. Three an hour.  Work it out  In the end we rolled out at 1305. What a superb service. That meant we were late in France. Late for lunch. In the end we stopped for a coffee and a sandwich at St Eloi services on the A25 just before the exit where we would head towards Poperinge and first stop at the B&B in Vlamertinge - B&B Pottebreker -  http://www.bbpottebreker.be We arrived before 4pm but the owners were there and showed us to the room. Modern and clean. We dropped off the luggage and headed for Ypres (Ieper) and the special events for the Menen Gate ceremony. After wandering about trying to get a bank with an ATM we finally found a viewpoint of the screens as we hadn't been lucky in any of the ballots. We saw the ceremony on the screen. The bands marching ...

Ideally we should be dressed in suits for the occasion but after several days of torrential rain the area is likely to be almost as wet and therefore muddy as it was in 1917. However, as we are going to the remembrance ceremony I don't think we need to get as embroiled in the mud as they did back then. So it looks as though we we will take clothese that are more suitable for wet and muddy conditions.

The Royal British Legion have created a pin for the centenary. I bought a couple from a poppy seller recently.

By sheer fluke I went onto the Sunrail site to show someone at work how convenient it would be and that's when I noticed the "not weekends" banner.  I'd not seen it before! With all the talk of pollution in the world having a light rail system that doesn't work at weekends and holidays seems like a very bad idea.  As I said that I pursed my lips and paused for effect.  :) So it was back to the drawing board. Parking! In the end I got onto the City of Orlando local government site and found the parking they control. I had emailed a while back as to book online it needed a US address and phone number, or at at least one that would wedge into the pre-formatted boxes on the web page. They suggested using the resort address and phone.  So I have. MasterCard seems to have accepted my new temporary Kissimmee address. In the end it was $11 and I have a pdf with a ticket to print out and put in the car window. The route from the hotel and then back to the ...

The e-tickets arrived in the inbox on Saturday morning.  I had a quick look through and sent them to the printer to make sure we have the hard copy available for the day. I need to get my suit out this week and make sure that it is cleaned and pressed. Given that the battle one hundred years ago was renowned for the sea of mud that aided the massive casualty list,  we need to be ready for inclement weather. So I will take shoes able to resist. Of course what can be carried is limited. But a waterproof coat is essential. If only I had bought the "dude" boots to ride the bike. They look like ankle boots with a light brogue pattern but are motorcycle quality and waterproof. What the guys in the trenches would have given for even simple water resistance. The tickets don't mention a seating area for Claire. With her hip problem standing I'd difficult. I forgot to tell them that with my heart still under performing that I too could do with a seat. ...

Is it that long ago? Another tale from the photobox archive. A year before I was made redundant for the second time and things were good. I had a job I liked and we set off for Spain. This was a two bike job. My Suzuki Cavalcade LX  and my partner at the time, Audrey,  on her own Yamaha  XJ900F.  We rode down through Spain after a trip on the Motorail. We had a large tent with us and camped in Cordoba and as it was way too hot in Sevilla we chose a hotel. Our next camping was at Tarifa. It was here that we thought about a quick trip to Tangier.  Although the ferry goes from Tarifa we bought a ticket from Algeciras to Ceuta. The cost for the bike was pence.  We booked one - the Yamaha! The Cavalcade stayed tucked away and locked up in the tent. Out of sight. Algeciras is a much bigger port and the ferry was packed. Mostly with Moroccan's in large vans also packed to the gunwales and on the rooves. Ceuta is still a Spanish enclave on ...

Rome. The Eternal City. Claire and I went on a short break from an offer in the Daily Telegraph. We flew into an airport way to the south of the city and then actually had to pay for their bus into the city. It dropped us off alongside Termini station. Already forewarned with Claire's Dad being robbed by a cab driver a few weeks before, we were equipped with stash wallets inside our jeans. Luckily the thieves were elsewhere when we arrived. Our hotel was not far away and within walking distance.  For the next few days we were on foot most of the time with the occasional bus or team trip. "Typrewriter" and Trevi Fountain  We ate locally most evenings at the same restaurant where there were few tourists or at least English tourists.  Great value and very friendly staff and locals. The only fly in the ointment was as we waited for the bus back to Ciampino a lady had her handbag stolen. I guess we were lucky given the amount of street crime!! T...