4th July 05.15 (English time) Woken by Brittany ferry chap knocking on door and then coming in as we had forgotten the clock going forward type activity. Afraid to say still a tad drunk (as I said bad idea). fastest shower, dress and luckily with everything intact out and on the road. It was raining dear reader!!!!!!! We had left blue skies in Portsmouth! However with years of finely tuned weather watching in the country that is Blighty, I knew it would dissipate at some point (and my obsessive googling BBC weather in week leading up to going.) It was actually a god send and cycling a little tipsy and pretty shattered would have been hideous in blazing heat. Into Caen 11km and then a well deserved coffee (not going to be many of them, the most expensive purchase of the day). Petit dejeuner of banana in baguette and then cycle round in circles trying to find the route out. Then a lovely 34km cycle past the really quite emotional poppy strewn fields of north Normandy, a little hillier than I had led myself and Dave to believe, but we did it. Slowly but surely the weather improved and now sat in blazing sunshine as I type, camped 1km from Clecy, by the river and its every bit as gorgeous as I hoped. Tried a bit of French but as Mr Clarke at Heysham High would have said"must try harder", well most teachers really in the 4th and 5th year :/. But I shall get there.
5th July Day Three. Its hot!!!! and we know its going to get hotter. 35 degrees forecast at La Rochelle next week :/ However must not grumble or will be in trouble. Bit of a late start a after a good first night under canvas. Then a horrid cycle up a long hill on a horrid busy road out of Clecy. Got to first slight flatten, followed Dave into laybye then couldn't get left foot out of peddle strap, tipped over in very slow motion much to Dave's and two lovely women who stopped to check i was ok. One of the women had actually turned round and come back. Except for grazed left arm and dinted pride I was. Got to Conde de Noireau and carried out a map purchase to reduce potential chance of ending up on huge main roads. Oh how I love a map. Dave never quite as enamoured as I double check route at every opportunity but it keeps us on right track. Arrived in Flers at the height of the heat, took shelter whilst an incredibly accommodating team at the tourist information centre charged the tablet. By which time too tired, hot and ever so slightly grumpy to continue. Decision to stay in nice campsite and very cheap 9 euro versus 18 from last night, with I am reliably informed better toilets and WIFI so hope to post this tonight. Plan early night after carb up then early start down voires verts (info again from lovely team in tourist info)
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