Whirlwind trip to France.

It has been a very hectic two days.

On Monday afternoon we collected a box trailer.  The owner was going to rent us one that had double doors at the back but no ramp or hydraulic lift.  Fortunately a trailer with a ramp had been returned earlier than expected so the trailer rental owner was able to give it to us instead, and give our original trailer to someone who wouldn't be needing a ramp.  Whew!!


around 4pm.  Paul had to take the roads carefully because of rain.  Unfortunately the wind direction was not in our favour so our car was a thirsty girl, guzzling up diesel = burning a hole in Paul's wallet 😐. 
The journey took 3 hours longer than what Google Maps estimates.  Towards midnight Paul got tired so we stopped at a service station to rest.  We rolled down the backrests of the car and slept for about 4 or 5 hours before hitting the road again.

Still more to squeeze in!

We arrived at Aire Box in Angoulȇme around 9 or 10am, put on coveralls and got to work.  Moving things in a storage place should be fairly easy but at Aire Box we had to deal with small trolleys and a tiny lift.  The lift could only squeeze in one trolley at a time - and not a highly piled up trolley at that.  We didn't feel the cold as we worked and actually worked up a bit of sweat from the 'exercise'.  It took us about 2 or 3 hours to move our stuff out of the storage locker and pack the trailer.  We were knackered by the time we finished and handed back the keys.  Out of sight of the storage place's cameras we changed into more comfortable clothes to drive back to the Netherlands in.
We could have rested properly after having driven such a long way and then packed but decided to 'get the show on the road' and head back to the Netherlands.  Towards midnight Paul got tired so we stopped at a service station to rest.  We rolled down the backrests of the car and slept for a few  hours before continuing our journey to the Netherlands.

We could have rested properly after loading up the trailer, having driven such a long way with little rest, but decided to 'get the show on the road' and head back to the Netherlands.  Paul drove all the way back, tanked up on red bull or 'monster', but we did stop now and then to fill the car up at the service station and to stretch our legs.

It seemed to be an epic journey and it was good to get to Rijsbergen.  We decided not to offload the trailer until tomorrow but rather have something to eat, have a much needed shower and hit the pillows 😫.  It was near enough dinner time when we surfaced again.  I think the nap was well deserved!

 PHOTOGRAPHS

Tidying up the boot before we leave.

One last item and then we can 'close up shop'.

All done!

Caught with my trousers down whilst changing ☹️  Don't peek!

I got my revenge - Paul with his trousers down!

Household Move from Javherlac to Angouleme

The hired trailer. Getting ready to start our day.

The barn where our things had been stored.  This is the last
of our things to be moved.  There had been a lot more!

We were up early and at Sue & Ian's place by 7:30 only to discover that they had only just got up out of bed.  Ian greeted us in a long sleeved shirt and underpants whilst we opened the farm gate and Sue was in her d
ressing gown when she popped her head through the barn/kitchen door.  Shame, they kindly offered to help us shift things onto our hired trailer but we declined.  They still had to get dressed and things to attend to.

It took ages to put the first load onto the trailer then drive an hour to Angoulême and offload it.  Storage was on the first floor which meant putting things onto a lift and sending it up.  Unfortunately the lift was very small so we couldn't put too much in it at a time.  I would send the boxes on a trolley in the lift up to Paul who would then take the trolley and offload it in the storage room.  And so it went...  It was after midday when we finished and headed back to Javerhlac, stopping briefly for a bite of lunch.  The second and final load wasn't as much as the first load but there was still a lot to load/unload at each end.  We were exhausted but we still had to pick up the quadbike and Paul's small trailer and put them both on the hire trailer.  The quadbike's battery was flat so Ian kindly lent us an electric charger and we managed to get it started.  Paul drove the quadbike, towing his small trailer, up onto the long hire trailer.  There wasn't quite enough room to put the back of the hire trailer up so Paul's small trailer was uncoupled from the quadbike and pushed further onto the trailer and then lashed down to prevent it from doing a runner.  The quadbike was also lashed to the hire trailer.

2 very weary bodies headed back, with the trailer in tow, back to Jo's place where we had a welcoming shower.  We were due to meet up at 7:30 with Sue & Ian for dinner at a restaurant but Jo was delayed because she was waiting for a vet to come out to see to her sick horse.  We went on ahead and arrived a few minutes before Sue & Ian.  Jo came soon after our drinks arrived.

The evening passed by quickly and soon we had to say goodbye to Sue & Ian, and thanked them again for their help with the initial storage.

Last load going off

We could have done with a stiff drink during a break in the moving!

Offloading

Getting there!

The quadbike and small trailer loaded at last.  Time for dinner!