Brief resume of this little adventure so far.

Left a cold and windy Penicuik, for Abingdon where I met Dougz and Graaham F. then headed south on the M74, M6, A66 to Scotch Corner, then via York to Hull, running the gauntlet of the numerous speed cameras on the last section. I suspect that at least one of us might well be looking to donate to local authority speeding fund when we get home.
Made it to the ferry in time, P & O for  Zeebrugger, booked for a meal and cabin, although coffin might be a better description of the cabin. The departure from Hull is certainly something different as the ship has to be turned round and then pointed into a very narrow dock before entering the river. Evening meal was pretty good.  Stuffy room so restless night.

Up and off the boat pretty quickly, and headed off along the coast through Dunkerque, past the gun emplacements, headed East, stopped off at a site where the Germans built and launched their V2 rockets during the war.
We just headed East, avoiding toll roads, although we did get lost a couple of times due to heavy traffic and sat nav problems.  Even discovered that when Garmin replaced my unit they failed to reinstall my maps of France - so I have to rely on the paper maps.    Long run of about 305 miles and ended up at the Mercure Hotel, Alecon, for he night.

Yesterday, off early, through  Le Mans and then southwards through this vast country, roads so straight, just keeing up a steady pace !!!  being tail end charlie it was a bit hairy trying to catch up especially after the other two had done their overtake.    So seven hours and 250 miles later we arrived in a tiny village in the middle of nowhere,  however the first person we asked knew where Tom lived and pointed out his house down the valley.

Lots of praise for Tom who had cold beers at the ready, to refresh the parts that other beers could not reach !!   these were later replaced by a selection of red wines, so we had fun trying to emulate the poem "Ten (empty) Green Bottles", and an impromptue sing song to some of Dougz crude songs.     So it was a tres knackered trio who tumbled into bed after dark.

This morning we were up with the larks, literally, and on the road for a days shooting at a specialist club,some distance away.  Toke ages to get there, although the scenery, villages were lovely en route.  Our two instructors, John and Crtaig has rifles for us, although when we arrived the range had been prebooked by a group for an international competition.   Not to be stuck we were moved to the smaller range next door where we had five different hand guns to play with.    Quite an experience and good fun, although the safest place to stand was infront of the targets !!!

Long trail back, stopping for beers at a village bar, in time to get organised for tonight's "happy hour" an a nearby bar - table booked for twenty in the group and choice of fish or chicken and chips to accompany the drinks.