The month is already racing along at a crazy pace. I always think that January is a rather miserable month with the cold and damp, the dark mornings and nights and when the sun does decide to shine, it is watery and low in the sky with virtually no warmth. Last week I was in the UK for a very welcome and really lovely visit to my brother and sister-in-law. Unfortunately it was way too short, but better than not seeing them at all!

One of the reasons for this trip was to collect my new micro caravan – a ‘pod’! I have toyed with the idea of having something that will allow me to travel around and still be able to take my dog Maggie with me. At one point I thought about a campervan, but a) they are expensive, high on fuel and restrictive in the fact that if you want to explore, you have to take your home with you. Obviously a small caravan was the choice.

….. And here it is!

As you can see, it’s certainly ‘micro’!

The day I brought it back to France coincided with Storm Brendan. Very high winds, lashing rain and really, the most awful conditions for towing a van and for taking a ferry. Towing it was an absolute breeze (literally) and held to the road like a dream. The ferry crossing was another story with one of the roughest sea trips I have ever made. To be honest I actually like rough seas and the whole thing of ‘riding the waves’. (Yep, I know, I’m crazy 🙂 )

Check-in for the ferry – this doesn’t show the rain and gale-force winds.

Arriving in France was much calmer and the drive home was easy and relaxed. Even so, it was nice to be home and to get pod parked up.

Unlike in the UK, I have to register the van here in France and wait for a separate log book and number plate. That could take some time, so I have plenty of opportunity to sort out where to put things and to find out what works and what doesn’t in terms of ease of use. I hadn’t got any plans to go away just yet anyway. Once I get my documents sorted there will be no stopping me and I will be off ‘podding’ around France.

A Bientot!