Destination:- Aire de camping car Port Neuf, La Rochelle.
1 hour 20 minutes drive, 50 miles and toll free 🙂
We last visited La Rochelle in July 2009. The city is in southwest France, has a large seaport and is on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. The locals have been trading fish since the 12th century.
We were looking forward to exploring the old town with it’s half timbered medieval houses and renaissance architecture as well as meandering through the passageways covered by 17th century arches.
On arrival our normal routine is that I fill up with fresh water and empty (if needed). Angela sets off to see which pitches are available and would suit us. One of the things to consider is wind direction. It was windy on the drive today and the forecast is for more wind and rain. The last thing we want if we can help it is to be parked side on to the wind. This is Angela coming back with her choice made.
Once we had parked up and got sorted we had a walk around the site to stretch our legs. It is quite a large site (172 pitches) but at this time of year there were only a handful of vans. I should imagine that in the height of summer you may struggle to get a place! There are some advantages of travelling through the winter.
Tomorrow we plan to walk the 3km into town for a good look around.
Angela and I decided that there was more to life than working hard to keep up the payments on the mortgage, to pay the gas, electric, phone bills etc. etc.
SO............
In 2008 we sold our house, I initially took a year off (Unpaid) and Angela handed in her notice!
We bought a motorhome and set off for a year of travelling!
This was the best thing we had done in our lives (Apart from getting married) and we have no regrets.
During the year I managed to secure a redundancy package which felt very strange. Almost sad as I had worked for the same company for 19 years (BT).
It was always our plan to have a whole year off before thinking about the 'W' word.
We began applying to the Camping and Caravanning Club (CCC) for the position of Holiday site assistants in August 2009. After the interview, work experience and induction we were finally given a contract at the CCC site in Inverewe (Scotland).
Our plan is to work through the summer in the UK then head to Europe to overwinter before coming back to work the following summer season.
Hopefully these few words and our blog will inspire others to get off the hamsters wheel and see that there is more to live than having a house and material things.
A cliche I know but this is not a rehearsal, life is too short!!!
Since our first contract in Scotland we have worked a winter contract in Oxford (never again!) not Oxford but a winter contract. Hereford for two years, living in a yurt for one! And Cornwall. In between our working we have also travelled a bit.
Hopefully this website will give you an insight into our alternative lifestyle.
Get out there and live the dream!
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