Canal boating

Hey, Andrew writing this.  Needs to be quick as no wifi and therefore short and sweet and no photo's at this point - which is a real shame coz there are a few neat one's that I'll post when I have access to some decent ( which means free!) Internet .

While owning a vineyard isn't for me, being on one is a real privilege and we throughly enjoyed our time at Domaine Treloar.  I hope that we weren't too much trouble for them as we always seemed to be asking for directions, assistance and advice !  We we're exactly 'lucky' either - rain, a wee fender smash and then the grape press broke down with the grapes that we had so carefully picked in there.  Had a great last night with Rachel, Jon and the girls. Before I forget we went to Cailloure on the Coast which is a wonderful wee town - another spot hat Wendy and I will get back to 'sans enfants' for a few days.

Up early on Saturday, dropped off the rental car (bit sad - we had some great, and not so great times in there) and in a train to Narborne to meet the DAWSON'S ! Absolutely wonderful to see them walk through the doors of the train station. 

Picked up our canal boat and after 20 minutes training we we're set free on the Canal !  What we're they thinking !!! I fair pooed myself for the 3 hours - unbelievably stressful and yet so incredibly rewarding.  We tied up and had a meal then Alan and I went for a carafe of the locals best ' rouge' while the girls chatted and the kids went to sleep.  Today was our first full day on the canal and it blew a gale all day - plus it transpires that September is the busiest month of the year for canal boats - lucky us !   By lunch time I was all set to throw it in (wind, lack of boating skills, numbers of boats, the number of locks and the associated delays) but it all came together in the afternoon.  'Team Devlin' has me driving (piloting, skippering?!) Wendy doing all the lock and bank work, with Grace and Kate managing the ropes and push offs.  An amazing family experience !  

We went out for dinner tonight in a small village that we moored up at, and the kids all sat together and jibber jabbered and had a great time.  So nice to see them all smile and get on so well together.  Us adults we're knackered - a mixture of the wind and sun, physical labour that we we're used to and the stress of being on the canal and all that entails.  It was a fantastic knackered though as we're all proud of what we achieved today. 

Better go and get some sleep - we're off early tomorrow.