Blog end to the first chapter – travel in Africa

Posted on May 18, 2013 by admin

It has been a long while since I last blogged. Reason is that we are no longer wandering. We have arrived in the south of France and we hope to make it our home. The last two weeks have been spent with my parents, who have come here to test the prospects for their own permanent home. In the coming weeks we must find ourselves some rental accommodation, income and begin searching for a permanent family home.

These last weeks have been a train ride over Aude. Some of the sites we have revisited since our last sojourn here in October 2012. Others are new. The markets of Esperaza (Sunday), Mirepoix (Monday), medieval cities of Carcassone, Perpignan, Foix, castles of Peyrepertuse and Montsegur, the Templer fortress (for now its location must be kept a secret), on the trail of UFO’s, arks and grail’s in Rennes-les-Chateaux, Cardou and Bugarach, the Abbey of Lagrasse, the labyrinth of Nebias, swimming in the sulphur spring of Rennes-les-Bains, museums of Marionettes (Puivert), Dinosaurs (Esperaza), Hats (Esperaza), Automats (Limoux), gorges of Lys, Galamus and St. George, the cave grotto of Fontrabiouse, waterfalls, rivers, and lakes. Forests and snowy peaks. Bottles of fine red wine (Limoux) and sweet muscat (Maury). A taste of Petite France rubbing against independent Catalan.

We also returned to our friends who had broken down on route back to Czech. After a week their wheel hub finally arrived from Czech. It was for the wrong side but no matter – a little adjusting and it fit fine. The sender forgot to dispatch the rubber seals so we could not disassemble the hub and fit it piece by piece as would have been the correct way. It was an all or nothing job. With all the improvising it took us two days to reassemble. Then we discovered the opposite side wheel had come loose too! The Moroccan mechanic that had been paid to overhaul the wheel had only managed to round off every wheel stud. So our lovely family had to remain in Perpignan one more day to acquire a new set of studs. Hope you made it back to Czech!!

So what will happen to this blog now? I feel it is time to draw to a close the wandering overland travel writing until we are once more on the road (August we go to Austria inshallah).

Thinking economically I may continue to post on this blog about other subjects, our experience of moving to France, building a house, fanciful interests such as treasure hunting. I could and perhaps should use new domain names but that would be not be economic.

For now thanks for following our story and look out for a few more facts and figures to be posted in conclusion.

Adios, Beslamah, Ciao!

Another breakdown – but not us this time!

Posted on April 23, 2013 by admin

One of the core narratives of this story has become mechanics. Is this because of East European trucks? Or old trucks? Or bad luck? Whilst enjoying the sea cliff views under a lighthouse on the French/Spanish border, I got talking to some Moskovite tourists. They were warmed to see one of their beloved Russian names out here in France. Even more impressed that it had been to Africa and back. ‘How often does it break down?’ Asked the burly chap that looked like Putin with a good deal more weight on him. His tall bolshoi wife translated for me.

So we are in Esperanza at the Sunday market. I plan to soak myself in coffee and wine at a market side cafe from which I can survey the Esperanza spectacle unfolding. There is a chance that Will and Estelle may come down too.

Then Mara gets a text from our friends Keith and Petra, who have a little girl Anika’s age, Annie. We had met them on a beach in Morocco (there is a blog post buried somewhere deep). They were on route back home from Morocco when their rear driver side wheel came off (along with the brake drum and part of the half shaft cover). The wheel raced past them, swung a left and spun across the dual carriage way crashing into some fencing. The truck came to a grinding halt. Fortunately nobody was hurt.

We came along with some tools (theirs were stolen in Morocco) and morale support. The truck has been dragged over to an industrial estate where they will wait until a new wheel hub assembly can be delivered from Czech.

Wheel and brake drum has broken off

Considerable damage to the back plate of the hub assembly

Annie and Anika spent every second together. I helped Keith with the wheel and we drove them to a supermarket for food and a wifi spot for internet. Its rotten been broken down with the family. The important thing is that one feels there is help (friends) close by for support. Then its about getting provisions in to keep going.

Yesterday evening we had to leave them as we are meeting my parents here in the south of France. This is something we have looked forward to as we do not get much opportunity to catch up. For Anika it means getting spoilt rotten by her adoring grandparents.

So now we find ourselves in a gorgeous farm house, with a room to ourselves, an ensuite bathroom, and lots of horses outside.

Slam bang back on the road!

Posted on April 20, 2013 by admin

Our Axat parking spot beside the river

Great stuff. Things just came together.

Firstly my contact, Snow Commercials in the UK was able to find such a fan pulley from his several yards of truck parts, but he did provide me with the exact model so I can search elsewhere and hey presto I found such a pulley in the States on ebay. But postage takes time and Anika would like to get moving – so the local river rafting chap suggested a pro welder in the village of Saint Paul, 20km away. I hitch over there. They recommend a metal workshop in Perpignan, 60km from us in Axat. Metal Precis turns out to be the ones … for 20 euros they machine flat the pulley for a flush fit to the plate. Then they weld the two parts together and whack it on a lathe to tidy the weld. They also clean up the tracks.

Belt pulley for the fan, unit is an Enviro-Dennis bus part. Not the most common component

Repaired and ready to go back on…

Today I have reassembled the fan unit. Also replaced a leaking push fit connector (diesel return line). The engine mounts needed tightening up again (They have been ignored since they came loose in Senegal) and I repositioned the power steering hoses which were chaffing against the rigid air line pipe.

Now we are off to Quillan for food. Tomorrow is market day in Esperanza. Monday we meet up with family for a few weeks of catch up here in France, over plenty of wine and good food.

p.s. the weather has been cruel these lat two days but it is rumored to improve.