We have had the most amazing 2 days!
We left paris at the crack of dawn and got the train to charleville-mezieres which turned out to be a gorgeous old town. We had a few hours there during which time I managed to do some shopping and we somehow acquired a 5th travelling companion - a very cute and friendly wizard puppet named Albert! Did I mention he's almost as big as Eliza?
From Charleville we had to travel about 25 miles out of town to get to our tree house!
Le chene perche ...
It was FANTASTIC! 13 metres up a tree - literally! What an adventure. But before we took up residence we did a 'parcours' adventure trail (go ape).
The kids were better than the adults - Hugo did an adult course and lost his glasses halfway round - but after hunting through the bushes we found them - Phew!
After climbing/jumping/balancing and zipwiring round the course we hauled all the bags up to the tree house using a rope and pully system.
To get ourselves up we climbed the ladder and crossed the rope bridge ( just like donkey and shrek in Shrek!!) to our front door.
We had a very basic supper (no running water, no electricity, no cooking facilities) and we were in bed by 9pm. Shattered but happy in several layers of clothes and duvet covers ( we didn't have room in our rucksacks for sleeping bags!!)
By 2am we were all awake and freezing so we huddled together like penguins on the double bed and tried to get back to sleep! Great for the kids in the middle not so great for mummy and daddy on the edges!
We did however see the sunrise from our spot in the tree - what a way to start the day!!
We left the tree house at 7.30am and have travelled all day:
Rethel to champagne-Ardennes
Champagne-Ardennes to Luxembourg
Luxembourg to Leige
Leige to Maastricht
Maastricht to Amsterdam
4 countries in 1 day!!!!
Nearly in Amsterdam now .... We are all very grubby (especially Eliza who is growing a single dreadlock at the back of her head!?!) and desperately in need of a good meal but we all agree that it's actually been a good day!!