No rest for the wicked! It's still half dark when the first vans start moving off just after 07:00. Where do they go? On the edge of the car park is a landing gantry for a zip line that runs right across the lake. Young lads fly through the air suspended horizontally in a harness like a hang-glider, swinging to an abrupt stop on the arrester wire. One lad is unshackled by the supervisor and asked how it went. He wryly puts hand to heart and shakes his leg a...

Leon has been a fantastic little aire, so peaceful amidst all of the trees. We lie in until quite late, use the service point and then set off on the route we planned last evening. The first few miles are more sand pines and open spaces but further along the trees change to deciduous varieties. This whole area is summed up in three words; flat, sandy, forest. Gradually the flat roads begin to have a few small hills. Cycling is obviously a major pastime here b...

After three days of recuperation it's time to start moving on. We have done less than 80 miles in more than a week. So unlike us to stay planted for so many days but we really had little option. Nick is OK to do a modest drive again so we slop out and head to Mimizan for some shopping. We pass among more sand pines and oak trees, and on through Bias with its simple church and red timbered houses, which we are seeing a lot in this area. Around lunchtime we ar...

Late morning we say our goodbyes and leave 'Chez Amies'. Nick's back is being a bit creaky so we decide to postpone heading further south until, hopefully, a couple of days' drugs and rest make it better. After a short stop at Mimizan Carrefour we drive the short journey back to the lakeside aire at Gastes, which we really enjoyed last Saturday. There is some entertainment when a van tries to leave but the bollard won't go down. A crowd gathers, the municipal...

TUESDAY 28TH We hear 'Drain-Man' arrive and keep out of the way while he does his stuff. On Tuesday evening Ali cooks a BBQ but a thunderstorm comes and forces us to eat indoors. WEDNESDAY 29TH Wednesday is cooler and in the afternoon the four of us walk a countryside loop into Mezos town. It's a small but attractive village; a couple of shops, a couple of restaurants both closed and a simple church built of heavily weathered sandstone. Dinner on the te...