Hi everyone!

We just thought it was time we let you know what happened with Liberty, and with us, after we reached Paris and the end of our voyage.

After our tootle along the Seine under Paris's bridges, dodging the fly boats and commercial barges, we reluctantly turned south and made our way over the next four or five days to Laroche Migennes, to Simon Evans's boatyard where, sadly, we drifted alongside his quay, switched off the engine, and watched as Simon lifted Liberty out of the water.

Not physically of course, he's not that strong, but his old yellow crane belched smoke and revved and coughed as it pulled the boat out and set her on a cradle, where her bottom got a thorough water-blasting. Everyone should enjoy a good bottom water-blast occasionally.

Liberty was then moved further into the boatyard and deftly slotted into a space and propped up safe and sound for the winter. Liz and I plugged into shore power and stayed on board for a few days, doing some maintenance and preparing the boat for l'hivernage. There are a few things still to do, including getting the hull all nice and black with antifouling, repairing the damage from when we backed at speed into the lock gates at Bram, and other bits of wear and tear that are testimony to our having lived a year on board.

We then wrapped her in tarpaulin as best we could to protect her against the elements over winter, and headed back to the UK in Van Rouge. On the way we got stopped on the autoroute South of Paris by French Customs. We were questioned, and the van was searched. Our interrogator softened somewhat when he learned we'd been living on board a boat in France for a year, and even passed a photo of Liberty around his colleagues. We heard him say the word 'jolie' and we agreed, she was pretty. Anyway, they didn't find any drugs, or large wads of money (chance would be a fine thing!) or North Africans, and we were waved on.

We got back to England and moved into our new apartment overlooking the marina in Liverpool, so now we are landlubbers once more, but with a view of boats still, and it's nice to watch the yachts, cruisers, fishing charters, dragon boats, sculls, and the big wind turbine service boats come and go. Maybe we'll bring Liberty here one day and park her outside.

But for the meantime it is back to reality. Liz has just started work as Programme Funding Manager (England) for the Equality and Human Rights Commission, while I am still looking for work, but writing each day and turning the blogs of our voyage into a book. I'm about half way, and on track for a March publication, fingers crossed. Will let you know what happens.

Meanwhile, thank you for following our adventure. Maybe we'll arrange a sequel some time, in which case watch this space!

Au revoir mes amis!

Mike and Liz