So after 8 months, we are back in the position where we have Ruby back on the road. Since last France trip she has been resprayed (again after the rock incident), had a new brake servo and master cylinder, and had a new cooling system fitted in the hope of solving the rather hot engine we had last time.
We therefore thought it would be fitting to drive back down to the Pyrenees and see how many things broke this time. So on Saturday night, we drove from Birmingham to my parents house near the south coast. We were due to catch the ferry Monday morning so Sunday was spent using my dads workshop to make some improvements.
We had to replace our leisure batteries when the inverter accidentally fried them and we also bought a new and very expensive fridge. This meant there is now drawer space in the kitchen. I made two drawers which I’m pretty happy with apart from a) we don’t have any handles yet and b) we don’t have any catches yet.
So they are held shut mostly, except on particularly violent corners, with folded bits of cardboard. Also yet to be varnished! We also had a rather funky spice rack addition but I’m not moving to take a picture of it.
After a productive Sunday we set of early Monday morning to catch the ferry from Newhaven. We had a pleasantly uneventful trip to the ferry, through the crossing and off the other side.
We drove about 3 hours to a forest car park near Bellême where we camped for the night.
It was pretty raining this morning so we decided to make a dent into the 11 hour drive to the Pyrenees. We still have about 6 hours to go through fairly nondescript French farmland. So far, no dramas!
The Kombi Chronicles 