After a tiring day yesterday we were both quite looking forward to trying out the new fold up bike around the camp site.
The 'bike in a bag' is I suppose a bit like a 'chicken in a basket' but we slowly opened the bag and positioned all the bits and pieces in the correct order and then took it in turns to ride around the site area watched by our neighbours with considerable interest and humour. We both agree that the bike seems to be very good to handle and is not to heavy to ride compared to our existing bikes which currently reside at home in the shed. Certainly being bright orange it is not possible to miss when going round and round and as it has a semi automatic gear box ie, it changes up by pushing a button but changes down when you push the lever we thought is very good. We believe it might need a bit refining and minor adjustment as the first of seven gears slightly slips but the other six gears all seem work fine.
So following the various walks to do emails and riding the bikes we covered quite a bit of ground today which made us quite ready for the 'Moules and frites' night at the bar this evening. So at about seven oclock we headed off to the bar with our direct neighbours and finally there was a group of six of us, the other two being a couple with a very large tent who were also quite close to us. We had a mixed party with two neighbours being teachers at a school in Corby and the other couple was the Sales Director of Nissan Uk and his new wife (the fourth) who is an aroma therapist and they live somewhere near Reading. He was telling us that he is very lucky to drive one of the best cars in the world the Nissan GTR as a company car and he also offered to let me drive it sometime when he is back in Uk. He did not have the car with him as the car is not designed for carrying camping equipment and so he borrowed a Murano for this trip.
The food arrived and some of the party had the alternative to Moules which was grilled chicken but the Moules were good although there appeared to be more casings than actual Moules inside and it was about 60% with Moules and 40% without, I wonder where the Moules went?. Anyway the garlic gravy was good and with some dippy bread and plenty of frites it all went down very well indeed
The table conversation ranged from 'kids growing up and the challenges this brings' to getting married for the fourth time. The other couple John and Sue had been together unmarried for sixteen years although John had been married twice before. Therefore the Groves who are approaching 40 years of marriage next year were the odd bods out it seems. We then discussed the challenges of living in Japan and Noel told a few stories about working with the Japanese which caused some good laughter.
The band did a good job of playing slow and interesting mood and R & B music and after a while we all started to dance when they changed to 'Status Quo music' and we hopped the night away and the wine continued to flow rather extensively and so it was a really good night had by one and all and then back to the caravan around 1230 and it was considered by all a very successful evening.
