Betschdorf

This is a new aire, very smart on the edge of a small town, looking out over fields where storks were grazing and swifts swooping. Parking, electricity and services are all free. We have just crossed the border into France. Close by is a bird hide, we decided to load the bikes up with all the birdwatching hardware and go for an afternoon of birds, but in the hide all we found were mosquitoes. We decided to let them finish the meal they had started while we drew up a cycle route. This route started off really well, through a metalled forest track, but the back lanes I chose were narrow and very busy. However, not many kilometres and we were back in the forest. We liked the forest ride so much that the next day we decided to walk some of the paths, alas we got blisters in doing so. We walked to a forest restaurant and downed 2 beers each and a white magnum. It was over 30 that day. On the way back the mosquitoes decided they liked the Tracey and John cafe and came back for more, so we walked in a constant mist of insect repellent, it deterred some but not all. Alas on new aires you can get teething issues. The clean water worked by pushing in a male adaptor. We filled water OK, but then couldn’t stop the water gushing all over the place. The town hall was closed, so no help there, in the end we phoned the police. A rather nice off duty police man arrived, sorted the issue and wished us a good trip. It’s these little aires in the middle of places you really wouldn’t consider going that remind me of the freedom I love in Bertie, they are full of wonderful surprises. It’s making me really think hard about my decision to sell the van.