boat trip!

The first few days of the boat trip on the Canal were to be for dad and his three brothers. Unfortunately my Uncle Alan couldn't make it as he's unwell. It just wasn't the same without him there. Hopefully he'll get better soon and we can organise another trip - maybe in Ireland this time :)

Given that Alan wasn't there, and that the idea of "4 men on a boat" wouldn't work anyway, Auntie Ju and I decided we'd go from the start and get a few days on the boat with the boys.

We left in the hire car and got to Agde at 3pm - the time we were told to arrive to complete the paperwork etc - and were told to come back at 4pm as the guy who does the admin wasn't even there yet. This was the start of things to come I'm afraid!

Auntie Ju, Wes and I went to the supermarket to stock up for the few days ahead. The main thing we bought was wine - priorities and all that...

By the time we got back, we were shown to the boat and it was still being cleaned! I mean, they'd had all bloody day! Then we were told the fridge wasn't working, so they'd have to get a new one onboard. My Uncle Henry said, "ah, it'll break down at least six times this week, wait 'til you see". This turned out to be a pretty good estimate.

Finally, we got onboard and started to make ourselves at home. Tony, from the boat company, showed my dad, Uncle Wes and me how to drive the boat. Apart from that, we got no instruction about mooring, locks, nothing! Oh well, onwards we headed.

We immediately went up top for some beers, wine, bread, crisps and paté whilst dad drove. We decided where we'd stop for the night and navigated our way through a few tiny bridges ("watch your head!!!") and then through the sluice gates at the Libron river.

Once tied up, Auntie Ju and I started to make the dinner: trout, baby potatoes and green salad. Henry, meanwhile, was busy lighting a fire on the bank! We ended up cooking our trout on the fire and the meal was delicious.

A few games of Boggle in the flickering light (something wrong with the battery already...) and we were off to our plastic, caravan-type beds full of wine, cheese and good laughs from the first day.