On the Road Again!

As we were told last week, we have been starting the van every one or two days. Naturally, the bugger starts very time.   But more importantly we didn't actually go anywhere.   So today, I started it and we took a drive to Dover and the White Cliffs.  I remembered to turn off the stop/start system on the button on the dash. We decided to leave a little later as there had been a right wing demonstration in Dover against the migrants arriving in rubber boats.  It actually finished about noon but the roads needed to clear. We left just after 4pm and the A20 was still blocked all the way from Folkestone and the junction at Capel was closed.  We were there for a few hours and when we came to leave, it started okay.  Phew. Not before we had a coffee each and a piece of cake between us. At the bottom of the slope from the motorhome parking area I had to stop.  I had forgotten to turn off stop/start..... It stopped. But didn't restart.   Lu...

Morrison's supermarket locally today.  Christmas is nearly four months away FFS.

Okay. Evening. 

An update! The old Dell that we have struggled with for a long time still holds the iTunes library.   Because it still has a DVD player we can rip CD's, that we have bought straight into iTunes. We can also download anything we have bought from Amazon Music into iTunes.   I have then simply copied the folders to a few (over the years) of cheap and cheerful MP3 players, such as the Zaqe I have been using. So it was a bit disappointing that it's not charging from the mains, but connecting it to the old Dell and it connected and charged. iTunes opened automatically. Then we had the dance where whatever you do, it wants the password added...!!  Sync the iPod?  Password.  Go to library to consolidate the library? Password.  Oh. Then a laptop we have been using for 12 years? Not authorised.  Password again.   Each time Apple needed to send an authorisation SMS to my phone before continuing. Eventually it worked and synced the iPod to th...

The iPod came back today.  I saw on the Ring doorbell it had been delivered.  Once home i extracted it from the packaging. It was well packed in cardboard and  bubble wrap  Switching on took me to the front panel showing my name for it. The battery was about ¾ full.  To test I plugged the new Bluetooth transmitter into the jack plug socket and paired to my wireless headphones. So far so good. Navigated to music menu. Chose AC/DC. Great sound from player and headphones.  Then decided to charge the battery to 100% or full. Nothing. I tried two different original Apple cable. Nothing. I tried a combination of the two cables and several 13amp USB plugs. Still nothing. Very disappointed with the repair. I have emailed them as they could have checked it was working properly when they put a new battery in. I'll not name them yet but its not very good.

I didn't get any comments on my moan about "foreign" beers that are actually brewed in UK by one of a few large international brewing conglomerates. Does no one give a sh*t about being sold a lie? Anyway, at Aldi in the UK you can buy beer brewed in France. It's possible and without breaking the bank. It's only 3.4% ABV but it tastes very crisp.

In the week since we got back from Canterbury and after the jump start from the Green Flag technician, the bloody van has started regularly. The technician at Fairways Garage in Dymchurch couldn't find a problem.  They had got a battery in stock for me that wasn't needed. He suggested that we give it some longer drives and start it every day or two if not planning to go away. Yes. The bugger has started every time.  Of course. It's now trust. Can we trust it if we go away. I did buy the NOCO jump charger as a backup. We have it booked into a Fiat specialist next week so that they can check it out on the diagnostic system. We have to get to Sittingbourne as early as possible, so they can get started, as it's basically first arrive, first started. Probably need to be away from home about 7.30am. The only other annoying thing is that it's ruined a weekend away at a Motor Caravanners Club rally. We can't afford the risk. So with another trip to France on the horizon...