Ariege bound

Wednesday, the trailer is loaded with aga and I'm fretting 'cos the new combination water cylinder I've ordered and the boot door handle for the car (which broke so now I can't get in the back) haven't arrived. After lunch the cylinder arrives but will it fit in the car? I dismantle the back of the car to get the boot door open. I've already taken the front seat out to allow the cylinder to 'ride shotgun' the full length of the car (like some huge missile - only lime coloured -I didn't choose the colour of the insulation foam) but try as I might the cylinder is always 2" too long. Oh well - I tie the door up and resign myself to the 1000 mile driver with the boot open - I hope it doesn't rain!

As usual I do the drive in a single push 18 hours door to door including 1 hour nap and some shopping in St Girons. The Suzuki pulls the trailer well and even gets up to 70 mph down some hills. Driving with the door open makes it chilly at night, a little noisy, but far worse is the squeaking of the cylinder insulation as it rubs on the rear door which drives me to dispair - worse still I leave all my tape cassettes in the glove box which is wedged shut against the cylinder, so I have to do the drive listening to 'Coldplay' over and over again as it's the only tape in the car stereo.

Weather is beautiful - time to unpack.