River Dordogne, France - Canoe Camping

River Dordogne, France – Canoe Camping

Day 1 – Friday 14th August
I was at my dads house. I was waving to my mum because we were setting off for Naomi Hannah, Bill & Jean’s house for tea. It was Spaghetti for tea and mocha tort which is really chocolaty pudding. Then we, that is Me, my Dad, Elizabeth, Naomi, Bill, Hannah, Jean, Chris, Jeff, Vicki, Marc, Jim, Lyn and Josh went in the minibus to the ferry to go to France canoe camping. We had to pack lots of things.

Before going on the ferry we had to wait about an hour. I don’t know why. I put my watch an hour forward because French people are an hour ahead of us. It wasn’t fun on the ferry. When you went outside you felt like you were going to be blown away and it was very cold. Most people were asleep on the ferry as it was midnight.

Day 2 – Saturday 15th August
We got off the ferry about 3 O’clock in French time but 2 O’clock in England. I had a sleep on the way to the breakfast stop at a rest area. We carried on, the lunch stop was near Vierzon. We carried on in the minibus.

The camp-site [Bretenoux] was very nice. It did not have a swimming pool but it had a place in the river that was nice to swim in. It also had a playground which looked like it had had swings once and had two seesaws and two wobbly things, a duck and a boat.

Day 3 – Sunday 16th August
All we did today was swim in the river and play games. We built a rock pool, that is me, Naomi, Josh, Charlotte [Woods] and sometimes Elizabeth my sister helped a bit.

Day 4 – Monday 17th August
We went to see some caves. There was a lot of steps to the bottom. We had to go in a boat and have a tour of the caves. I got a post card for my mum. That night we went out for a meal, French fries and ham.

Day 5 – Tuesday 18th August
On Tuesday we paddled to the next camp-site [Les Granges]. When we got there we saw a football club and there was a swimming pool which was very cold. We played making a house of cards and skipping. Then we had to go to bed because we were canoeing on Wednesday.

Day 6 – Wednesday 19th August
On Wednesday we canoed to the next camp-site [St. Sozy] which had a swimming pool. At the lunch stop we all swam in the river, the adults did too. Me, Naomi and Josh made a little mound with a moat. We put some colourful rocks on the mound. At the camp-site there was a Frenchman who was playing an accordion and singing in French. I could not understand the French but it sounded nice. Then I went to sleep. The footballers seem to be following us because they are the same people who sleep on the ground and they had lots of washing.

Day 7 – Thursday 20th August
On Thursday we paddled to the next camp-site [Souillac] it had a swimming pool next door which was 25FF. It was really good because there was water slides and flumes and mushrooms squirting water. But we didn’t go in the swimming pool.

Day 8 – Friday 21st August
On Friday we walked into town. I had 50FF 40c spending money. I had to get some things for my mum and for my friends Grace and Sarah and if I had any more money left I would get something for myself. At last I found a shop that was mainly toys. I found some alphabet letters with dolphins in the shape of letters. We also went in the swimming pool with the slides and things. The first thing I went on was the water slide. It was like a normal slide that has bumps but with water running down and when I got to the bottom I got sprayed and then went under.

Day 9 – Saturday 22nd August
On Saturday we paddled to the next camp-site [St Julien de Lampon] It mostly rained. The camp-site has not got a swimming pool. But it has got a park with a big bumpy slide, swings, a tree house thing and a roundabout. Then me, Josh, Naomi and Lyn (Josh’s mum) went down to the river to skim stones. Then we had 10 minutes at the park then bed and here I am writing my diary.

[The notebook was bought at this stop, all preceding notes were written from memory]

Day 10 – Sunday 23rd August
On Sunday we paddled down to the next camp-site [Montfort (Caudon)]. It rained and stopped and rained and stopped all day. The camp-site has a swimming pool its a normal pool but its still good. It has a playground. It’s Bill’s birthday, he got lots of cards and some presents. We had pizza and chips for tea and I had three pieces of melon pudding. Before tea we went to the swimming pool. We played a game and we were otters me, Charlotte, Naomi and Josh. At first Charlotte’s dad was in the water and was trying to get us and we kept jumping in and he tried to get us. Then Margaret and Malcolm [Palmer] were trying to get us then Chris and Dave [French] joined in. It was really hard because Bill joined in as well and now they were allowed out of the water ! Then after tea we played then bed.

Day 11 – Monday 24th August
On Monday it didn’t rain at all. My dad said there was two stops. We were going to climb up a hill to go to the town which was at the top of the hill [Domme]. The town had a wall around it so that in the olden days I don’t think anyone could have attacked the town. There was lots of stalls and on one I bought a necklace which had a Chinese peace sign on it. Josh got a surf board with a Chinese peace sign on. Mine meant good and Josh’s meant bad. There was a merry-go-round and me, Elizabeth and Naomi went on it. Before we went on it we wanted to wait for Josh to come so we went to this look out place and went down some steps where there was a shop. It had necklaces and gem stones. But Josh didn’t come so we went on the roundabout without him. After that we got very big ice creams raspberry and vanilla. We went back to the boats and had lunch and carried on. The next stop was a museum and we carried on without stopping. In between that Charlotte and Elizabeth swopped boats so I was with Charlotte, but Charlotte swopped back at the museum. The camp-site did not have a swimming pool [Beynac]. The rest were having a barbecue and we went to a boring restaurant. I had chocolate truffle for pudding. On the way back we saw a glow worm. We turned the torches off and it lit up and then we turned them on to have a look at it.

Day 12 – Tuesday 25th August
Tuesday was a rest day. We went into town [Sarlat] at about half past 11 and came back at about 4 or 5 O’clock. In town there were lots of shops and Elizabeth got a bracelet which had an E on it. We went to a shop where there was little brown and white ducks and rabbits. Elizabeth got a white rabbit with brown paws. Me and Naomi got a white duck with brown feet and brown beak. Then after a lot of shops I got a dolphin bracelet and Elizabeth a necklace for her friend.

When we got back we went swimming in the river. We went back to the same restaurant as we did on Monday. I had the same as last time, but we sat with the Ingleson’s and Norton’s. On the way back me and Naomi had a lantern each and half way we swopped with Elizabeth and Josh. On the way back we saw a glow worm.

Day 13 – Wednesday 26th August
Today we canoed and at the lunch stop we all went swimming but not the adults. Then me and Josh and Naomi and sometimes Elizabeth looked for glittery stones and cracked them in half so we could all have a bit. The camp-site [St. Cyprien] has not got a swimming pool but has a good park with a ladder, swing, trapeze, hoops and another thing I will have to draw. I also climbed up with my hands on the frame thing. Naomi asked Monica if she could have a go on her accordian. She said Colin had it so Naomi went to Colin and asked him and Colin said yes. She played When the saints and something else then I had a go.

Day 14 – Thursday 27th August
Today we canoed down to the last camp-site [Limeuil]. Before the lunch stop we tied the boats together that is about seven boats. After the lunch stop we untied the boats. The camp-site has a park. For dinner we ordered some food. I had chips and ham with a pencil ice lolly. The order place was on the camp-site. Near the place we ordered was a crazy golf course and we might play it on Friday. After the meal my dad asked me to come and see a pinball machine. It was 10 Francs for 5 games and there was 3 goes in a game. Josh Naomi and Elizabeth came with us as well and we all had a game each. Then we went back.

Day 15 – Friday 28th August
We went to the Aquarium today. There was a really big fish. I went round mostly with Bill and Naomi. Bill said that some could grow to 600? 60? 6? Metres and weigh as much as a corsa or mini. After that we went to a market. I got some really nice trousers and a sort of music thing. You blow and move the stick up and down and it makes a sound. When we got back Chris put my hair in 23 tiny plaits and that night was the eating out party thing for all 46 with 2 visitors. We gave Lester his cards. There was two that everyone signed. On one Naomi had put on 46 happy faces and Lester said she could put on 4 more for the Rossall’s.

Day 16 – Saturday 29th August
We are going home and we are riding in the minibus. Me and Josh were drawing, Naomi was reading, Elizabeth is playing and being a pain in the backside.