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Neil Pitts
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I Gandalf
France & Spain trip 2021, Gandalf on Tour, Campervan Life Neil Pitts 10/24/21 France & Spain trip 2021, Gandalf on Tour, Campervan Life Neil Pitts 10/24/21

I Gandalf

Hello. Guest writer here.

Mr & Mrs P are back home now and, while they unpack and hopefully clean me, I have been asked to step up and do a bit for the blog.

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They fought not for the lust of conquest…
France & Spain trip 2021, World War 2, D-Day Neil Pitts 10/17/21 France & Spain trip 2021, World War 2, D-Day Neil Pitts 10/17/21

They fought not for the lust of conquest…

This blog is about our visit to the beaches of Normandy. Where, on the 6th June 1944, 156,000 men took part in the largest sea invasion in history. The invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe.

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And the lazy photographer of the year award goes to…
France & Spain trip 2021 Neil Pitts 10/15/21 France & Spain trip 2021 Neil Pitts 10/15/21

And the lazy photographer of the year award goes to…

The following photographs were all taken from a single spot no more than 2 metres square. These images just go to show the different perspectives you can get on your world without moving very far…

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Mrs P’s 4 Day Boot Camp
Pyrenees , France & Spain trip 2021, Hiking, Mountains Neil Pitts 10/13/21 Pyrenees , France & Spain trip 2021, Hiking, Mountains Neil Pitts 10/13/21

Mrs P’s 4 Day Boot Camp

The above conversation is a verbatim record of the actual words uttered by Mrs P as I remember them. Please note that both time and events since this conversation may have somewhat skewed my recollection (i.e. Mrs P might refute this record).

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We keep a knockin’ but we can’t get in
Pyrenees , France & Spain trip 2021 Neil Pitts 10/7/21 Pyrenees , France & Spain trip 2021 Neil Pitts 10/7/21

We keep a knockin’ but we can’t get in

How can a one and a half hour journey take 3 hours? I’ll tell you how. When we inadvertently lock the keys inside Gandalf is how.

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Feel the fear and do it anyway
France & Spain trip 2021, Pyrenees , Spain Neil Pitts 10/5/21 France & Spain trip 2021, Pyrenees , Spain Neil Pitts 10/5/21

Feel the fear and do it anyway

The day with clouds was sudden overcast, And angry Jove a hideous storm of rain Did pour…

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Going Native
France & Spain trip 2021, Spain Neil Pitts 9/30/21 France & Spain trip 2021, Spain Neil Pitts 9/30/21

Going Native

In order to tell this tale we need to go back in time. Not far. Just a bit…

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The Pain in Spain…
France & Spain trip 2021, Norway preparation, Norge pa Langs, Spain Neil Pitts 9/27/21 France & Spain trip 2021, Norway preparation, Norge pa Langs, Spain Neil Pitts 9/27/21

The Pain in Spain…

Roller skis have no brakes and I have not used them on downhill sections before…

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¿Habla Inglés?
France & Spain trip 2021, rock climbing, Spain Neil Pitts 9/22/21 France & Spain trip 2021, rock climbing, Spain Neil Pitts 9/22/21

¿Habla Inglés?

…I say to the middle aged woman with the smiley face; “Habla Usted Inglés?” “No” she unsurprisingly replies. Both sides in the conversation silently cursing their respective Education systems.

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Mind your language
France & Spain trip 2021 Neil Pitts 9/18/21 France & Spain trip 2021 Neil Pitts 9/18/21

Mind your language

Once again we find ourselves in Spain. A country where our language skills leave quite a lot to be desired. It’s causing trouble with our diet…

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Writer’s block
Pyrenees , France & Spain trip 2021, Via ferrata , Long Covid recovery Neil Pitts 9/16/21 Pyrenees , France & Spain trip 2021, Via ferrata , Long Covid recovery Neil Pitts 9/16/21

Writer’s block

Every day Mrs P and I head out with one goal in mind, to have fun.
Every evening we get back to the van (Gandalf - surely you know that by now!?), shower, cook, eat and then…

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Is this where it all started?
Pyrenees , France & Spain trip 2021, Gandalf on Tour Neil Pitts 9/11/21 Pyrenees , France & Spain trip 2021, Gandalf on Tour Neil Pitts 9/11/21

Is this where it all started?

Is this where it all started? My love of the big mountains?
A little more than 28 years ago I came here with my older brother, Paul…

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Hors Sentier
France & Spain trip 2021, rock climbing, Pyrenees Neil Pitts 9/4/21 France & Spain trip 2021, rock climbing, Pyrenees Neil Pitts 9/4/21

Hors Sentier

‘Hors Sentier’ means ‘off trail',’ or ‘off path,’ or ‘What the hell are doing up here? There is no path you Muppet!'’

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The only way is up.
France & Spain trip 2021, Via ferrata , Pyrenees Neil Pitts 8/31/21 France & Spain trip 2021, Via ferrata , Pyrenees Neil Pitts 8/31/21

The only way is up.

The thing with via ferratas is this; even if you are a climber and you’ve not climbed for a while, you’d really better have a good head for heights…

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I Declare a Miracle - A lighthearted look at a visit to Lourdes
France & Spain trip 2021 Neil Pitts 8/23/21 France & Spain trip 2021 Neil Pitts 8/23/21

I Declare a Miracle - A lighthearted look at a visit to Lourdes

Not wanting to miss out on the any of the fun, we attended the 9pm candle-lit “Marian Procession”. The Lourdes Sanctuary website lures you in as follows…


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Fascination & Frustration in France
France & Spain trip 2021 Neil Pitts 8/20/21 France & Spain trip 2021 Neil Pitts 8/20/21

Fascination & Frustration in France

This blog covers from the 13th to the 18th August. During this time we have wedged in a lot of mini-adventures and I have sworn. A lot!

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Rest, recuperation and tourist information
Gandalf on Tour, France & Spain trip 2021, Long Covid recovery Neil Pitts 8/7/21 Gandalf on Tour, France & Spain trip 2021, Long Covid recovery Neil Pitts 8/7/21

Rest, recuperation and tourist information

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Rainy days and Sundays
France & Spain trip 2021, Gandalf on Tour Neil Pitts 8/4/21 France & Spain trip 2021, Gandalf on Tour Neil Pitts 8/4/21

Rainy days and Sundays

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