Tag Archives: English Channel

Ending 2016 with Holiday Good Wishes

We’re feeling quite grateful this holiday season — grateful on several levels.

We are finally back in Europe and living in a country that we love — France. Mark’s health has returned, we are enjoying life again, and we are happily filling our days.

The past week was a bit chaotic, to be truthful — but we managed because we are both feeling more resilient once again — and now we’re having a quiet Christmas. Our household goods somehow managed to leave Australia at the same time that we did at the beginning of November and they arrived in the UK a mere 6 weeks from pick up at our house. That sort of time frame is a rarely-or-never kind of thing.

As a result, we’ve felt a bit roller-coaster-ish for the last 8 days. Last weekend we had the happy highs of the weekend wedding of dear friends — Polly and Vincent. Mark and I both took cameras with us to document the day (as requested by the bride!) — but gads — rather a lot of the photos ended up being either out of focus due to shifting light conditions or being constantly jostled by the phone-camera-clutching throngs who were packed into the Mairie (the mayor’s office) for the wedding. Those group shots where someone always managed to have their eyes shut were a bit of a challenge, too. (smirk!)

Polly Watt and Vincent Morel exchanging rings on their wedding day.

Polly Watt and Vincent Morel exchanging rings on their wedding day.

Mark with his camera inside the Mairie after the wedding as the crowd began to disperse.

Mark with his camera inside the Mairie after the wedding as the crowd began to disperse.

Deborah, camera in hand, leaving the Mairie after the wedding ceremony.

Deborah, camera in hand, leaving the Mairie after the wedding ceremony.

Two days later it was a leaving-long-before-dawn race back to the UK on Monday, meeting the movers in England on Tuesday, doing catch-up errands on Wednesday, then heading back to France on Thursday. Whew!!! Are we tired? YES! But Mark went straight back to work the next day and part of Saturday and I sat like a little pudding doing editing. Yes — we ARE taking all day Sunday and Monday off though and we’re hoping it won’t be too soggy for some gentle rambles through the lovely Calvados countryside.

Here’s a few more pictures from the last wildly busy week. More soon!

Up and down the stairs between decks on the Brittany Ferry.

Up and down the stairs between decks on the Brittany Ferry.

The Deck 9 wifi lounge on the Brittany Ferry.

The Deck 9 wifi lounge on the Brittany Ferry.

During an afternoon crossing between England and France, Mark is buying 2 expressos at the bar on one of the upper decks of the Brittany Ferry.

During an afternoon crossing between England and France, Mark is buying 2 expressos at the bar on one of the upper decks of the Brittany Ferry.

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Back To France on Brittany Ferry

Long term travel in Europe has certainly been aided by the purchase of a motor vehicle from our first month of arrival over a year ago. We are now on our 3rd vehicle, a diesel van, after fine-tuning our transportation requirements.

Traversing the English Channel or the North Sea several times a year has become normal since we moved back to Europe. And one of the most comfortable trips we have had recently was on a Brittany Ferry a few days ago as we travelled from Portsmouth, England to Ouistreham outside of Caen in France.
 

Brittany Ferries keycard and brochure for the Armorique


 
Here are several pictures of the Armorique, a two year old ferry with ample amenities including multiple restaurants and cafes or bars, two movie theatres, several shops, a reading lounge, a casino, and more viewing platforms or decks than we have seen on previous versions of the Brittany Ferries that we have sailed on.
 

Cocktail bar on Level 7


 

Duty Free sign at shop entrance


 

Shops on Level 6


 

Lounge on Level 7


 
You’ll notice that there are very few passengers in any part of the ship. That’s one of the absolute joys of travelling in the middle of the winter when it’s a much more relaxed and adult atmopshere. The decks are not heaving with tourists, you can get a meal within minutes, and the hallways in the cabin area are free of screaming children. Bliss!
 

Dining area on Level 7


 

Airline style reclining reserved seats on Level 7


 

Lifeboats with easy to use ramps on Level 7


 

Deck diagram posted at elevator


 

Looking through layers of outdoor decks with a blue & white colour scheme


 

Compact but very comfortable cabin on Level 9


 

COPYRIGHT
©Deborah Harmes and ©A Wanderful Life
Please respect the words and images on this page.
All rights reserved.