2024 plan

 So this is the plan for 2024.

Left Brisbane this morning and arrived in Singapore a few hours ago. We're staying overnight about 15 minutes from the airport.

Back to the airport tomorrow morning for a 0940 takeoff landing in Dubai at 1300 local time.

Tomorrow night we're staying on the QE2 which is now permanently docked in Dubai.

Early start the next day leaving Dubai at 0800 and landing at Gatwick at 1230 local time. Then a local train up to St Pancras and the Eurostar across to Paris.

Another night in a hotel in Paris on Thursday before taking a train on Friday morning down to Dijon and then a car hire for a few days which will allow us to provision the boat more easily.

The only bit that we have planned for the remainder of the trip will be less than 90 days in France before getting into Belgium where we will be taking advantage of the bilateral agreement between Australia and Belgium which allows us to stay for up to another 2 months.

We'll find somewhere to winter the boat and then fly direct from Brussels to the UK on our way home in September. 

2023 Summary - Winningen (DE) to St-Jean-de-Losne (FR)

I have lots more technical detail to add later but this is roughly what we did.

Flew into Frankfurt, took the train to Koblenz and then a taxi to Winningen.

Left Winningen right at the beginning of May and ended up in St-Jean-de-Losne in mid August.

Not sure how many electric motor hours but we've done we've done 78.7 engine hours on the diesel consuming 208.2 litres of diesel for an average of 2.65 l/hr.

It was only in Strasbourg that I got the solar panels working properly and we've definitely done more electric and less diesel since then.

Marina fees in Germany and Luxembourg were more expensive than France. For the 18 nights in Germany and Luxembourg we averaged EUR19.17 per night including water, electricity and showers.

The remainder of May (from the French border to Nancy) we averaged exactly EUR 12 per night.

In June from Nancy to Strasbourg we averaged EUR 13.53 per night

In July from Strasbourg to Deluz (2/3rds of the way from Mulhouse to St-Jean-de-Losne) we averaged EUR 13.77 per night.

And in August from Deluz to St-Jean-de-Losne we have averaged EUR 12.48 per night.

Typically in France the showers in the marinas have been expensive (any up to EUR3.50 for a shower!) and as the water for the boat has been included we have showered on the boat. Showers in Germany were either included or ~ EUR1.00.

Electricity in Germany was more likely to be metered where you put coins in at the dock whereas France it is more likely to be unmetered but you pay a set amount for the night. 

The Citadel at Besancon

More photos of the Citadel.

Ranchot - 8th August to 9th August 2023

 

Osselle near Ecluse no. 57 - 7th August to 8th August 2023

Stayed on the dock for boat waiting for the lock, so no services.

Rode the bikes to Grotte d'Osselle the Osselle cave, the cave has been known since XIIIth century and visited since 1504.

Satellite TV

I've been learning lots about how to configure the TV. Not something I've ever needed to do before and I'm learning all about things like LNB Skew. I thought that we had a wiring problem with the antenna but apparently it just needed the TV on AND the LNB skew to be adjusted.

Besancon - 3rd August 23 to 6th August 23

Marina: marina fees include electricity, water and showers, 2 showers with a push button for water, the timer is about 30 seconds and no temperature control, but the shower rooms are spacious. 

Ecluse no. 50 bis de Saint-Paul cite du Moulin Saint-Paul is a manual lock. 

Walk around town:

Marina

Musee Du Temps (Time Museum)

Start on the 4th floor. This is the view from the 4th floor overlooking the building next door.

Model of the town as it was in 1722

Citadelle Vauban et ses Musees 

Leaving Besancon