Vantastic Update - August 2024

[@davej433]

Welcome back good to see your happy smiley faces again x

[@VantasticAdventures]

Aw thank you, we are very pleased to be back and travelling again 🥰

[@alexspeirs8675]

Great content of the D Day landing glad your health is on the mend

[@VantasticAdventures]

Thank you, it's great to be back out in the van 🥰

[@Tinahill-f2f]

Great vlog. We were in the area for the celebrations, but couldn’t get parked in our motorhome until a few days afterwards. We did manage some of the beaches and also the British Memorial, the standing giants were amazing. Looking forward to your next vlogs.

[@VantasticAdventures]

Aw thank you, that's very kind 🥰 it was amazing wasn't it? Very busy but so good to see how well it was managed and supported for all the veterans ❤️

[@PoshcatsCamping]

Love the videos and pictures of the 80th Anniversary. 💙

[@VantasticAdventures]

Thank you, it was an amazing experience, the veterans were absolutely inspirational 🥰

[@michelleparsons-q8q]

Recommendations for northern Spain - Picos du europa are fabulous, Haro for wine tasting and Calle laurel Logrono which is an amazing experience. We loved northern Spain.

[@VantasticAdventures]

Thank you so much that's brilliant, we are compiling lists and viewer recommendations are perfect 🥰

[@paulreyland9671]

Great to see you back & another great video. We were there in July & very moving.

[@VantasticAdventures]

Oh wow hope you had some nice weather too, we were very lucky this time ☺️ It's such an emotional place to visit, we agree completely 🥰 thank you

[@rhinogooner]

Lovely video. I have been over to visit my granddad grave who died on the 22nd October 1918 just 21 days before the end of the First World War. What impressed me there are many war cemeteries in France and they are all immaculately kept.

[@VantasticAdventures]

Ah yes you are spot on, they are so well kept it's amazing, the war graves commission do a fantastic job 🥰 Thanks for watching and so close to the end of the war for your poor grandad but lovely you have taken the time to visit, it's a very emotional experience 🥰

[@karlospappy8908]

Great shots from D-Day. When we were working we used to take Friday off and leave for Dover at 4pm Thursday, get a late ferry and either drive for a few hours before stopping or park at the ticket office at Calais port. We would be in Salou for Saturday lunch or late Friday if we really pushed it. Now we take 4-6 days to do it. Cheers K.

[@VantasticAdventures]

Oh that's brilliant thank you so much, we may be able to do that just need to check diaries as that would be a great way to maximise our time down there! Thank you, will check out the route and stop overs, we see the french are starting to make the toll roads automated with ANPR in sections so that would be helpful maybe next time for covering a large distance quickly. It seems the opposite for why we bought the van to take it slowly and explore but there are so many places we want to visit and not enough time off work 😂🥰

[@claire-janehawkins5883]

Good video we were in Normandy for 2 weeks in motorhome for the 80th anniversary, in arromanches for service on 6th June and British Normandy Memorial on the 7th June. Wonderful but emotional. Thanks for sharing x

[@VantasticAdventures]

Oh wow we were so close, it was amazing this year especially completely agree with you, hopefully the veterans stay healthy and fit they are amazing, so inspirational 🥰 thank you ❤️

[@brianinbrisbane6632]

Thanks for sharing your great D-Day pics, especially the aircraft.

[@VantasticAdventures]

Aw thank you and most welcome, we have lots more but it's hard to choose what to include and leave out, maybe one day we will have a separate aviation section 🥰

[@rogergusty1802]

Great to see Croissants, Food and Beer again; all embedded in yet another of your awesome video updates. Thank you ever so much Iain and Caroline.

[@VantasticAdventures]

Aw thanks Roger, apologies for the delay and we will be back to our usual Friday night slot at 5pm hopefully for the next video so if you are still having your Friday fish and chips it should be normal service once again 😁 Hope you have been keeping well 🥰

[@rogergusty1802]

@@VantasticAdventures WOW, never thought you would remember my 'Fish and Chips' Friday nights while watching your latest upload. For me, it doesn't matter whether your video appears on a Friday, Saturday, Wednesday or every 2 or 3 or 4 weeks .... its always great to see what you have been up to.

[@VantasticAdventures]

@@rogergusty1802 aw thank you and thanks for your patience, we really appreciate all our viewers especially the ones who watch every video and take the time to comment, it's strange as we have never met most but it feels like we are friends 🥰

[@helenandmartinsTreks]

Good to see you back guys , the DD celebration footage was excellent thanks . I’m sure you’ll get lots of response about options for Spain and Portugal but if you think we can help give us a shout. Best wishes , be well Helen and Martin

[@VantasticAdventures]

Thank you so much, we have your videos ready to watch from the recent trip as a couple of places we had highlighted you have been too, can't wait to binge watch and will try and ask on each video so we don't forget the order or places. We were very excited when we saw your itinerary, it looks perfect 🥰

[@DolittleCampers]

Welcome back. Great to hear about your plans. Come on Iain fly Caroline away somewhere nice and hot 😂 great montage at the end (or should I say middle onwards 😂). Looks like you really made the most of Normandy and the balance between paying respects and enjoying yourself looks like it was well hit 👍🏻

[@VantasticAdventures]

Ha ha believe me I offered 😂 she's used up all her holidays and is insisting we go in the van in October due to not being able to use it as much recently 😂 will make up for it though don't worry 😁 it was a great trip thank you, very poignant and the veterans were amazing but also had time to relax too 🥰

[@stephenclarke8876]

We also stayed at that campsite back in April and we are going again in the campervan end of august for a week

[@VantasticAdventures]

Ah brilliant, it was so lovely very clean and well kept, we will definitely return with the van at some point as it had everything we needed plus a great location 🥰 enjoy your trip 😁

[@derekjoyce8996]

Hi both great vid we was there the week before the celebrations staying with friends...just a quick question what was the name of the camp site you stayed on ...Derek

[@VantasticAdventures]

@derekjoyce8996 thank you 🥰 it was called Camping La Capricieuse Normandie, in Luc Sur Mer very nice would stay again, ideally located for the beach and local cycle paths

[@Gav_Jam]

The cuckoo clock looks so good although I am put off getting one that has a daily wind - I can't see myself doing that task every day! Pleased you got to see the 80th D-Day commemorations, hope to get there myself one day.

[@VantasticAdventures]

Ha ha yes the daily windup is quite a challenge to remember, we both forget and blame each other 😂 Thank you, it's well worth a visit to Normandy at any time of the year, so much to see and do 🥰

[@Gav_Jam]

@@VantasticAdventures ha pretty much what myself and wife would also do 😂

[@ScottishVanTrips]

Northern Spain - two great ideas for you. Cangas de onis in the Picos de Europa national Park. Otherwise you would love the Camino de Santiago, and you could park up near logoño and tour along the route visiting some of the amazing spots and doing some of the walking route. Amazing, it's a journey we did over 20 years ago but we will never forget.

[@VantasticAdventures]

Brilliant thanks so much, we are creating a list today and will get the big maps out later to plot, sounds perfect and great memories for you 🥰

[@michaelodling248]

We are in Calais having just sailed to Santander, explored a bit of Northern Spain and then come back through France. Home tomorrow. We went to Potes (really nice), met loads of British who lived in southern Spain who go to north Spain as it’s cooler - there was however a heatwave. It can be rainy and cool, bear that in mind. Watch video of extreem Motorhome adventures and others, plus mine whe I put one up in a few weeks. Picos via cable car was fab. Ferry was ace as well bought C lounge access- nice, quiet and relaxing while rest of boat was like butlins. Saw plenty of Dolphins and Bay of Biscay was like a mill pond.

[@VantasticAdventures]

Oh perfect thanks so much, the crossing Caroline is worried about so your experience is a great example obviously weather dependent 🥰 will look out for the videos thank you, the cable car sounds amazing 🤩

[@OnTheRoadAgain-NikkiandBilly]

If you check out our stuff from last Xmas we had a two week holiday and travelled Hull to Rotterdam and then down to Benidorm. We had a week in a site down there and the other week was spent travelling there and back. You could do it quicker than us as we didn’t do toll roads, loads of free parks on the journey too

[@VantasticAdventures]

Aw thank you, yes of course we watched your Benidorm videos, thanks will take a look back though 🥰

[@OnTheRoadAgain-NikkiandBilly]

@@VantasticAdventures there’s other places rather than Benners but you can look at the route down. We are off to Spain in November for a few months if you do go to southern Spain definitely take bikes as the infrastructure for cyclists was great. Even designated cycle lanes up into the mountains

[@glyntimmins8929]

I guess if you only have 2 weeks for your Portugal adventure then the Plymouth Santander route is a no brainer - Britannia ferries Pont Aven is a beautiful ship. Just be aware of the weather crossing the “Bay”. I took my wife on a mini cruise some years ago and we had a force 10 on the return trip and my wife is a poor sailor!, If you end up driving, go down the west coast and programme a stop at Coulon (camping Venise Verte). They call it little Venice. I know Ian likes beer - so visit the cafe next to the church - it’s beer/coffee/ice cream heaven. Look forward to seeing your vlog.

[@VantasticAdventures]

Thank you so much that's brilliant 🥰 Caroline is not a keen sailor either so we will definitely look at both options, really helpful thank you 😁

[@glyntimmins8929]

@@VantasticAdventures I think our “weather event” was a bit unusual - you would be very unlucky to repeat it. The trip down was beautiful, and when we arrived we were mystified to be told that we only had 3 hours in Santander instead of 6. We began to get more perturbed when we saw that the pool onboard had been drained! It was VERY rough on the way home, and I’ve seen some roughers having spent 24 years in the RN! It took my wife a good six months to get over it - so much for my surprise anniversary cruise! She can handle the crossing between Plymouth and Roscoff but nothing more than that! I’m sure going by boat is best for you - just keep an eye on the weather!

[@VantasticAdventures]

@@glyntimmins8929 oh wow 😮 thank you will definitely consider that, emptying the pool must have been severe 😬 thank you so much 🥰

[@barrieathey1822]

Only having 2 weeks, if coming to Portugal I suggest ferry to Santander or Bilbao. Stop 1st night in Salamanca and then continue on to the north of Portugal. Depending on the weather drive down the west coast starting with Porto. If you manage to reach the Algarve, drive back via Seville to Santander. The. Algarve is normally warmer. Safe journey.

[@VantasticAdventures]

Thank you so much, the Algarve is a great shout, checking the drive time and it's not too bad via the route you suggested, we went last year via a plane and loved it so much so will check the maps later. Thank you 🥰

[@richardsracingmad]

Pyrenees is my top area…..French or Spanish side. I did a m/c rally and rode the bike to Spanish Pyrenees where the event was…but ( big but) I took ferry , I think outbound Plymouth, and back to Portsmouth, from Spain. It’s about a day on the ferry, but it took out the “butt ache”, plus arrived fresh and ready. So, I recommend the long ferry, it’s a bit like a cruise ship, rather than a Dover Calais ferry… ….San Sebastian ( near Bilbao or Santander, can’t remember) old town is where you want to go to eat Tapas, they have a regional Tapas, I haven’t seen anywhere else, but bring you pocket money to spend on Tapas in San Sebastian, yum ( most bars in old town sell the tapas)

[@VantasticAdventures]

That's brilliant thanks so much 🥰 not an area we have been to before so that's really helpful plus love the idea of the mountains 😁 the ferry is a great point about arriving fresh, it makes a big difference. Both love tapas so that sounds perfect 🥰😁