THE FINAL CURTAIN.....

Saturday 9th July 2016

Thursday 7th July

A lazy day at the very pretty campsite in GVARV as our ferry from LARVIK to Denmark doesn't leave until 17.30 and it's only a 90 minute drive away. The morning is enlivened however by the Grand Final Playoff of the  Moëllky challenge between me, Big Malc and Reg at 11am.
Th draw for order of play, made by Eric, MY water carrier,  does me no favours with Malc to throw first and me to go last. Malc fluffs his first throw, Reg gets a good one and I'm hanging in there. Malc recovers, and takes an early lead, Reg holds on and I trail...but 2 good throws put me in the lead which I maintain for several rounds and only miss a winning shot on 40 by taking a 9 instead of the 10....this  leaves me needing a 1 to win, but the 1 pin is closest and isolated so must be a banker. ... Malc is on 44, Reg out of it on 37. Malc steps to the plate and flukes a 6 and is declared the winner. My supporters run up a protest flag on the basis that Reg and I should have another throw which could result in a tie at the top but the umpires are adamant that the first to 50 is the winner regardless of throws so I am second,  the first loser. Distraught.
Leave at 14.00 and arrive ferry 15.30. The ship is a high speed fast cat type and is packed.
We go straight to restaurant and get private room for 20 or so and stay there for the voyage,  just under 4 hours across the Skageragg. Excellent running buffet with amazing seafood,  cold meats, hot dishes, desserts and cheeses and all drinks included (shame I have to drive later) so we eat our way to Denmark for about £28 a head. Dock at 21.15 to find it is dark, which is a shock and we have an hour's drive AALBORG.Campsite is organised and expecting us so very efficient directions to pitches.

Friday 8th July

Day at leisure to explore AALBORG which we do by bike. Very pleasant city, especially the Music Park. When a new concert hall was built in the 1980's, someone had the bright idea to get every artist appearing there to plant a tree in the park.  Sir Stiff Pilchard planted the first, and now there are a lot. What makes it special is the speaker system in front of each tree which plays 3 tracks when the button is pressed. Artists inluding  B.B.King,Sting,MJQ,Chris Barber,Dionne  Warwick, Elton John, Joe Cocker, Lionel Hampton, Tom Jones,Status Quo, van Morrison and of course Bob Dylan. So we had a really great time ....even John Cleese and the philosophers song.
The evening was our last meal together at a restaurant on an island that can only be reached by a ferry from the campsite.  Another Scandinavian buffet which was excellent, followed by tear jerking speeches, presentations to our leaders who did a superb job and tearful farewells as everybody will depart for all points of the compass on Saturday morning.

Saturday 9th July

Leave 09.00 for Rendsberg in Germany. 4 hour motorway drive which is a relief after Norway.
Meet fellow travellers when we stop for coffee and then again for lunch but nobody else comes to aire at Rendsberg. It's been a long haul and we are not sorry that we have come to the end. It's been great fun, we've ticked the boxes we wanted to and have the stickers and t-shirts to prove it but it hasn't been easy. And everything was better for the company of D&M (especially the 12€  profit from cards).