Big cats

Our overnight spot was just past the church which was floodlit with two rather old fashioned sodium lamps, that took the edge off the darkness. There's almost a new moon so it is really dark. I wandered to the very end of this rough parking area just before bed, into the darkness and was slightly disturbed by a noise. Unusually I had a torch in my pocket and shone it ahead and picked out two pairs of eyes at the edge of the forest. It was a little un-nervy until I realised that it was a cat and kitten staring at me.

The bed in the Landy is at roof level so is about 1.8m / 6' off the ground and having climbed up and opened the privacy window to leave just the fly-screen, there is quite a view back out on both sides. Last action before eyes shut, was to look out and as I did a large four legged shape walked into the pool of light in front of the church, about ten metres away. The sodium light didn't do much for detail but I thought it was a fox until, watching it further, it really seemed to be a cat. It was far too big though and I was craning my neck but not wanting to disturb it until finally it turned and disappeared. It's a bit of a stretch to claim that I had just seen one of these elusive Fox-Cats but honestly, I can't explain what I saw.

When overnighting in a public place it is always just slightly on you mind that someone will come and disturb you, accidentally or otherwise. Here though we were at the end of the road, with full knowledge of the inhabitants of this tiny hamlet. At about midnight though we were woken by a pick-up (Hilux or similar) that stopped just past us and left the engine running for several minutes. There had been a grate of metal that I couldn't explain and then just as I really began to wonder if there would be a problem, the truck continued up the stony track that I had assumed was impassable. In the morning I found a mailbox and I think the driver was reading the mail and the noise has been the sound of the box being opened. All was well.

Chino Philippe had been worried about waking us. "I 'ave to leave in zee car at 7:30". His car was parked next to us but we said it would be no problem at that time. He obviously didn't sleep well because at 06:45 we heard him creep into the car and then he let it roll away from the side of the Land Rover before starting it a few metres away. What a gent!

Breakfast was eaten and washing up of pots and washing of us was done, using a few of the 20 litres of water we carry. The little Porta Loo is tiny but will "handle" us for about two days and nights but then needs emptying. The washing water isn't cold, we leave it on the bonnet and if it catches any sun it is soon warm.

We packed-up and then drove very slowly down the hill, stopping in the middle of the settlement but no-one came out to see us and we didn't know if we should go door knocking when we only knew where Chino Philippe and Christine live and they hosted us last night.

One promise we will keep though is not to identify the hamlet, especially not on any park4night sort of app. As they said to us, no-one had ever stayed there before.

Slightly sadly we continued down the road and rather wished we could stay for a morning coffee to say goodbye but we saw no-one. At the next hamlet lower down we took so much interest in a battered old P38 Range Rover that a guy shouted and gesticulated, giving the distinct impression that he wanted rid of it and would be glad if we were to just to take it away.

Back on the coast road we turned south and headed for a campsite on the beach. This one is Camping A Marina at Golfe de la Liscia, near Calcatoggio. Some of the reviews we had read are not complementary about the owners but we could see that the two brothers were making a great job of running the place. There are only thirty pitches and also some bungalows.

We were instructed by Frère #1 to wait five minutes for Frère #2, which we did. He then picked us up in a golf cart and whisked us around pointing out suitable pitches, until we had decided on the one we wanted. There are always free places at sites as long as you arrive early enough in the afternoon when those that are moving on have left and the wanderers, like us, haven't all drifted in.

We chose a spot next to a TD5 and its owners, from Germany. Quelle surprise.

The west facing beach meant three great sunsets and we set a new record for the most number of nights at one place. One evening, sunset was followed by a game of naked water polo played by a German guy and I assume, his son.

We were happy to relax yet again at a great beach, reached with just a few steps from the Landy. We even invested in a small flag to show how much we appreciate Corsica.

However it's not all holiday and there are chores to be done, like Sunday morning shopping. Now you couldn't do that anywhere in France just a few years ago; there was no Sunday opening. All that shopping won't pack itself either 😣