Barby's Adventures with Tim Tim

Join first-time motorhomers Barby and Tim as they experience a steep and bumpy learning curve travelling around Europe. Even though their 'trial weekend' at Whitby coincides with a huge storm, they head off a week later on a four-month trip around Europe! The adventure almost comes to an abrupt end within the first couple of days when technology and literature combine to place them on the edge of a precipice on an unlit track to nowhere. Negotiating steep-sided single-track mountain passes and narrowly avoiding collision with unexpected low bridges - but somehow failing to dodge an inflatable arch, a low hanging tree and a supermarket barrier - become just part of a normal motoring day. Filled with amusing anecdotes, interspersed with solid information about the places visited and practical advice and tips on what to do - and what not to do - when motorhoming, this book takes a wry look at how Barby and Tim cope with the peculiarities of motorhome life, enjoying good (and occasionally not so good) local food and wines (sometimes a little more than they should!). They marvel at some of the iconic sights of Europe and indulge their other shared loves of music, history and language, plus occasional artistic opportunities for Barby, whilst having lots of fun. The book is sure to amuse, educate and inspire anyone considering buying a motorhome or venturing into Europe for the first time, or indeed anyone who fancies a fun-filled trip around Europe.

After bringing up her three children, Barbara worked for Dyslexia Action and later, having achieved a first class degree in Linguistics and Psychology with the Open University and a PGCE, she worked as a teacher in local colleges. Born and bred in Yorkshire, Barbara has enjoyed art, crafts, music, history and languages throughout her life and has recently joined a York U3A Spanish conversation group. She has sung in several different choirs, particular highlights being at Selby Abbey, York Minster and the Albert Hall; she and Tim are currently members of a York choir and also perform as a duo all around Yorkshire. In addition they run 'Sing Yourself Happy', a weekly singing group for elderly people (many of whom are living with dementia), supported by a group of fantastic volunteers who hold the fort when Barbara and Tim are travelling. For several years Barbara was a member of two walking groups, with whom she tackled some of Britain's highest peaks, and in 2010 climbed Mount Kilimanjaro. With Tim she has travelled extensively in Australia, Cambodia, China, Thailand and Vietnam, as well as on their many motorhoming adventures in Europe, venturing through the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany to Italy, Sicily, Croatia, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia, plus France, Spain and Portugal.