Off to.... France!

Day one, up at 3.30am (yuk), with Mrs DP still none the wiser. Passed Heathrow then Gatwick in the car by which time the game was up and she knew that we were going on a ferry and not flying. Destination: FRANCE.

"Secret Envelope 1" had passports and the ferry ticket in it, and on arrival at Newhaven and waiting in the queue she got to open "Secret Envelope 2" which revealed our final destination - four nights at Chez Jallot - the manor house in the Limousin region of France made famous on Grand Designs. Pleased to say that she was pleased!

Ferry journey relaxing, then drove down to the Loire region for one night in another Chambres D'Hote, less famous but equally gorgeous - a converted watermill run by a wonderfully welcoming British couple who plied us with food and drink as we sat outside listening to the river rushing by. Bliss already.