nature – passporttopossibilitycom

Knowing it would be our last full day in La Grande-Motte, we decided to head to the beach a little earlier before the afternoon heat became overwhelming.

The waves and uneven sand had made Mom’s knee more sore over the previous couple of days, so we agreed to take things a little easier. Instead of returning to the deeper bay, we went back to the wonderfully shallow beach where the water stretched far from shore.

It turned out to be the perfect choice.

Kiya settled happily into her beach chair with the gentle waves washing over her legs, completely content to splash, play, and enjoy the Mediterranean. Watching her smile was all any of us needed.

I spent much of the morning simply floating in the sea.

One thing that surprised me was just how salty the Mediterranean was. The water made you incredibly buoyant, and it felt almost effortless to float with the gentle rhythm of the waves. It was peaceful, relaxing, and exactly what I needed after weeks of constant sightseeing.

Gabe, however, had reached his limit with sand.

Fine Mediterranean sand has an amazing ability to get absolutely everywhere, and after several beach days he decided he’d had enough. While we relaxed by the water, he set off to explore town, browse the shops, and pick up a few souvenirs to take home.

Eventually the midday sun reminded us it was time to head back.

The heat along the Mediterranean was relentless. Even sitting under the beach umbrella, we could feel the sun draining our energy. We became diligent about applying sunscreen throughout the day, especially for Kiya, making sure she stayed protected from the intense southern French sunshine.

Back at the apartment it was the now-familiar routine: shake as much sand off as possible, head straight for the shower, rinse out swimsuits, and enjoy a little time in the wonderfully cool air conditioning while escaping the hottest part of the afternoon.

That evening we enjoyed one last dinner together before returning to the apartment to pack our suitcases.

Our wonderful driver would be picking us up the next morning to take us to the train station, and another chapter of our European adventure would begin.

Looking back, La Grande-Motte was exactly what we needed.

After weeks of museums, castles, trains, and miles upon miles of walking, it offered us a chance to slow down. We traded sightseeing for sunshine, beaches, and long evenings along the boardwalk. It was peaceful, relaxed, and refreshingly different from the larger cities we had visited.

The Mediterranean sun was certainly exhausting—far more intense than we had expected—but the slower pace, beautiful beaches, warm sea, and precious time spent together made it the perfect place to catch our breath before continuing on to the final leg of our journey.

Our final full day with Alan and Moira was spent enjoying one of Britain’s most iconic experiences—a leisurely cruise on a narrowboat along the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Llangollen canal. Alan and Moira had rented the boat for the day, and we were joined by their son, Adrian, his daughter, Edie, and Eva, another granddaughter, making it a wonderful family outing.

Built by renowned engineer Thomas Telford and completed in 1805, the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is the highest navigable aqueduct in the world, standing 126 feet (38 meters) above the River Dee. Stretching over 1,000 feet long, it carries both narrowboats and pedestrians high above the valley below. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009 and is considered one of the greatest achievements of the Industrial Revolution.

It took a little while to get everyone aboard and go through the safety instructions, although Alan already knew how to operate a canal boat. Before long we encountered our first adventure—a true boat traffic jam! Canoe tours, boats returning to the marina, and our boat all trying to pass through the same narrow stretch created quite the bottleneck. We moored for a short while as everyone worked together to figure out the best way to maneuver around one another. There was plenty of smiling, waving, and patient waiting, reminding us that canal life moves at its own peaceful pace.

Once underway, the canal became incredibly tranquil. We slowly glided through the lush green countryside with birds singing overhead while ducks and graceful swans floated alongside us. It was easy to forget about schedules and simply enjoy the beauty surrounding us. Moira had packed a wonderful picnic lunch, which we enjoyed aboard as we drifted through the Welsh countryside.

After lunch, Mom and I walked across the magnificent Chirk Aqueduct, not realizing until we reached the opposite end that we had actually walked from Wales into England! The Chirk Aqueduct is a 70 foot (21 m) high and 710 foot (220 m) long navigable aqueduct that carries what is now the Llangollen Canal across the Ceiriog Valley near Chirk, on the England-Wales border, spanning two countries.

Standing on the narrow footpath with nothing but a railing separating us from the dramatic drop below was both exhilarating and unforgettable. The views across the valley were breathtaking, and I captured a couple of photographs that I already know will be framed when we get home.

We spent nearly six hours on the canal, from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., before cooling off with some well-earned ice cream. Afterward we returned to Alan and Moira’s home for dinner and spent the evening packing for the next leg of our adventure.

The following morning a hired driver picked us up for our journey from Manchester to Southampton. We had originally planned to travel by train, but engineering work had closed the line we needed. Our only rail option would have required traveling all the way to London before heading back south to Southampton, so hiring a driver made much more sense.

Since we were traveling by road, I asked if we could drive through the beautiful Cotswolds and stop at Diddly Squat Farm Shop, made famous by Jeremy Clarkson’s television series Clarkson’s Farm. The farm shop has become an unexpected tourist destination, selling produce and products made on the farm, including milk, cheese, honey, jams, sauces, beer, cider, and souvenirs. I wasn’t sure we would even make it into the parking lot, let alone inside the shop.

When we arrived, the queue stretched well beyond the entrance. I quickly realized there was no way we would get inside during the hour we had allowed. Our driver suggested speaking with the staff about Kiya’s wheelchair. After showing our Montana disability parking placard, they kindly allowed us to enter through the accessible queue. We were incredibly grateful for their understanding.

While waiting inside, a young man—probably around 18 or 20 years old—stood in front of me with an armful of products. He had grabbed nearly one of everything: milk, cheese, pasta sauce, crisps, and more. At one point he apologized for taking so long. I smiled and told him, “No need to apologize. You may only get here once, so make the most of it.” His excitement was contagious, and it perfectly captured how special the experience felt for so many visitors. We picked up a few souvenirs, snapped some photos, and continued our journey.

Along the drive we also passed through the historic city of Oxford, home to the world-famous University of Oxford, whose colleges have educated scholars, scientists, writers, and world leaders for nearly a thousand years. Even from the car, the city’s beautiful stone buildings and historic architecture were impressive.

We arrived in Southampton with plenty of time to grab a coffee and relax before boarding the ferry. Soon we were crossing the Solent toward the Isle of Wight, excited to begin another chapter of our adventure.