Since 1st of January, we’re back on the road!
On 7th of January, we were supposed to catch a ferry from Sète in France to Nador in Morocco, but we cancelled it because of my teeth! I broke two crowns and needed a root canal, apparently, which kept us near Castelnaudry in southern France for weekly appointments until the 26th. We’re still debating whether it’s worth crossing to Morocco now that we’ve been delayed for a month, but we’ll see how we feel when we get further south.
It’s been no hardship being stuck in lovely Languedoc. The weather has mostly been bright, if a little cold, but the scenery and little villages are beautiful. I hope you’ve been enjoying my blogs about them!
Our Dutch friends, Casper and Monique, visited us in the bastide town of Revel. We have known them for 22 years – we first met on a Hogmanay walking holiday in a Scottish lighthouse – and have stayed in touch ever since. Unfortunately, they had a rotten end to 2025. They were supposed to visit us at our farmhouse in Fanjeaux, but their motorhome, Rudolf, broke down in Mende. They were stuck for the entire festive period, awaiting a part. Although we invited them to stay, understandably, they didn’t want to leave Rudolf unattended in a car park. However, like us, they are now back on the road, have reached Morocco before us, and are looking forward to a FABULOUS 2026!
Make Some Plans for February – Festivals and Shows
Kick off your season with some inspiration!
Check out my 2026 UK Van Life Festivals, RV, Caravan, Camper, Motorhome, Overlanding & Self-Build Events. The The Scottish Caravan, Motorhome, & Holiday Home Show at the SEC in Glasgow is Scotland’s largest motorhome, caravan and holiday home trade show, and The Caravan, Camping, and Motorhome Show at the NEC, Birmingham is one of the largest trade shows in the UK.
Posts You Might Have Missed on WorldWideWalkies.com
I was also thrilled to feature on the non fiction panel at the very first online Self Pub Fest! If you are an author with any self-published titles, you may wish to check out the publicity opportunities afforded by this online and in person celebration of all things self publishing. In case you missed them, the recordings of the Self Pub Fest sessions from the 25th January 2026 are all now live on YouTube. You can check out the recording of my non fiction panel HERE.
Updated Posts on WorldWideWalkies.com
I constantly keep my reference posts up to date, and have added new information to the following posts which you might find useful if you’re planning a trip and need insurance, or your planning a build in 2026:
Travel Insurance for an Extended Road Trip
Updated 18th January 2026 Insurance is a perennial problem for…
Trusted Suppliers & Self-Build Resources for Truck & Van Builds
Updated 28th January 2026 If you’re dreaming of building your…
Most Viewed from the Archive on WorldWideWalkies.com
Posts You Might Have Missed on JacquelineLambert.co.uk
I have also been posting on my author website. If you’re interested in book news, publishing and author advice, why not pop over to my author website, JacquelineLambert.co.uk?
TODAY IS THE LAST DAY TO GET DOGS ‘N’ DRACULA FOR 99p ON ITS AMAZON UK KINDLE DEAL!
Most Viewed from the Archive on JacquelineLambert.co.uk
- Does Everyone Have A Book In Them?
- How Long Does It Take To Write A Book?
- Publish and Be Damned: How I Got Scammed, Learned My Lesson, and Came Out Fighting: A Guest Post by Author Peter Barber
What I’ve Been Reading
I’m pleased to say that I’ve still managed to find some time to read. Since I so enjoyed Tales of a Fly By Night by Val Karren (you can read my 6* review of VM Karren’s travel memoir HERE!) I have gone off piste from my normal addiction to non-fiction and explored some of the author’s fictional stories. They are very much rooted in places he has lived or visited, and were an absolute delight!
If you’re looking for some good travel reads, check out my book reviews published on my author website, JacquelineLambert.co.uk.
The links below will take you directly to my full review on Goodreads, where you can find buy links or add them to your reading list. HINT – it really helps an author’s algorithms if you add their book to your ‘Want to read’ list on Goodreads!
- Armchair Travel: Cultural Fiction for the Restless Wanderer by Val Karren – Warm, Thoughtful, and Culturally Immersive. A beautifully observed anthology that brings three distinct settings – Portugal, the Netherlands, and rural France – vividly to life through story. The anthology consists of the three books reviewed individually below:
- Fate and Longing in Lisbon by Val Karren – A wonderfully warm short read, very grounded in place.
- The Witch of Drontenburg by Val Karren – One of the author’s great strengths is his sense of place, and here vivid details of Dutch life, history, and local culture shine through the narrative.
- The Plucked Hen by Val Karren – A sharp, insightful meditation on criticism, gastronomic creativity, and what truly constitutes success.
Blogs I’ve Enjoyed
I’m delighted to see SUP Chick back in the Blogosphere – and might well take up some of her tips on top SUP spots in Europe for 2026. See her post here:
Last year, I was targeted by a heinous Copyright scam. I have removed all royalty-free images from my website, so please forgive the blanks and bear with me while I replace them.
With my email inboxes overflowing daily with a multitude of AI generated scam emails – and the scammers even having worked out how to private message through my contact form – I shall be keeping an ever closer eye on the excellent Writer Beware website. Here is a roundup of the major scams from 2025, and what to expect in 2026.
Hugh of Hugh’s News And Views – an excellent resource for WordPress blogging tips and advice, also published details of how to spot this WordPress scam:
Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoy my content and find it useful. If you’d like to see more, don’t forget to subscribe, and I wish you a spiffing month – and enjoy the Winter Olympics. I have a special Winter Olympic treat coming…!
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Cover Photo – The Fab Four, our canine travelling companions, on a frosty walk in Sorèze, southern France.
World Wide Walkies 