Meanwhile - more repairs and improvements

Delays

The Citizenship approval is taking longer than expected, so not moving on just yet. But using the time for repairs and improvements.

Over the past few weeks, I have replaced one of the wheelhouse windows, started cleaning up and painting the engine bay, fitted a brand new oven, and had…

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Shangri La

Shangri La - back to blogging

Shangri La – April 2026 – K and A Canal

I have not posted anything here for ages! Mainly because we have not been going anywhere.

Shangri La, our 58 x 11 ft widebeam barge, has been moored up here on the Foxhangers private moorings since August 2021, while my wife Karen is doing carework …

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Shangri La Drydocking 2023

Shangri La at Semington

Shangri La Drydocking 2023. So in August we made the huge trip from Foxhangers down to Semington to give her a much needed drydocking.

5 Swing Bridges and 6 locks. We set out on the Sunday late morning, and arrived there mid afternoon.

Overnighted aboard, and th…

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Into Dry Dock

On the Midland Waterways

Normally my posts are about trips on our own boat, but recently I did a boat moving trip, mostly on the midland waterways, from Eynsham to Tardebigge. Purpose of the trip was repositioning some hire boats – so a bit of a free holiday.

The 2 boats we moved

The route took us down the Thames, v…

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The Three Magpies

Why a trip to The Three Magpies?

Several reason for the trip to The Three Magpies: Since I moved the boat to our mooring here at Foxhangers near Devizes, (Read about that trip here) the boat has hardly moved, other than across to the pump out. Since we bought the boat, Karen has done very little…

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Newbury to Devizes - Part 4 - The Caen Hill Flight

View from the bottom of the Caen Hill Flight!

The title of this post is probably a bit incorrect, as we had already past the actual town of Devizes, but the Foxhangers moorings at the bottom of the Caen Hill Flight is still technically in Devizes.

The team

My friends Wyn and Donna continue…

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“There is nothing – absolutely nothing – half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.” … as the Water Rat said to the Mole in “Wind in the Willows”. And how right he was! I hope I can share the pleasures of boating by recording the trips myself and my wife Karen have taken on the journey to actually buying our boat, and now on our very own Dutch Steel Motor Cruiser, Shangri-La 2.

This blog is an online journal of my various boating activities that have happened over the last few years, from the numerous boating holidays we have taken, some interesting work related events and the journey to buying our own boat

Latest Adventures

Decize – on the Loire

Decize – on the Loire

Decize Tuesday 19th June The marina at Decize turned out to be very good, and not as expensive as I had been expecting. 10 Euros per night including electricity and water and wifi. This time the wifi actually worked! Well on our PCs and my mobile. But would simply NOT...

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Canal Lateral a la Loire

Canal Lateral a la Loire

Friday 15th to Monday 18th June Canal Lateral a la Loire Digoin to Decize Digoin is where three waterways meet – Canal du Centre, Canal de Roanne a Digoin and the Canal Lateral a la Loire. We set out from Digoin, now heading down the Canal Lateral a la Loire, at about...

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Canal de Roanne s Digoin – Artaix to Digoin

Canal de Roanne s Digoin – Artaix to Digoin

  Wednesday 13th June Artaix to Digoin We had arranged a lockie for 0930 at the first lock, so got going about 09.10. The weather was perfect for boating – Not too hot and not raining. The first three locks were close together and operated by a young female...

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Canal de Roanne a Digoin – Roanne to Briennon

Canal de Roanne a Digoin – Roanne to Briennon

Monday 11th June Roanne to Briennon Our departure day. Raining. Karen returned the ablution keys to the Capitainerie while I disconnected the shore power. Lowered our awning and radar arch in preparation for the low bridges. We left at about 10.45 and did a short...

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Roanne 2018

Roanne 2018

  Wednesday 30th May And at last I am back aboard Shangri La in Roanne! It is always a bit of a trek to get back on board, but this time it was exacerbated by the French rail strike. I had booked my flight from London to Lyon some time ago for Monday 28th ,...

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Vegan Barging in France

Vegan Barging in France

Regular readers might be aware that Karen and I follow a plant-based diet, which can be tricky at times, but possibly more so while vegan barging in France. It has become easier over time, and we eat very well on board! Shangri-La has a wonderfully equipped galley and...

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Plans for 2018

Planning for 2018 –   This is quite a traumatic post to write! Originally our thoughts were to continue along the Canal Lateral a la Loire, join into the River Seine and head to Paris. Someone said to me one absolutely has to cruise through Paris on one’s own...

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Roanne – preparing to winter

Roanne – preparing to winter

Wednesday 9th to Tuesday 15th August Roanne The marina at Roanne turned out to be surprisingly large, and with also then surprisingly little to offer in the way of marine supplies and services! There is a large community of live-aboard boaters moored here, with a bit...

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Canal de Roanne a Digoin

Canal de Roanne a Digoin

Sunday 6th to Tuesday 8th August 2017 Briennon to Roanne We were getting very close to the end of our trip so the pressure to get moving was less. And we only had a short way to go to Roanne so decided to spend the morning here in Briennon and head off after lunch. I...

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Canal de Roanne a Digoin

Canal de Roanne a Digoin

  Friday 4th to Saturday 5th August 2017. Digoin to Bourg-le-Compte (Wild Stop) Another lovely but hot day on the Canal de Roanne a Digoin. Yesterday, while visiting the aquaduct, we had spoken to the lockie at the next lock, which it seemed was manned all the...

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Trips by Date

About Me

My love of boats goes back to my early years when I went on holiday with my parents to Knysna in the Cape. We stayed at a hotel on stilts, and I played in rowing boats and little motor boats on the lagoon.

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