I’ve always wondered how the engineers, scientists, astronauts and the operations team at NASA prepare for the run-up to a space mission. Imagine being responsible for launching humans and millions of dollars worth of kit into space and hoping you’ve done everything you can to get both people and equipment back safely.

Walnuts, this is Houston. Thrust is GO, all engines, you are looking good.

It’s a bit like that for the Walnuts. We’re getting ready to head off on our Piping Hot Sausage Tour to France and Spain, except not only do we need to get there and back safely we’re also raising money for Alzheimer’s Research UK – NASA didn’t.

If you’d like to make a donation then go to: The Walnuts Just Giving Page.

At Walnut Mission Control we’ve got two or three days to go. We’re checking equipment, running through protocols and procedures, making sure our supplying of Rooibos tea and moisturiser are stowed.

I personally have also bought an authentic Breton Shirt  – while accepting it might be more authentic if I bought it in Breton I was too excited to wait and I’m not sure where Breton is or if we’ll be driving through it at a time when the Breton shirt shops will be open.

And as two of my more ‘scientific’ friends pointed out in different ways we have in the region of 20 billion times (yup ‘billion’) more computing power on the Walnut’s module/motorhome than the Apollo 11’s landing module. I know the pedants amongst you will work out, that if you follow the logic, the Walnuts should be a least a billion times more spectacular than Apollo 11.  However, if you are familiar with the Walnuts you’ll know we’re not really astronauts and I don’t think we’ve ever been discribed as spectacular. – some of the walnuts are qualified space cadet but not me.

To the heart of the matter. Me, Buzz Allwright, Donald T Kirk and Yuri GaMuirhead are metaphorically leaving Mission Control and on a buggy out to our ship. We’ve said our farewells to Planets Berkshire and Glasgow and we’re counting down for takeoff which involved leaving a bit early so we don’t get stuck on the M25 on our way to Eurostar.

Wed 13th June Javerlhac
Thursday 14th June Tursac
Friday 15th June Carcasonne
Saturday 16th June lunch: La Reciclaria in Vic (P)
Saturday 16th June evening: Centro Asturiano, Barcelona (P)
Sunday 17th June: La Torre Del Vilar (P)
Monday 18th June: Taradell
Monday 18th June: La Clota (P)

About Alzheimer’s Research UK

We chose Alzheimer’s Research UK because they fund a broad range of research projects to understand dementia and which drive towards better diagnosis, preventions and treatments. Dementia is an international problem and we beleive that in terms of researching for solutions and treatments it is best to focus in an international organisiation with global reach and interntaional projects.

You can find out more about their research projects here.

About our sponsors

We have had such amazing and wonderfully generous support from a number of organisations. The Caravan and Motorhome Club and Baileys of Bristol who between them have supplied a blinking motorhome! Insurance! and paid for us to cross the channel! They have made this whole adventure possible. I recommend you all buy a caravan or Motorhome from Baileys and join the club. Donald Walnut did.

Strathearn Distillery: who have donated two cases of mixed Rum, Gin and Whisky to give to our hosts and guests – It might just work and if our guests are all drunk we will sound a billion times better than Apollo 11.

Ibérica Restaurants: Who has provided us with a hamper of the most delicious deli food and Cava and ham – Like the whisky, rum and gin we’ll try and share.

And the Aberdeen Solicitors Aberdein Considine have donated to our kitty which is a beautiful gesture and will cover things like petrol, campsites etc and we will put some of it in the cake tin too.