Showing posts with label Short breaks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Short breaks. Show all posts

28 May 2021

Shakedown Cruise, 28 May

 It was only ever going to be a short break, and it came to an end today.  We had hoped to go into Brighton this morning, but the antibiotics have kicked in and I could do nothing but sleep.  The Swan Whisperer went for a run first thing, but after breakfast I nodded off and slept soundly until he came back from a walk down to the sea and back.  Then we decided to set off, and I slept almost the entire way from Brighton to No 6!  I did rouse up a bit after that!

We had a really nice lunch with my mother and sister, and shared some of our cheese, etc, with them.  And then it was time to empty out the van, transfer everything to the car and head back to London.  Again, I slept a great deal of the way, but woke up when we reached Mitcham, and there was a massive traffic jam around Fygges Marsh junction; as bad as when it was a roundabout!  I don't know what they can do to improve things.  

Anyway, we head off again mid-June on a longer break now that we have familiarised ourselves with the van again.  I didn't take any photos today, so here is another from yesterday: 

 And by the time you read this, I will have gone through the earlier posts and amended any egregious typos - I know there are some - and updated locations.  Blogger doesn't seem to allow you to do that in their mobile app at the moment.

27 May 2021

Shakedown Cruise, 27 May

The weather forecasters had promised that today was going to be a lovely day. They were not wrong! So after breakfast (my turn to have the slightly cold shower - I was not impressed!) we drove over to Ashburnham House and went for a wonderful walk round the lake. Most photos are on Facebook. It was very beautiful but by the end I was glad to sit down in the Orangery tea rooms and drink pink lemonade while the SW had coffee and lemon cake (I had a bite - delicious!).

When we went to leave we had a problem, as when we drove round the one-way system, we came up against the place where there was a gallery across from the dormitories to the main house, giving me flashbacks of the vicar's wife filling hot-water-bottles and chivvying us off to bed. ("Yes, Matron!" - most of us had been at boarding school, some even at the same school as me). Anyway, the SW went and asked and was told we could go out the wrong way, delivery lorries always did, but be careful, and as it was, we didn't see any other cars until we were back on the public road.

We moved on, and discovered that our tour took us past Hurstmonceaux castle and the observatory. It was quite nearly lunch time, so the SW went off to see what he could see while I made hot rolls for lunch. This turned out to be nothing, as it was all closed.

The afternoon was spent crawling through a massive traffic jam in Newhaven (we should probably have gone via the A27) but we evergreen arrived in Brighton and the op site here. The Swan Whisperer went for a walk and I fell asleep, but I'm awake now and am going to get supper. 

26 May 2021

Shakedown Cruise, 26 May

We did manage to find a few television channels last night - and again today, come to that - but of course not the ones we wanted!  Ah well, that's life, and at least we get to see Springwatch on BBC2!

Woke to a gloriously sunny morning and the hot water came on when we had asked it to and also turned it off when we had set it, which was just too early so the poor SW got a cold shower!  After breakfast we "redd up", as my in-laws say, and set off mid-morning to visit friends for lunch.  It was fantastic to see them agaiin, and by the time we were ready to leave, it was mid-afternoon. 

We are parked up in a campsite near Battle, and just next door to Ashburnham place, where I have dire memories of church weekends away!  I gather they now have  very nice café that is open, so maybe we will explore tomorrow.  The SW is about to go out for a walk; I think I shall flop on the bed and read for a bit. 

25 May 2021

Shakedown Cruise, 25 May 2021

This time, it was ten months between trips!  So another shakedown cruise is called for, to make sure the motor home knows what it is doing and whether the batteries will hold a charge before embarking on a longer break next month.  Which will still have to be in the UK, alas.  

So the Swan Whisperer went skating this morning and I began to pack, and when he came back and had had some coffee, we loaded the car and set off to Sussex, where we had lunch and then he brought the van around and we loaded that up.  Then my niece came round with her younger son, who we had not yet met.

We set off at about 5:00 pm and headed for our first overnight stop, near Gatwick Airport.  In normal times, I expect the skies would be hideous with plane noises, but there seem to be very few planes this evening - only one departure scheduled and about 3 arrivals.  So it is peaceful.  We are up by the sanitary block, which the Swan Whisperer says is very nice - and I have just heard the first and perhaps only plane of the evening - and we have spent most of the time trying to make the television work.  With singular lack of success!  Oh well, there is always Catchup, but I do wonder why our aerial doesn't work (we suspected the roof aerial didn't, but thought the portable one would). 

29 January 2020

Shakedown Cruise Mark II

We could only get away for three nights for our shakedown cruise, and we stayed local to Sussex.  Furthest afield we went was Heathfield, where we discovered, to our delight, that we were only a few miles from some dear friends who moved to Robertsbridge some 3 years ago, so we rang up and were able to call in on them for coffee, which was lovely.  I do so miss them in London!

However, the cruise was really about getting to know the motor home, and what was wrong with it, and what needed to be put right.  First thing that happened was the Swan Whisperer broke the door shelves of the fridge, so he has ordered some more, which we hope will arrive before we go away.  Then he bumped his head on the handle of one of the cupboards, and broke it - that is easily fixable, it just wants a drop of glue, but it needs to be done!  Third thing was that he didn't close the water inlet properly, and the bung fell out and was lost.  This was easily replaceable, and he has learnt how to put it in properly.

The van itself is comfortable, but we still haven't quite fathomed out where to keep things yet.  That will come, of course, as it did in our old one, but it feels as though there is less storage.  I don't think there actually is, but that is what it feels like.  We are going to try using a system of crates in the hold, as it's quite easy to get stuff out of it from inside the van.  It also has, rather a nice touch, an outside shower so you can wash your muddy shoes or boots off before getting in!  And it was muddy!  The first day it rained and rained and rained, and although we were warm and dry inside, the van was muddy and so was the campsite!  This being England, we had to use campsites or certificated locations, so we did both.

There are other issues - I can turn the radio off, which the Swan Whisperer can't, but I can't turn the heating on, which he can!  We had not been able to resolve the thermostat issue, so took it back to the Sussex Caravan Centre, where we'd bought it, and they were marvellous - the man didn't quite know, but knew where to ring for advice, and it turned out that the wrong thermostat had been installed, so he quickly replaced it.  Now we can programme it to come on just before we want to get up in the morning, and even programme the hot water, so no more shivering into a cold van to put the water and heating and kettle on!  Even though, as the Swan Whisperer said, we do drink tea before we get up....  They also showed him the knack of emptying the grey water tank (we had both tried, to no avail).

Another thing we discovered is that it has a television aerial on the roof!  As it also has a television mount inside, I am seriously looking at buying a 12 volt TV (yes, these are a thing), although we managed perfectly happily without one in the old machine.  But then, it didn't have an aerial!  And it didn't have anywhere comfortable to sit and watch, either.  The best TVs seem to have inbuilt DVD players plus USB connections to one's tablet to watch the Amazon Prime movies one downloaded earlier....  We also think that we have a combination grill/oven; thus far it has only been used to make toast and cook sausages, but I worry lest I succumb to the temptation to buy too many tartes flambées and quiches rather than cook from scratch.  The Swan Whisperer cooked supper once and breakfast twice, and I cooked supper twice and breakfast once, so we are both getting used to the kitchen.  It is too small, but at least while you're cooking, you're not in the way of the other person getting dressed.

I felt that I used too much water in the shower, so am going to buy a trigger-operated shower head like we used in our last machine, even though this one has a proper mixer tap.

There is still much to learn, so in ten days' time we are going to the Moselle valley on a 10-day cruise, to try to get it to feel more like home.  But then, what could be nicer than lying in bed watching the stars through the bedroom skylight, or waking up to a view of trees (and rain) at the end of one's bed?

22 September 2019

... And yet another aviation museum

Two years ago, we spent the weekend in Scotland for me to attend the AGMT of the NCC.  Last year it was a one-day affair in London, but this year it was again a weekend event.  This time, in Croydon.  I could have gone as a "day girl" (and frankly, given the hotel, I rather wished I had), but it's nice to have a weekend away with good friends.  The Friday evening is devoted to socialising, and the Sunday to business and a book sale, but the Saturday is always a "day out".

This year, we started off at the cemetery in Redhill for a short service to mark the 50th anniversary of  EBD's death, and a wreath was laid.
Fortunately, the weather was wonderful, as you can see from the shadows in the picture.  We then returned to the coaches and were driven to East Grinstead, just in time to take the Bluebell Railway down to Sheffield Park. That, of course, was as lovely and relaxing as a ride on a steam railway always is, and then when we arrived at Sheffield Park station there was a choice of activities.  First port of call was lunch in the pub on the station, which was extremely good.  I had a potato and broccoli bake, which was delicious, with peas.  And later an ice-cream from the kiosk.  But between the two courses, I wandered round the station, looking at their engine shed, which was open to the public,
and then crossing the footbridge to go the small museum on the other platform.

Those of the party who had elected to visit Sheffield Park and Garden came back rather cross and footsore as apparently it had been a lot further away than they had anticipated.  "They said it was only a few minutes' walk.  They lied!" said someone.

Back into the coaches, and most of us dozed our way to our final stop of the day, the Gatwick Aviation Museum.   Frankly, after RAFs Hendon and Cosford, I was rather underwhelmed.  I'd hoped that there would be more of the history of civil aviation, and perhaps some examples of civilian aircraft,  But it appeared to be a display of fighter aircraft again, and endless engines - frankly, one aircraft engine seems to look very much like another!  Most of us were flagging quite badly by then, so we sat and ate ice cream until it was time to return to the buses, and back to our hotel for the evening's entertainment.

11 September 2017

A long weekend in Scotland

This past weekend was the AGM  of the New Chalet Club, which took place in Stirling.  So I suggested that we go in our motor home, and pick up the Swan Whisperer's brother en route, so that they could enjoy a day's walking in the Trossachs while I was otherwise occupied.  All concerned thought this was a good idea, and, last Wednesday, we set off at about noon.

Scotland, even the Lowlands, is a lot further away than Brussels or Paris, so our first night was spent at a camp site near Knutsford.  We arrived at about 5:45 pm, and settled in, and when I posted a check-in on Facebook, a kind friend let me know that we were very near the Jodrell Bank telescope.  So the next morning, we headed off there to have a look. 
The Discovery Centre was excellent; informative without being too pedagogical.  There were plenty of interactive exhibits, so you could see how, for instance, a black hole eventually sucked everything into it.  The Jodrell Bank telescope itself was built well over 50 years ago, but is still very much in use, and is part of several clusters of telescopes - these, apparently, allow a much more detailed view of our galaxy than a single telescope would.

We decided to have lunch there, but it really wasn't very nice - you ordered something - a piece of quiche, for instance, or a sausage roll - and were offered a choice of chips or salad.  This was the "salad":

After this, we headed on and finally crossed into Scotland.  We spent that night in a hotel car park - one of the nice pubs that allow motorhomes under the BritStops scheme - in Leadhills, which was as beautiful as ever, and on Friday morning we arrived at the Swan Whisperer's brother's home in East Kilbride.  We went out to lunch with him and his wife and then set off to Stirling.

However, we decided to go via the new Forth crossing, as it had just opened.  This was a Big Mistake, as, instead of just adding one hour to our journey, as we had anticipated, it added a good two hours!  But it was worth waiting for:
We found the hotel in Stirling at about 5:30 pm, and I left the men to their own devices, and checked in.  There was about half an hour to relax and have a cup of tea before the first formal dinner of the weekend, which I duly did.  The food was good, and it was good to meet some old friends and some people I've only ever "met" on-line before.  However, after supper they laid on "progressive games", which are totally not my thing, so I went straight to bed and read!

The hotel did a really good breakfast, including haggis!  After this, we assembled into two coaches - we were asked to use the same coach all day, so they could be sure they weren't leaving anybody behind - and set off for Dunblane, where we saw the Cathedral:





The Leighton Library (which opened specially for our group - the librarian was brilliant and very informative):


and, of course, the Golden Pillar Box commemorating Olympic success:

After this, we piled back into the coaches and headed on to Loch Katrine, where we went on a steamship, the SS Sir Walter Scott.  This was a very pleasant journey and many of our number (not me!) enlivened it with hot chocolate with a shot of brandy in it, topped with "a featherbed of whipped cream". 

After the boat trip, the buses took us to the tourist town of Callander.  I had a look round the Callander Woollen Mill, vividly reminded of the very similar shop in Aviemore, where my mother and I used to spend far too much money on holidays gone by!  I also bought an ice-cream, but after that ran out of energy, so went back to the coach and dozed until it was time to head back to the hotel.

Our after-dinner speaker was the author Val McDermid, and very good she was, too!  I think everybody enjoyed her talk on how the Chalet School had influenced her life and writing. 
The next morning was the AGM itself, which didn't take long, and then we had a talk by Gill Simms, the author of the very popular Peter and Jane Facebook blog and whose first book is due out next month.  I think this was the first time she had been asked to speak, although I am very sure it won't be the last!
This ended the formal part of the weekend, but then there was a book sale and Sale of Work.  I was very, very, very strong-minded and didn't buy anything, but wandered round being tempted!  I'm not a collector, only a reader, so I don't actually mind what state my copies of various books are in, but 50p and £1 adds up when there are several of them!

By then, the weather - which had been glorious on the Saturday - had closed in again, and the Swan Whisperer and his brother had also run out of things to do, so they came and picked me up, and we headed on.  Because we were quite early, we decided to visit the Falkirk Wheel, which the SW and I had long wanted to see.  It was well worth the detour, especially as we were lucky enough to see it in action:






Then we took the SW's brother home, and headed south as far as just outside Wigan, where there was a canalside pub that allowed us to park up (Britstoppers, again), and we had dinner there.  The weather was dreadful, though - after dinner, I went straight back to the van, and was soaked to the skin.  The SW, however, had waited a few moments while making himself comfortable - and was bone dry!

That pattern of weather continued all day today as we drove south, but we got home about 5:00 pm, ready to sort out the van and do some washing before heading off again in 48 hours!




07 December 2016

Brittany, 7 December

Not doing that again!  Dieppe, I mean.  It was an expensive aire, and, because we were right by where the ferries come in and out, we were woken several times during the night by them doing just that.  And then the one that was due in at 4:00 am came in, and KEPT ITS ENGINE ON until it went out again at 6:00.  So not much sleep for us!

However, we got up at 7:00, as planned (in fact, I got up a little earlier and turned the hot water on, but then went back to bed again), and were away by 08:30.  Before sunrise, although not before dawn..... we drove across country to Tréport/Eu enjoying the sunrise over the "big sky", and then up to Abbeville and so to the motorway.  We reached Cité Europe about 11 and did an enormous, mostly Christmas, shop, and then were lucky enough to get a berth on the Shuttle going an hour earlier than the one we'd booked.  We spent the crossing eating lunch, and only realised afterwards that by UK time it was actually only 12:15.... oh well.

A swift and easy drive home, where we arrived by 2:00, and then an hour's hard work and we got everything put away.  Although as we are using the van as an extension of No 6 over Christmas, we have just put a bedspread on the bed and left the towels in the bathroom.  Now just the laundry to do, and to take the motor home down to Sussex on Friday, and that is it for this year.  Next trip early in the New Year..... Barcelona, perhaps?

06 December 2016

Brittany, 6 December

The Swan Whisperer went for a run this morning, but the downside of going for a run before dawn in a strange place is that you don't realise that the town has carefully laid out a 3k course for you to run!  I found it later when I went for a walk to stretch my legs before a long day's drive.  I didn't do the whole 3k, but about half that round a very pretty lake.  I should have taken my trekking poles to have a proper workout, but didn't think until too late.
Most of the day was spent driving - on the motorway as far as Caen, then via Deauville (where we had lunch) and Honfleur to the Pont de Normandie, and then via Fécamp (where we got lost!) to Dieppe.  Then a cup of tea and we got rather cold waiting for it to be time to go out to dinner. We found a very nice restaurant that was slightly more expensive than we usually go for, but there food was delicious and the waitress made us giggle by looking exactly like Julie Walters in that sketch, only efficient and didn't spill things.
And so back to the van for the final night of the trip, although as we'll be sleeping in it over Christmas, we won't unmake the bed or bring the towels in. 

05 December 2016

Brittany, 5 December

I made the huge mistake last night of failing to put on my bedsocks.  This meant I could simply not get my feet warm, and thus could not sleep.  I finally gave in and put then on - I do hate wearing them and one always comes off and gets lost - and of course, transformation. It wasn't even that cold, which is what is so annoying!
This morning we drove down to Pointe du Raz, which is about as far west as you can get in France. I should have liked to have stopped at the supermarket that said it was the "last supermarket before America", but we didn't. We thought might if we came back that way, but then we didn't.
The Pointe du Raz is obviously, in season, a huge tourist trap, with paying parking and a huge crescent of shops and a museum - all closed! We were reminded of Land's End, rather.   You could still park, but the barriers had been lifted and there were no attendants. We walked out along the path to the first viewpoint, which was lovely - sea all around, a lighthouse at the end, and plenty of rocks with lighthouses on them, too.
We walked back to the van and drove a little way north, past some wonderfully-situated hotels, to the Pointe du Van. This part of Finisterre is known as. Cornouaille, and the French for Cornwall is Cornouailles, so there is some connection.  The local languages are mutually intelligible with both Welsh and Cornish, I understand.
But it was time to turn eastwards, so we drove on, past Quimper (bypassing it, this time) and L'Orient, and turning south to Quiberon, which turned out to be a seaside resort at the end of a really long peninsula.
We stopped there for lunch, and then drive back through Carnac. This, however, proved to be a failure as there were roadworks and we were diverted hither and yon to the extent that I didn't realise we had been there until we were no longer there!  We did, however, see a field of menhirs (so that's what they did with all the ones Obélix carved!), so we felt honour was satisfied.
Then we drove on along the main road - Brittany doesn't have the toll motorways that are ubiquitous in the rest of France, but has some very good dual carriageways instead - to Rennes, and this pleasant aire in the suburb of Cesson-Sévigné.  It is the first aire that has been even remotely full this holiday, but we have a place by the river Vilaine, and very nice too.
There is so much more of Brittany to see, but it will have to wait for another time. And not in the summer - I imagine it would be heaving with tourists and no fun at all!

04 December 2016

Brittany, 4 December

I forgot to say yesterday that we passed a town with the simply glorious name of Villedieu-les-Poêles! 
This morning, we woke at 7, but it was still past 9 when we got away - it's not easy to be quick when you have to wait for the kettle to boil for your tea, and wait for the water to hot up for your shower, and then get breakfast and wash it up, make the beds and ready the van for the day's travel. But we got away at last, and our first stop was the town of Perros-Guirec, where the Swan Whisperer said there were some pink rocks he wanted to see, so he went off to look at them, and when he came back he had some coffee before we moved on round that peninsula. On the way we saw the rocks he'd been to, but I was distinctly underwhelmed.
Then a little further on we saw the real pink rocks, much more impressive!
We realised that we were, of course, in the very region where Astérix' village was supposed to have been, and I saw a dolmen by the side of the road, whether natural or put there for tourism, I wouldn't care to say. Apparently, Goscinny was wiser than he knew, as a real iron age village had been found in almost exactly the right place!
We then drove to Roscoff, where we had lunch overlooking the ferry.
A pleasant little town. We also decided to investigate where to go to this afternoon. We decided that we would head down to Audierne, but go through Brest and Quimper - we reckoned, correctly, that the traffic would not be too awful on a Sunday afternoon - and if time go right out along that peninsula to the Utmost West!  Or, failing that, to park up in Audierne overnight and go out to Pointe du Raz tomorrow.
Best was lovely - one of these days we want to come back and spend a couple of days there. Quimper less so, a bit meh.  Audierne, where we did end up for the night, is lovely - we are parked along a river, with a château the far side, and in view of a bridge. Not that we can see anything right now as it is dark and we have the shutters drawn to keep the heat in....
Dinner in the van - a sort of shakshuka, but with the end of the potatoes in it. And I have just remembered I had been going to use some chorizo, too!  Never mind, it'll keep....

03 December 2016

Brittany, 3 December

I had sat the alarm for 08:00 this morning, but by the time we got away it was 09:30 and we had wasted at least an hour's daylight.  Tomorrow, even though it is Sunday, we will be up at 07:00 and, I hope, away earlier. Or out for a walk, but the days are so short it is a pity to waste daylight.

We set the Satnav to take us to Saint-Brieuc, but decided not to go into the town itself. The first part of the trip we went across country, and then along a nearly motorway-standard N road, stopping for lunch at a service area. Our own lunch, I hasten to add, not what was provided by a café. Then we drove on, catching a glimpse of Mont Saint Michel in the distance, and up the coast to this town, Paimpol.  We are in a very nice aire, nobody else around, with services. It cost €4, and there is free parking in the town, but we need services. 

The Swan Whisperer went out for a walk and then we had a cup of tea before we walked into town and had dinner at a random, but very good, creperie.  And then back, and more or less straight to bed, although we did put the heating on for ten minutes, and boiled the kettle for bottles and tea.  He is now charging his phone and checking the sports results... Which I am so not interested in, but he persists in taking me anyway.

02 December 2016

Brittany, 1 and 2 December

We couldn't really let the year end without another short trip in the motor home; after all, Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without a booze cruise! 

We couldn't leave on our usual 10:30 pm crossing as the Swan Whisperer had a rehearsal for the Christmas Show, so we were never going to be able to leave London much before 9:30 pm.  In fact, the next crossing was not until 1:30 am, arriving in France at 03:00 local time.  Eek!  However, we managed it, but by the time we had made our way to the car park (and they have changed the exit from the Eurotunnel yet again), turned on the gas, sorted out windows and blinds, etc, it was at least 3:30 am.  I had travelled in pyjamas, on the grounds that I wouldn't need to get out of the van once I was in it, and had spent the crossing curled up in bed, so it didn't take too long to snuggle down.

Needless to say, we didn't surface until after 10:00 am this morning!  And there was a late breakfast and some shopping before we got away. The Carrefour looks amazing, and French supermarkets do Christmas so much better than ours do!  Lots of foie gras, smoked salmon, champagne, etc.... 

Anyway, we got away at last and headed to the Aire du Baie de la Somme for lunch, and then on as far as Falaise, where we are parked up for the night.  And drinking wine.... 

15 August 2016

Grandparents' Rally

When we first bought our motor home, I joined the Caravan Club, largely because we can get decent insurance through them.  But they also run rallies on nearly every weekend throughout the year, and although we are not especially social people, we did book in to a couple, to see what they were like.  The first was back in February, in the wet and the mud, but this one was designed specially for grandparents with their grandchildren.

When we booked this, back in December last year, we didn't really realise how much Boy Too would have matured - well, one knew, but he was really only a baby last December, so we didn't invite him (next year, for sure), but we did invite the Boy.  I met him at the McDonald's outside Warren Street Station (I had arrived slightly earlier than them, so bought myself an OJ), and by the time we had got home, The Swan Whisperer (aka Granda) had more-or-less loaded the car and we were ready to set off.

Our first port of call was my parents', where the stuff that was in the car was transferred to the motor home, and after a sandwich lunch (and three games of "Snatch a bundle", my poor mother!) we set off to the venue at a place called Birdham, near Chichester.  The rally was held on a large meadow, with plenty of room for the children - there were about ten, ranging in age from about 12 to 18 months - to run about and play.  The Boy leapt out of the van even before we had parked up, and was seen learning to play croquet, although the hoops didn't come out again over the weekend.

As we weren't going to move, we set up our awning tent, with slightly more success than last time - for a start, we had tent pegs, although we needed strong elastic bands (I'll get some hair elastics) for the inner pegs.  It wouldn't do to sleep in, as there would be a massive draught under the van, and anyway, we still can't quite get it as it should be.  But it was good enough for a fine weekend, and we put our picnic table out there, and our chairs.  The Boy did demand to eat the final breakfast indoors - after all, he hasn't eaten at that table as often as we do! 

When we were set up, it was time to get supper, and we all demolished sausages, mash and beans, although none of us were quite sure of the leeks.... but they were okay.  Pudding was fresh mango, which was lovely.  Then the Boy disappeared again and was found playing football, until he discovered he'd lost his watch (a slap watch, and they do come out - I've lost one in my time).  Fortunately, someone found it for him, after which we confiscated it and he didn't have it back until the end of the weekend.  At nine o'clock it was all but dark, so I called him in, and helped him shower while Granda got his bed ready.  And after a story he snuggled down and we, too, went to bed, although for some reason I didn't sleep well.  Which meant that I heard the distant fireworks that signalled the end of Cowes Week!

On the Saturday, it was All Systems Go from the start.  The Boy did spend quite a lot of the early part of the morning rushing round playing football and bandits and goodness knows what else with his new-found friends, his joy only slightly marred by the fact that his (very cheap) water-pistol stopped working.  However, there were a couple of hours of craft activities arranged, including making Elmer the Elephant out of the tops of milk-cartons.  The Boy's actually won, although he himself didn't think it was the best:
They also made (delicious) mini-pizzas on muffin bases, topped with tomato puree and grated cheese, and then the toppings of your choice - peppers, frankfurter sausages, ham, pineapple, sweetcorn, etc. 

That was the foundation for lunch, which in our case also included bacon and avocado sandwiches (the Boy didn't want avocado, fair enough) and corn-on-the-cob.  Then technically there was nap time - and I certainly went to sleep - but then there was the Big Water Fight, and my menfolk signally failed to get into their swimming costumes and came back exhausted and rather cold

Then there were more games, including skittles, and a film for the children ("The Secret Life of Pets"), and a barbecue.... and it was 9:00 again before I could get a very dirty, very tired Boy indoors for a much-needed shower and bed!

These rallies always end with "Flag" at 11:00 on Sundays, when notices are given out, the organisers are thanked, prizes are distributed and the raffle is drawn, with the added excitement that all the children had been given two raffle tickets and were guaranteed two prizes - a big stuffed toy and a little one.  Then, of course, many of the main raffle prizes were toys, and the children ended up choosing them, too - my Boy chose a set of "Boom" bat and ball. 

And then back to my parents' for lunch, more Snatch-a-bundle, and even two games of chess with Great-Ba, the second of which, to everybody's amazement, ended in stalemate!  Ba is not one to allow a child to win, and was genuinely congratulatory.

We drove back to London along the sea, enjoying the ships in Shoreham Harbour, and only turning to the M23 when we had to - we didn't want to go into Brighton.  It was a slow old journey, but we got there in the end, and the Daughter produced omelettes all round as we were hungry.  And eventually home by 9:30 pm.

20 May 2016

A Weekend in Wales - conclusion

So Tuesday was, as scheduled, spent with family; we had a lovely time, but nothing to blog about.  We came away on Wednesday morning and drove cross-country back to London, getting a bit lost in Oxfordshire when I thought I'd seen a sign for a picnic area, but must have been mistaken.  However, we got to the motorway soon enough, and I then slept until we were very nearly home!

The motor home was emptied out and cleaned, and has been taken back to its garage in Sussex until the next time.  Meanwhile, the laundry has been done, and the blog posts updated with photographs.

Next stop, probably, Oberstdorf.

16 May 2016

A Weekend in Wales, Monday

It is no longer the weekend, and we are no longer in Wales, but parked up outside my sister-in-law's place in Shropshire (so nearly Wales!).
We left Llangollen mid-morning, and out first port of call was the Pontcyllyst aqueduct, which was very impressive, but I bottled it and had to wait for the SW to walk there and back. 

Then we drove to Whitchurch, where we did some shopping, and then down here, stopping for lunch en route.  We are here until Wednesday morning, but I probably won't blog tomorrow unless we do something spectacular....

15 May 2016

A Weekend in Wales: Sunday

To summarise: Pentecost with trains!
It was another glorious day. Our kind hosts had offered to take us into Llangollen for the open-air joint Pentecost service, and even brought chairs for us. The service was held in the park above the river, and was also in aid of Christian Aid Week.  The local Silver Band played the hymns, which were mostly in English but a couple in Welsh, and rather dirge-like, but everybody sang with good heart. The liturgy was jointly in English and Welsh, so you could follow what was happening even if you didn't speak Welsh, as we don't.

When it was over, we bade farewell to our hosts, and headed down to the station. We could have caught the next train, but decided we wanted to see a bit of the canal first, so walked up to Llangollen Wharf, and along to the basin where there were plenty of narrow-boats moored.

The timing was wrong for a boat trip, so we went back to the station in time to catch the next train, and enjoyed the ride to Carrog, where we had a sandwich lunch and I had an ice cream which was supposed to be honey and lavender, but really didn't taste of either.
There was a miniature steam train, too, that we had a ride on,


and a rather eclectic bookshop/railway stuff shop. I bought a couple of badges for the boys.
Then we got the train back to Berwyn, and walked back to the van for a Nice Cup of Tea, and then went out again to look at Vale Crucis Abbey, just across the road.came back to the van, and the SW went out for another walk up a steep hill (it takes all sorts!) and he has just come in, so I will get supper.

14 May 2016

A Weekend in Wales, Saturday.

It really was the most glorious morning. The forecast had been for a cold front to come in overnight, but I don't think it did. It was fresh, but sunny and bright, and I lay in my bed and watched the sheep on the hill, and dozed until about 7:30.
The Swan Whisperer got up and went for a run, but I just enjoyed my tea. After breakfast, though, we went for a walk up to the Horseshoe Falls,
where the water feeds in to the start of the Llangollen Canal, only used for pleasure boats now, but it also provides water for Crewe, among other places.  The valley is very busy, with our road one side, then the canal, then the tow path, then the river Dee, then the railway and finally the A5, all within a kilometre or less.

We cane back to the van for the Swan Whisperer to get changed into smarts, and then set off back down the road to the hotel, only a couple of hundred yards away for the lunch that had brought us to Wales. Not very enjoyable - I didn't know anybody, the food wasn't great, and it was horribly noisy, but I enjoyed watching the steam trains across the river,
and later we walked up to the station and had a look round,


before coming back here, whereupon the SW went for yet another walk (where does he find the energy?), and I read and drank tea.  We didn't need much supper, of course, but enjoyed cheese on toast.