June Holiday, 17 June

We decided that it would be sensible to get to York as early as possible, so as to have a nice long afternoon there.  However, the campsite is temporarily only accessible via a narrow road across Rowntree Park, so they don't want you arriving early or leaving late, being anxious not to muddle arriving and departing vehicles. 

So our first port of call was a Lidl just the far side of Leicester from where we had spent the night, which astonished me by not having self checkouts!  I actually had to speak to a Person to finish my shopping, but I did get what I wanted, and used the coupons that were worth my while.  

So we pushed on to York, and, realising we would be too early for the campsite, decided to go to the Park and Ride car park that was signposting itself with increasing vigour as we got nearer.  Once we actually found a parking space - much of it, including the camper van area, is taken up with a vaccination centre, we had lunch, and then we caught a bus into York.  Our freedom passes are valid in York, but we had to pay a pound or so in addition to get to the city centre, but, oddly, not to return!

We wanted to go to the National Railway Museum, but weren't quite sure how far in advance you had to book (free) tickets.  Turns out we could have stood outside and booked tickets for immediate entry, more or less.  We were a little early for our timed entry, so sat in the sun for a few minutes, and then asked one of the staff on duty whether one had to book on the little "Road train" that shuttled between the useum and the Minster.  No, she said, you paid the guard, and we could go into the museum now if we wanted. 

So we did, and spent a very happy hour wandering around the various exhibits - mostly, alas, closed, so you could see the outsides of, say, Princess Adelaide's carriage,

but only very limited views of the inside. There was one coach which reminded us vividly of the train journey home from our respective flatmates' wedding that started us off as an item, all those years ago. 

There was still half an hour before the final road train of the day, so we had a cup of tea in the museum café; such a nice young man, went to look to see if there was any lemon for my tea (there wasn't), and gave me a bunch of napkins to wrap the mug in when it was too hot to carry and we had to go.  Of course, the road train jerked and spilt my tea down my white t-shirt.  Sigh... 

After a quick look round, the square in front of the Minster, and seeing St Michael-le-Belfry Church which was famous about 50 years ago, we walked back down the hill and across the river

to catch the bus back to the Park and Ride, and then moved on to the campsite. 

Because we only have about a 90-minute run tomorrow, we think we'll go to the P&R, or if not that one, then another which is more en route for us, and then we can have a good long time pottering around York. 

June Holiday, 16 June

We woke up relatively early this morning, and the Swan Whisperer went for a walk before breakfast.  We both used the sanitaires to shower - I have a Radar key, so used the disabled (there was nobody queueing; I wouldn't have used it if there had been), only I somehow left the shower gel and shampoo I had planned to use in the machine, which didn't matter for the shower gel as there was another in my sponge bag but I had to wash my hair with the extra-special l'Occitane one my parents used to collect for me from Minerva, and as you can't get them any more, I only use it when travelling, and only then on Sundays!  Ah well. 

The milk and the Swiss Breakfast had not survived the journey, so we had boiled eggs for breakfast, which we both prefer anyway.  And cherries!

And then the Swan Whisperer went for another, longer walk, but I was tired and aching (bloody statins!), so went back to bed and back to sleep. Only to be woken by his telephoning me to say that he would be a little late back but had got milk. 

By the time we were ready to leave, it was later than we meant, so we decided to go as far as Oxford Services before stopping for lunch.  We hadn't much in the way of sandwich fillings, so I nipped into the shop and got a couple of rounds of sandwiches, pausing to admire the goldfish on the way in. 

We had the sandwiches followed by an absolutely perfect melon and some more cherries, washed down with "yelm" as home-made lemon squash is called in our family. 

Then we pushed on up the M40 and came off at Warwick, driving past Coventry (mentally waving at our friends who live there) and on to Leicester.  We are parked in a small car park at the edge of a wood, much used by dog walkers.  The SW - who has gone for yet another walk - was convinced it would be a bust, and when we got there we thought it was, as it was full.  But we stopped anyway to see what alternatives there were, and two cars promptly finished walking their dogs and pulled out, so we are in a lovely shady space in the corner of the car park.  We have had a cup of tea and more cherries, and as the SW has a church meeting this evening I shall enjoy the fact that this machine has two rooms, and retire to the bedroom while he has it!

June Holiday, 15 June

We are still not allowed to go abroad, but there is plenty to see and do in the UK - specifically in England as we are not quite sure whether the borders between the home nations are open.  We think they are but.... 

So this morning we got up early and were away by 09:00, having done 9/10 of the packing the night before.  We had an appointment with our financial advisers in Burgess Hill, and once that was over we had an earlyish lunch in a local Tesco which had a café, and then drove to No 6, where my mother and sister were just finishing their lunch. We had bought some watermelon chunks and shared them out. 

Then the Swan Whisperer went and got the van and did most of the unpacking (only fair, since I had done the packing), and we eventually set off around 4:30 pm.  We have come as far as Merstham tonight, and now it is supper time. 

The "sinkhole"

 "Ooh," said the Swan Whisperer this morning, "There is a sinkhole on Clapham Common, and Northside is closed!"

"Ooh," said I.  "Let's go and have a look, shall we, and see how the buses are being diverted!"

So, about 5:30, we set off and caught a bus towards Clapham Junction to relish the diversion, which was rather underwhelming - the buses just turned right up Rookery Road instead, and then left again when  they got back to the A3.  So we got off, and walked back down to the so-called sinkhole, which turned out to be nothing of the sort, but a burst water main.  Nothing was happening - "You'd think," said the Swan Whisperer, "that they would be working 24/7 to mend it!" - but a rather pretty fountain effect.  I suppose they are having to find out exactly where the pipe has broken before they can mend it.

After which, I went to Sainsbury's, because I was there, and the Swan Whisperer went straight home.  But it was rather fun, if not as exciting as we'd hoped!

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.

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. 

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.