Month: July 2018

We are leaving the UK on the 8th August at 6.30 in the morning.  We are going through the Tunnel, we were going to travel by boat from Portsmouth to Caen, which is 5 hours but Sunny would have had to stay in the van on his own, he’s very good at destroying things when left unattended so we decided the train would be more suited to maintaining good relations all round.

I still haven’t got a loo but we are leaving the house at 6 tomorrow morning to pick up a tent that fits to the side of the van, I’m guessing I can put a bucket in there if the need is very pressing.

We haven’t actually prepared anything but I have some board games and an app with campsites on and today we bought a nice new cooker so that we don’t get the van (who seems to now be called Vanley) smelly.  I know there is a lovely cooker inside but I don’t want to go to sleep in a bed smelling of garlic and onions.

Starting to write lists now….

 

Everything is gradually falling into place; the beautiful one from Chile, has passed her skills tests to take a PGCE in England, The Lovely L has started her rehearsals for the Globe Theatre, Child One is thoroughly enjoying her first gainful employment as is Lucky and Thing Two was so happy to have his Chilean one here we’ve hardly seen him!

As all of the offspring seem alive and kicking we can forget their existence, plan a route and pack.  I still haven’t got a loo, or an enclosure for the shower, R is supposed to be in charge of that but every time I turn around he’s ‘researching’ something on the computer. My clothes are edited into; wear every day, wear in summer, wear in winter and pants.  Hopefully I will remember which is which.

We spent a wonderful mid week in Cornwall with our most favourite people, the sun was shining and the sea was warm.  We went to the Eden Project to see Jack Johnson who was brilliant, the picnic in the camper while we waited for the car park to empty was inspired.  The only downside was R getting sunburned on one side while he gossiped with the blonde bombshell.  He’s come home with actual stripy legs.

We collected the Wanted on Voyage box from storage today but I was so tired after getting lost walking the dogs that it will have to wait until tomorrow to find out what I put in there.

A big issue for me at the moment is the lack of a loo on board, I’ve been checking out the camper stops in Europe and they don’t all have toilets.  Do I take a camping toilet or not?  My 20 year old self says not to be silly but  climbing down from the bed in the roof, over the front seats and across a massive car park may prove more tricky than my 53 year old bladder can manage.

More research required in this department.

After weeks of stress and tension, a promise of completion on Friday,  arrangement of a celebratory barbecue for retirement, one stupid bastard didn’t sign the paperwork and we spent the entire weekend and all of Monday thinking the whole thing may be cancelled.

But, on Tuesday at 1pm we got the call, the shop is sold and R is now unemployed.  Never again will he have to work a 16 hour day on his feet in searing temperatures, the only heat he will have to contend with will be of his own choosing.  He finished the day, arrived home as England were taking their penalties, had a shower, packed some clean pants and a toothbrush, watched England win, climbed into Wolfie and drove to Cornwall.    All in all a good day!