Welcome

Hello to all you fellow motorhomers and welcome.
I hope you get as much fun reading this as I do writing it.







Saturday 27 April 2013

Where does the time go?

After the last post I was anticipating doing another one with days. I see from the date that more than 2 weeks have passed. What a lot has happened in that time:
  • The discovery I made just prior to leaving the campsite was that I had a leak from the sink. Water came out under the fridge.
  • The good news was that the van started after the 4 days away without any problem.
  • Because of the leak I decided to have a habitation check. Mike had a slot come up unexpectedly so has already done it. The pipe from the plug hole in the sink had come adrift - hence my leak. As I suspected the fridge was faulty. He fixed that.
  • I booked a photography course at Huntingdon so have been up there for a few days.
  • The weather is brightening. In fact we have had one or two really nice days though the wind keeps the temperature low.
Hope that it is not so long before my next blog.

Friday 12 April 2013

Walking

The drive to the campsite re-charged the battery. I just hope it was sufficiently charged to start again for the journey home
Wednesday too was bright and sunny.This bright weather seemed to endorse my decision to take the van out. I arrived early at the campsite, Halse Farm in Somerset on the edge of Exmoor to find that it was almost empty. Tucked away in one corner was a very large tent. I pulled up and went down to the farmhouse to register. On the door was a notice informing me that everybody was in the lambing sheds. Just to go there to announce my arrival.  I was surprised to find 3 very young persons (perhaps they only seemed young) injecting and marking the lambs. I was told to just set up on any pitch I wished.
Despite being sunny it was rather chilly. Taking the dogs for a short walk up over the moor after I had set up it was particularly noticeable how cold it was with the wind whistling over the hills. Going back and having a hot cup of tea was bliss.
The next day was a disappointment; overcast and extremely cold. I did little except read and write. If the weather was going to be so dis-spiriting I considered returning home.
What a surprise! It was bright and suuny and so somehow did not seem so cold. A good walking day.
Now was as good a time as any to take Amber for a long walk and leave Ruby behind in the van. If she unexpectedly made some noise it would not disturb anyone.
Amber and I walk all the way to the Tarr Steps and up over Winsford Hill back to the campsite;a fair step. A thoroughly enjoyable walk through all kinds of terrain. When we got back to the van Ruby was obviously happy to see us but did not seem too unduly upset.  It was noticeable, however, that all the walks Ruby took thereafter she was lack lustre and much slower.
The next day was also sunny but unfortuately I had to return home. I did so but not before I made an unpleasant discovery.










































































































Tuesday 9 April 2013

Finally

Despite all that has occured over the past few weeks FINALLY, FINALLY I managed to get away in the van.
I am horrified to have to admit that it is a VERY long time since I last went out in it; (the last time I used it was in late summer when we came back from Poland). The weather during the autumn and winter has been dreadful so wet. It seemed that on every occasion when I had a few free days it was just pouring with rain. Though I really enjoy going out in the van and exploring new places I find wet weather the most difficult; smelly dogs.
Another window of opportunity was fast approaching. Would the next few days at last be suitable for me to go away in the van.  Unfortunately this too was not without possible gremlins. 
First the weather was suppose to be extremely cold but dry possibly sunny.
Second it was immediately after the Easter Bank Holiday.  This was both good and bad. Good because it was after the holiday but bad because the schools had not yet started the new term so it was possible that places would still be busy.
Surprisingly Tuesday was a lovely sunny day. I began preparing the van. Because it was such a long time since I had used the van I thought that it would be sensible to take it down to my mechanic and get him to look it over and check that everything was working as it should.
This was where my problems began. The motorhome would not start. Probably not unexpected. It was turning over, just not firing. All I needed to do was to jump start it.
The upshot was that the mechanic would come to the house on his way to work. Start it for me (hopefully) and I would set off for my first trip of the season/year!!!!
I phone the campsite I was thinking of going to just to make sure that they had space for me.
All went well, He came. The van started no problem.  All looked good. So at last, at last I got away.