We had booked a week at a site we've visited before just outside Wareham. It's very local for us - just over an hour's drive with the van, but as the first trip this year we didn't want a long journey. I went to pick the GDs up on Wednesday morning while OH hitched the caravan up etc. We got slightly lost en route (we always grumble about the road signage in that county) but arrived ok.
The next day it poured with rain - nonstop. So we played board games and the girls taught us to play Uno (Gem - I think they 'adjusted' some of the rules, depending on the cards they held!). But it was fun. We had no internet or tv reception so we really had to make our own entertainment. The following day was at least dry and as the week wore on it became quite hot. We had a good day out at Monkey World. Some of you may remember the TV programme of the same name in the late 1980s. It was founded by Jim and Alison Cronin, but Jim sadly passed away very suddenly. Alison has continued to run and expand the rescue operation with a wide variety of apes. I think there is a more recent series called Monkey Life about the rescue and rehabilitation work done by the experts at Monkey World. It was a day out we all enjoyed.
We had planned to spend a day on Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour - GD2 particularly wanted to see red squirrels. But the day was very hot and we opted for a boat trip round the harbour instead. It's the second largest natural harbour in the world (next to Sydney Harbour) but is very shallow - 1.5 - 3 feet deep apart from the shipping channels. I learned to sail there many years ago! There was a good commentary and both girls loved being out on the water. We went to a little restaurant for lunch - we'd been there before and although it looks very ordinary the food is really good.
We had planned to go to Swanage by steam train and spend the day on the beach, but that morning I woke up with a headache and felt too tired to do anything much. In the end we went round a local mine museum which GD1 enjoyed, but GD2 found less interesting. The temperatures had been climbing all week so on the last full day we went for a midnight swim from Swanage beach (not really that late, but most people had gone home). The water was quite warm and the girls and I had a lovely time. OH said he'd mind all our clothes etc! Very noble of him.
We found a fantastic restaurant for dinner and got back to the van quite late. We were woken up about 3 am by a piercing alarm going off in the van. It was the carbon monoxide alarm. We always check all house and caravan alarms at Easter, but this year had forgotten. The alarm was just telling us that it was out of date and needed replacing. The next morning it rained, and we had to pack the awning up soaking wet. We'll have to put it up again at home and clean and dry it now!
A good holiday, which I think the GDs enjoyed. So time to get the next trip booked up.
The next day it poured with rain - nonstop. So we played board games and the girls taught us to play Uno (Gem - I think they 'adjusted' some of the rules, depending on the cards they held!). But it was fun. We had no internet or tv reception so we really had to make our own entertainment. The following day was at least dry and as the week wore on it became quite hot. We had a good day out at Monkey World. Some of you may remember the TV programme of the same name in the late 1980s. It was founded by Jim and Alison Cronin, but Jim sadly passed away very suddenly. Alison has continued to run and expand the rescue operation with a wide variety of apes. I think there is a more recent series called Monkey Life about the rescue and rehabilitation work done by the experts at Monkey World. It was a day out we all enjoyed.
We had planned to spend a day on Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour - GD2 particularly wanted to see red squirrels. But the day was very hot and we opted for a boat trip round the harbour instead. It's the second largest natural harbour in the world (next to Sydney Harbour) but is very shallow - 1.5 - 3 feet deep apart from the shipping channels. I learned to sail there many years ago! There was a good commentary and both girls loved being out on the water. We went to a little restaurant for lunch - we'd been there before and although it looks very ordinary the food is really good.
We had planned to go to Swanage by steam train and spend the day on the beach, but that morning I woke up with a headache and felt too tired to do anything much. In the end we went round a local mine museum which GD1 enjoyed, but GD2 found less interesting. The temperatures had been climbing all week so on the last full day we went for a midnight swim from Swanage beach (not really that late, but most people had gone home). The water was quite warm and the girls and I had a lovely time. OH said he'd mind all our clothes etc! Very noble of him.
We found a fantastic restaurant for dinner and got back to the van quite late. We were woken up about 3 am by a piercing alarm going off in the van. It was the carbon monoxide alarm. We always check all house and caravan alarms at Easter, but this year had forgotten. The alarm was just telling us that it was out of date and needed replacing. The next morning it rained, and we had to pack the awning up soaking wet. We'll have to put it up again at home and clean and dry it now!
A good holiday, which I think the GDs enjoyed. So time to get the next trip booked up.
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