We hadn't used our caravan for two years, but this year nothing was going to stop us. We had it serviced and DS2 helped OH to clean it. So all good to go.
We thought!
We chose to go east along the coast to Brighton, a place we like but haven't visited much since the time we lived in Worthing. We set off on Sunday morning, feeling sorry for the people stuck in traffic jams in the opposite direction. Then suddenly there were ominous clanking sounds coming from the van. It was intermittent but got worse over a few miles. I had thoughts about what could have come loose inside the van and what damage was that awful noise causing. We had to wait until we were off a long stretch of clearway and found a lay-by to stop. The problem was the jockey wheel had broken loose (it's the little wheel at the front of a caravan which is lifted off the ground when travelling). We were thankful it wasn't worse. They're easy to replace.
The site was situated in lovely countryside on the edge of the South Downs National Park, and we had a very convenient, sunny pitch.
Eventually I went to make a cup of tea, but couldn't find the base for the electric kettle. Never mind, we could use the old-fashioned whistling kettle on the gas hob. We didn't think at the time about the amount of heat this would create.
When we tried to put the fridge on it wouldn't work. So we tried to switch it to gas, but the ignition spark blew all the electrics. No fridge in a heatwave is no fun. We had a camping freezer with a very small fridge section, and a cool box. Thank goodness we'd packed lots of ice bricks - but actually not enough to keep the cool box as cold as we wanted. That was the third thing, it would all be ok now! Well that was tempting fate, wasn't it!
The pitch was really sunny, something to be welcomed on a UK holiday, but not in the middle of a heatwave. By 8 am the awning was like a sauna. As the sun moved round the heat spread to the caravan, despite blinds and open windows and vents. I wilted in the high temperatures, and didn't feel at all well until it went cooler in the evening. I was taking Eva out very early each morning and there was a great place to walk her just outside the camp site. Unfortunately it was quite hilly and I quickly found I wasn't used to hills. My legs ached after a few minutes.
We resigned ourselves to relaxing, rather than doing the things we'd planned.
Day 1, we got up to find the rubbish bag we'd left in the awning split and scattered everywhere. Our own fault, and no doubt the foxes enjoyed making so much mess. We found out there was no shop on the site when we went to get some milk for our morning cuppa. The nearest shop was a small Co-op a car ride away, and no parking. We couldn't stock up with no fridge to keep milk etc cool.
Day 2, I got back from walking Eva to find OH busy clearing an army of ants out of our cool box. Fortunately all the food was wrapped, but ugh, ugh, ugh.
Day 3, our wedding anniversary. We'd wait till the evening and celebrate with a meal at the pop-up restaurant on site. No chance, it closed at 4 pm for no obvious reason. I didn't feel well enough to go in search of a pub so OH made cheese omelette and I made a salad. No pudding, but we had found room for some nice chocolate in the cool section of the freezer.
We both slept very well each night, but I think Eva was less comfortable - one night I got up to find her sleeping in the bathroom where it was slightly cooler.
Day 4, enough was enough! We decided to come home early. We took our time packing everything up - it was far too hot to rush. Eva reverted to old habits and ran off twice to the shower block across the road where there was some shade. I think she was ready to go home as well.
Remembering the traffic jams we saw on the way there, we decided to go back via the motorways, but our Sat Nav had other ideas and kept trying to send us into Brighton town centre! We ignored all the turn around entreaties and eventually switched the thing off and got a map out.
We have stayed in the caravan through floods, torrential rain, thunder storms, gales, fog and everything the British weather can throw at us, but it was too much sun that beat us. Perhaps we're getting too old for caravan life.
We thought!
We chose to go east along the coast to Brighton, a place we like but haven't visited much since the time we lived in Worthing. We set off on Sunday morning, feeling sorry for the people stuck in traffic jams in the opposite direction. Then suddenly there were ominous clanking sounds coming from the van. It was intermittent but got worse over a few miles. I had thoughts about what could have come loose inside the van and what damage was that awful noise causing. We had to wait until we were off a long stretch of clearway and found a lay-by to stop. The problem was the jockey wheel had broken loose (it's the little wheel at the front of a caravan which is lifted off the ground when travelling). We were thankful it wasn't worse. They're easy to replace.
The site was situated in lovely countryside on the edge of the South Downs National Park, and we had a very convenient, sunny pitch.
Eventually I went to make a cup of tea, but couldn't find the base for the electric kettle. Never mind, we could use the old-fashioned whistling kettle on the gas hob. We didn't think at the time about the amount of heat this would create.
When we tried to put the fridge on it wouldn't work. So we tried to switch it to gas, but the ignition spark blew all the electrics. No fridge in a heatwave is no fun. We had a camping freezer with a very small fridge section, and a cool box. Thank goodness we'd packed lots of ice bricks - but actually not enough to keep the cool box as cold as we wanted. That was the third thing, it would all be ok now! Well that was tempting fate, wasn't it!
The pitch was really sunny, something to be welcomed on a UK holiday, but not in the middle of a heatwave. By 8 am the awning was like a sauna. As the sun moved round the heat spread to the caravan, despite blinds and open windows and vents. I wilted in the high temperatures, and didn't feel at all well until it went cooler in the evening. I was taking Eva out very early each morning and there was a great place to walk her just outside the camp site. Unfortunately it was quite hilly and I quickly found I wasn't used to hills. My legs ached after a few minutes.
We resigned ourselves to relaxing, rather than doing the things we'd planned.
Day 1, we got up to find the rubbish bag we'd left in the awning split and scattered everywhere. Our own fault, and no doubt the foxes enjoyed making so much mess. We found out there was no shop on the site when we went to get some milk for our morning cuppa. The nearest shop was a small Co-op a car ride away, and no parking. We couldn't stock up with no fridge to keep milk etc cool.
Day 2, I got back from walking Eva to find OH busy clearing an army of ants out of our cool box. Fortunately all the food was wrapped, but ugh, ugh, ugh.
Day 3, our wedding anniversary. We'd wait till the evening and celebrate with a meal at the pop-up restaurant on site. No chance, it closed at 4 pm for no obvious reason. I didn't feel well enough to go in search of a pub so OH made cheese omelette and I made a salad. No pudding, but we had found room for some nice chocolate in the cool section of the freezer.
We both slept very well each night, but I think Eva was less comfortable - one night I got up to find her sleeping in the bathroom where it was slightly cooler.
Day 4, enough was enough! We decided to come home early. We took our time packing everything up - it was far too hot to rush. Eva reverted to old habits and ran off twice to the shower block across the road where there was some shade. I think she was ready to go home as well.
Remembering the traffic jams we saw on the way there, we decided to go back via the motorways, but our Sat Nav had other ideas and kept trying to send us into Brighton town centre! We ignored all the turn around entreaties and eventually switched the thing off and got a map out.
We have stayed in the caravan through floods, torrential rain, thunder storms, gales, fog and everything the British weather can throw at us, but it was too much sun that beat us. Perhaps we're getting too old for caravan life.
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