Today we’re in Devon, in a wee place called Berrynarbor. Norah and Papa hired a lovely cottage here which is the biggest place we’ve stayed in in the last three months and the space is lovely! It is also so nice to be in the company of devoted grandparents, Papa took the kids for an early walk this morning and I curled up on the couch with toast, tea and a book – wonderful!
Over the last ten days we have had much difficulty with our campervan plans. We had arranged to buy a VW camper converted with our very specific instructions regarding seatbelts for the children. We were only happy to travel in a camper if we felt they were safe (my friends will know how pedantic I am about carseats and seatbelts). The organising and deposit had been done 6 months ago and we had emailed and phoned two weeks before arriving to check all was going to plan. We arrived to pick up our camper in Derby by train from London. The camper guy picked us up and casually mentioned while driving along that our camper was not ready and he would put us up in a hotel overnight. Next day after multiple delays we eventually got to the caryard. “Here’s your camper” he said. Not a VW, not with safe seats and belts, 8 years older than we’d bought…
We have yet to get a straight story form the guy. We eventually came to an arrangement where he organised us a rental car and we went to meet Norah and Papa in Kent. On Friday with many assurances that our originally ordered van was now ready we drove back to Derby, thankfully Norah and Papa took our boys on to Devon so it was just Florence and Leah and I. Again the camper was not ready on Friday night, then was not ready at 9am on Saturday. We were extremely excited at 1pm when the camper guy finally rolled up in a VW that fitted our order. Shortlived excitement as the next story was about the engine warning light on the dash that had suddenly appeared as he was driving to us. So what do you know, we’re now in Devon, still with no camper, debating whether to allow the guy to get the engine fault fixed and bring the camper down to us – no more going to Derby for us!
We did get a weekend in the unsafe camper in Derbyshire last weekend that convinced the camper lifestyle will be perfect for the next 10 weeks of our adventure. Pancakes in Sherwood Forest, Bede finally got to have his penne, spinach, cream and pinenuts, we can make a cup of tea anywhere we fancy! We could buy another camper online but we’d be back at the unsafe seats and belts issue… so we’ll likely give the guy one more chance, in frustration and desperation. Not to mention the trouble we had with insuring the camper due to his tardiness with engineers reports etc.
In the meantime we truly did have a lovely time in Sherwood Forest, now owning far more wooden bows and arrows and swords than any family needs (especially one with no vehicle to put them in), breakfasting in lovely parks all around Nottingham and Derby, pulling the dodgy camper up on the side of the road for the night as there were no camping grounds with space over the bank holday weekend – the kids absolutely loved it, making us hope very much we can actually get a safe camper for the next few weeks.
In Kent we had a day at Hever Castle, meeting up with my grandmother’s cousin Mary and other family second cousins. We stayed in a beautiful B+B rather than camping at the rellies place due to the lack of a camper – first B+B experience with the kids and a little terrifying taking our rowdy lot into an immaculate British country house. They discovered BBC television though – having watched no TV for months, which kept the furniture safe! I was impressed by the programming too. Bede shared all our adventures with our hosts and we enjoyed the break.
Most of all it is just lovely to have Norah and Papa with us, the adult : child ratio is so pleasant! We have missed them so much, Florence is so happy to see they are still with us each time she wakes up!
We have a week here in Devon, then who knows? Depending on the camper situation, we intend to head to Ireland next…
Wonderful to hear Norah and Mart have arrived safely.
Persevere on the camper front – it will be worth it as it’s such a fun way to travel (am sure I saw some pics of children resembling yours travelling by other, less than safe, modes!)
We have wonderful memories of a great trip to Sherwood also – and yes still have at least one of the bows we bought there!
Very envious of your adventures as we suffer our 3rd week of almost constant rain! Still the world cup starts tomorrow so we all look forward to that exciting spectacle. Hard to get anything out of my 3 housemates that isn’t an analysis of player strength, team dynamics etc. Do feel blessed that I actually like the game! Tell N and M we missed them taking part in the family sweepstake.
Fingers crossed that the camper gets sorted and that your time in Ireland is as wonderful as can be. Please take our love to everyone there and heaps to you all and N and M,
ka kite, Cathie and B,F,R XXXXX
Hi Cathie and co,
Good luck on your world cup sweepstakes! It looks like the camper is going to work out, at least it is in our possession now so we’ll be making the most of it! I think we will enjoy traveling with a camper, especially coupled with SatNav which Leah and I find takes lots of the disagreements out of driving! We’ll take your wishes to all the Irish rellies. Love Anna Leah and BEF