Our first foreign experiance 18 - 28 May 2011

We left Donny at about 3.30 am for the drive to Dover to catch the 12 o'clock ferry to Dunkerque. The journey went pretty well even though we hit the M25 at about 7 am which was very busy through the roadworks prior to the bridge at Dartford but even so we made good time and managed a breakfast stop at Maidstone services on the M20. We arrived at Dover in thick fog but managed to negotiate our way to the ferry port getting there at about 9 am and were told we could catch the 10 o'clock ferry, an offer we eagerly took up.

We had booked the whole thing through camping cheque, which enables you to buy nights at a flat rate of £13.95 whether its a 1* or a 5* site http://www.campingcheque.co.uk/ they also had a deal on at the time of booking where the ferry was at a reduced rate so the whole 10 nights only cost £330 including the car and caravan on the ferry.
the ferry co. was DFDS who had taken over norfolkline. The ferry was pretty basic as cross channel ferries go but there were a couple of cafes and bars on board and seating areas, though I would imagine at peak times you might struggle to get a seat, but as it was nowhere near half full there was plenty of room.The crossing was pretty smooth even though the fog had cleared and it was quite windy. Martine was OK even though she hates going on anything resembling a boat, but she had bought some gadgets which she strapped to her wrists and they seemed to work for her, though i think it was more psychological than scientific !!

In a couple of hours we had arrived at Dunkerque and were soon on the motorway on our way to De Haan on the Belgium coast. It was only about 45 miles so less than an hour later we were off the motorway and negotiating our way on the A roads.
First problem was just around the  corner .....literally. *note to author bright red orange signs in Belgium mean road works.........I had seen the signs but couldn't read them not being fluent in Flemish.
We  were soon confronted with earth movers and JCB's totally blocking the road which was only a small country lane ....now what .
Luckily there was quite a large house, with a large paved off area at the front........so it was time for Martine try her reverse directing skills.We were getting some funny looks from the work men and indeed the owners of the house but we managed to do a three point turn and were soon on our way with the sat nav telling us to make a U turn when possible....I don't think so !!!!

A few minutes later were going through the centre of the small town of De Haan then the mile or so to the camp site Ter Duinen www.campingterduinen. and were soon shown to our pitch.Luckily there was no one on either side of us or we would have struggled to get in as the vans were all end to end as against side ways on like in England and there was very little room between one to bar and the rear of the next van.In no time at all we were set up including the awning. Well I say set up but the electric didn't seen to be working.We had bought a adaptor for the mains the same way as you do when going abroad and taking the plugs so that our elec appliances work. I had tried it in every combination possible in the electric box but it still wouldn't work ......oh well sort it later we need to get to the shops before they close.

Stocked up with provisions an cheap beer we return and still have no elec, and as its getting we late we give it up as a bad job and decamp to the bar on the site, where i begin to work my way thro' the beer menu (Stella on draught and the rest bottled), Stella & Jupilar €1.30. There's about 15 beers on the menu up to a price of €2.80 for Duvel.

The next morning I put on the gas only to be confronted with a loud hissing noise of escaping gas, I try tightening the connection but it still leaks, on removing the hose I find there's no seal on the joint. I enquire at the camp office to see if they have any spares to be told they don't but he does give me a map with directions to a shop in town that sells them......We eventually find the shop and the seals and successfully fit one in the joint so at least we can now cook something.
I later go and ask the chap in the office about the elec.......he comes with his meter to check it out.on seeing the connection he says its the wrong type......I bought the adapter specially for here I say....he pulls out the plug, uncouples the adapter and plus in our normal lead that we use at home......D'oh
At least we are fully up and running but I cant resist phoning the caravan dealer and telling him how incompetent he is because when we swapped the van he told us to leave the gas bottle and battery on the old van and they would put them on the new one so its clearly their fault as it was working perfectly on the other van.
Still amazingly we have no mains elec so I ask the chap in the office again for help .....he tests the box, the cable, and the fuse box in the van. Everything is fine up to the fuse box, elec into it but none out so he rings an electrician who promptly arrives in about half an hour. He takes things to bits in and around the fuse box and meanwhile I ring the dealer to tell him the latest good news between him and the electrician the problem is found to be the battery charger in the van, he tells me to sort it and will be reimbursed when we arrive home.The electrician does some phoning but cant get hold of the part for at least two weeks........so we are left with the prospect of having to take the battery to a garage every 3 or 4 days to have it charged up......but at least we are now up and running in a fashion.

As regards problems with the van the rest of the holiday passes unevently ...........

So let the holiday begin..........

Our first excursion is to Ostend which proves to be quite a busy former ferry port but quite uninspiring so we don't stay very long, but the sun is out so its not too bad, we drop on a little village nearby and have lunch in a small bar. We both have the dish of the day which turns out to be millions of shrimps with salad and chips (it turns out this is a speciality of the area.
Then its back to the van for a lazy afternoon in the sun then a barbie at tea time.
Our nearest neighbours are an elderly German couple who I don't think are best pleased when whilst getting the barbie going their awning promptly fills up with smoke ....oops, But they are OK about it, well they don't say owt anyway.

We venture to the bar about 8.30 to carry on the prospect of working through the beer menu, only to be told when entering that they are closed .....but there are people inside ....mmmm seems a bit clicky.
We decide to walk to the beach instead which is about 500 y away through some woods.
On returning I suggest to Martine that if they are still in the bar then they can sod off for the rest of the holiday, but the place is in darkness with the shutters down.

The next evening we have a trip to Brugge, what a wonderful city. There is the May fair going on with some quite scary looking rides but the belgians must be well off as most of the rides are €6 a pop, even the hook a duck is €5 !!!!
After wandering around the little streets and squares, where we see a group playing in one of them we return to the site to see if we can get a pint, as its Friday the are open !!!! and i work my way a little further thro' the beer menu.Then its back to sit in the awning and as the telly doesn't pick up any stations we watch episodes of Kieth Lemon's travels on Martines' iPhone....this becomes quite a habit throughout the hol.Its a good job martine had the forethought to download it before we came.

Whilst at junior school I went on a trip to Knokke Heist and as its quite close we have trip there one day ,but things have changed so much in the last 40 years that I hardly recognise the place.
That evening we decide to have a night out in Blankenberg and opt to catch the tram which runs the whole length of the Belgium coast. It takes about 20 minutes and we are soon sampling the beers in the seafront cafes and pubs.
Whist getting on the tram for the return journey martine appears to be pushing me all over the place but when on board she informs me that she discovered some bloke trying to get his hand into her bag !!!!!! though I was oblivious to it all just wondering what she was doing pushing me all over.

The weather while we have been here has been good ........we even got on the beach a few times, but it did get quite windy at times and we were forced to improvise with some washing line to make extra guy ropes for the awning.


One day we went to the WW1 battle grounds around Ypres. We were looking for a recently discovered trench, in fact it was called the Yorkshire trench and dugout. We had done quite a bit of driving round and round trying to find it and were in need of fuel. We were in a small town and the sat nav was saying there was a garage on the outskirts of town, we found it and promptly filled up, about €55 worth, on going to pay I presented my debit card only to be told "non",i went back to Martine but we only about €20 between us, so I says come with me, we re enter the kiosk where I say I will leave my wife as a deposit while I go and find a cash machine, they both agree to this albeit bewilderment on Martines' part. I soon find an we are on our way again.
We do find a museum where the Yorkshire trench is mentioned, after our look round I ask the lady on reception if she knows where it is, and she gives us the directions. I don't think we would have found it other wise as it was in the middle of an industrial estate and i only just spotted it while driving past.
There was a man and a woman there who seemed to be looking after the place. This fella explained all about finding the trench whilst the estate was being built, he actually found loads of bodies there, and amunition including gas shells. He also had pics of the site when found, and he had a pocket full of bullets of which he gave me one.
Quite a poignant day.

On another day we went into Holland, the first place was a little village called Sluis.....a very picturesque village that was also fully of sex shops !!!!
Another trip into Holland and we went to the market town of Middleburg which the last time I went about 30 years previous you had to catch a ferry but now they had built a tunnel much to Martines relief. This was busy little town with a bustling market and Martine managed to find some charity shops to rummage through.
When we got back from this trip it was really windy so we decided to take down the awning.
What a job that turned out to be. A usual time of about half an hour turned into a hour and a half with the awning thrashing about in every direction possible, I was trying to get the pegs out while Martine was doing her best to keep it on the ground.
We eventually managed it without any parts flying very far,and everything was safely stowed away.
This was on the Thursday evening and we were coming home on the Saturday so we weren't too inconvenienced .

On Saturday morning we were ready and waiting by the office for it to open at 9 so we could catch the 12 o'clock ferry back home from  Dunkerque. We promptly checked out and made good time to arrive at  Dunkerque about 10.30.
It was blowing a gale on the bleak quayside and I feared the worst for Martine and her fear of ships.
We were on board at 11.30 ready for embarking when the captain made the announcement that it would get very choppy in mid channel and I feared the worst again. But everything was fine and it was quite a smooth crossing.

In spite of the very windy conditions on our side of the channel we made it home about 6 pm and despite of everything it had been a very enjoyable time

New drain hose = new caravan ??????

On the 2nd May we went to Sheffield&Torksey caravans http://www.qualitycaravans.com/ to a piece of drain hose because every time we get on a fully serviced pitch the drain hose wont reach to the grate. While there we had a look round at the caravans for sale........and ended up buying a new van !!!!!!

After only six months into touring we decided that we needed a van with a fixed bed, instead of having to mess about every night converting the living room into a bedroom. It had become a bit of a bind having to move stuff around, clogging up the kitchen with stuff , so that in the morning there was no room to move around until the bed had been put back to a couple of settee's.
Also the bathroom in the Heritage was never used as a bathroom, instead being used as a wardrobe !!.

My argument against a fixed bed originally was that it was a lot of wasted space only being used at night, but having experienced it for six months, it turned out the bathroom was a big waste of space, as we never used the shower opting instead for using the facilities on whatever site we were on.

So we opted for a Elldis Avante 626, 2008 model. It was the same length as the Heritage but was a 6 berth instead of 3.
All paper work etc was completed swiftly and a delivery date of 10th May was arranged......
The sales man agreed to swap over the mover but what a shock I got when I rang Tracker to see if the would swap the tracker over or if I had to arrange it myself. I was told it couldn't be swapped, and I would have to buy a new one!!!!!
I don't think so ........Martine stated that she would rather not have the van back if it was stolen so after consulting the insurance co. we decided to opt for an extra wheel clamp instead.

Whitchurch ,Shropshire 07 April 20011

For the first time because of the direction we are going, I am going to pick the van up myself and then pick Martine up in town when she has finished work. I was slightly concerned because there is a quite steep junction to get onto Trippet Lane in Sheffield city center, and I had to time it right because i didn't want to be sat waiting in the town center.
I left myself about an hour and a half to get the van and get into town. Everything went according to plan till i got to the said junction and the lights were at red!!.No worries the beast coped easily with the steep incline and there was Martine waiting at the other end of the road.

As it turned out that incline was small compared to the Woodhead pass which again the beast easily negotiated. But what a nightmare at Tintwistle at the other end of the Woodhead. Must have took us the best part of an hour to get from there to the M67.
Although the motorway system around Manchester was busy there weren't any hold ups and in no time at all we were arriving at Canal side caravan site.http://www.canalsidecaravansite.20m.com/
It cost £57 for Thurs-Sun.

  We were soon shown to our pitch which was hard standing with grass.It was also fully serviced but earlier in the week I had been for some more drain hose but was confronted with multiple sizes and didn't know which size to buy so didn't bother with a mental note to fetch a piece home with me so I'd exactly which size to get , and guess what the hose I had was about 2' short . The water hose only just reached but it was connected so that was a task that didn't need doing .Each pitch also a had TV Ariel connection and the lady from the site lent us a lead and for once we had perfect telly.

We got everything connected and even put up the awning in a world record time of just over an hour (am getting Martine well trained now).

There were 2 ponds for fishing on the site and a go field at the top end solely for dog walking were for once the dogs can be let off the lead. There was also a back gate which lead directly onto the Llangollen canal which was handy for taking the dog as well. (both the main and this gate had a security lock on them which could only be opened with the correct code)

Across the road, and its quite a busy road (A41) there is the Horse & Jockey pub http://thehorseandjockey.webs.com/ .We got everything sorted and wandered across for a few beers and something to eat. There were loads of real ales on, tried a few and the best being Weetwood from the Eastgate brewery http://www.weetwoodales.co.uk/index.htm .they also had a good varied menu.

Next day Friday we ventured into Whitchurch which was about 10 Min's away in the car.
This was a nice market town and quite busy. We stocked up at tesco and then went to the weekly market which was a small farmers market.
There were also lots of pubs dotted around.

After returning to the van we had a walk along the canal towards Whitchurch. The weather was glorious and there were quite a few boats negotiating the locks (Grindley Brook) of which there were many. We walked as far as the staircase locks where there was supposed to be a cafe/bar but unfortunately it wasn't open till the following day.

We walked back  and had a leisurely late afternoon/evening just sat in the sunshine.

On Saturday we went abroad for the day .......well into Wales anyway, to Llangollen which turned out to be quite busy, and there was a steam gala weekend at the preserved railway which had a terminus station in the town http://www.llangollen-railway.co.uk/page.php?id=1 .The railway and canal (Llangollen) was separated from the town by the river Dee. The town itself was small but busy with plenty of shops of all description, pubs and cafes. The river was quite fast flowing with lots of rock outcrops forming a lot of rapids which were being contested by canoeists, and quite a few were losing, ending up upside down inspecting the river bed.

On Sunday we were thinking about getting everything packed away, it was another hot day, if anything hotter than yesterday. Sod this lets see if we can stay another night. No prob, although the site has been quite full since Friday most people are preparing to leave. I don't have to be back at work till half 2 on Monday so there's plenty of time time to get home. so another £19 and we're sorted.
After breakfast we take the back gate to the canal, turn left this time where there's supposed to be another pub half an hour away. Sure enough we soon come across  the Willey Moore Lock Tavern, which does what it says on the label, a pub by a lock on the canal http://www.willeymoorlock.co.uk/ again there are plenty of real ales on offer and a good sized menu, though with having a late breakfast we're not really bothered about food at this stage.

We arrive about 10 past 12 and there aren't many punters in and we get a table outside by the lock in the sunshine, again the canal is busy with lots of boats coming through the lock. As the pub starts to get more busy, seats outside are at a premium and soon most of them are taken. More boats are passing and most of them on seeing loads of people sat in the sunshine drinking beer decide the task of emptying and filling the lock is too much and decide to join us !!! the only downside of this is that with lots of people milling about, Jazz is too giddy,thinks everybody is his best mate, and want to lick them to death so he has to be kept on the lead.
Unfortunately the pub stops serving food at 2 o'clock and closes at 2.30, around which time Martine decides she is hungry ........ so we decide to take a steady walk back and go to the horse & jockey for some snap.

As we approached the locks at Grindley Brook the was a advertisement for the pub, but this too said they stopped serving food at 2.30.......omg Martine not a happy bunny........an its all my fault for not read the thing on the way out !!!!!
We'll just have to wait till tonight.......but i decide (without saying owt to Martine) that I'll just nip across to see if they in fact still serving........Result they are .....
But when I get back, I find Martine has found a few left over snacks from Tesco and a pancake roll from last night chinky, so now its me that's hungry but will have to wait till later.
So I take the opportunity to take down the awning ready for an early start in the morning.
We later go in and have our tea and a few pints..

Up early next morning, get everything disconnected, and away for 8 o'clock, reaching Donny at about half 10 by way of the A50,A38,M1 & M18 this time.......

Cayton Bay

golden Valley .....or is it a carpark?

 Thursday 10th march and its off to Golden Valley near Ripley in Derby shire http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/details.asp?revid=6159 on the recommendation of a colleague at work.  As we left home it was quite windy but not to bad,but when we arrived at the storage the wind was howling through the security fencing and the lights were swaying drunkardly and I'm thinking should we go or wait till tomorrow ? As we only have about 25 miles to go sod it we'll risk it.
On the road up to the motorway the van is being blown all over the place at only about 35 mph, onto the motorway and its a struggle to get up to 50 mph which can only be reached in 4th gear. Its hard to get out of 4th but I manage it only after the junction with the A1 where there is a downhill bit, finally getting into 6th around junction 2 of the M18. but anything above 50 mph and the van is being blown all over so I keep to 50 mph to be safe and also because Martine is having kittens in the passenger seat.Although I'm only doing 50 the car is running on well over 2500 revs when usually it does 2000 revs at 60 mph.

We eventually arrive without any mishaps, its a short drive off the main road up a private road and it looks quite inviting, with a log cabin effect for the reception area.There's an electronic barrier so I have to park up and go and check in. As I leave the car .......OMG......no wallet in pocket !!!!
I search the car but soon realise i have left it at home.
I inform the man on reception and also tell him I will return home after setting up and retrieve it......no prob......
What an idiot......

The site warden gives us a load of bumf about the site and surrounding area, and instructs us to follow him to the pitch.
immediately we have to climb a very steep hill where a sign advises caravans to only use 1st gear, but its only a short drive, past the toilet block onto what is described by martine as Morrison's car park !!!!.....but Morrison's is better than this, this is just hardcore and rubble. There's no uniformity to this .......its like they have thrown the electric boxes into the air and where they have landed is where the pitches are. They are just higgledy piggledy all over the place, but for the first time we do have a fully serviced pitch that we can use. Its great not having to fill up the water or empty the waste.
After setting up numb nuts returns home to fetch his wallet!!!!!! and arrives back about an hour later armed with a Chinese.

Martine is not best pleased .......no digital free view reception........"I thought you had checked for digital coverage?"
"yes did , but i looked at that many sites before choosing this one that I forgot which was which" D'oh

After eating the takeaway we walk down to the bar area but the place is in darkness, so its back to make the most of fuzzy telly........

The next morning its Chinese puzzle time again as we attempt to erect the awning for the first time with hopefully this time the correct poles.......

Everything is laid out on the ground and all the parts seem to be there, so we set about the task.....
It goes quite well but takes about 3 1/2 hours which is to be expected really, but everything fits where it should.

 But when it comes to pegging it down is where the problems arise.The ground is rock hard and a few of the metal tent pegs are bent in the process so the plastic ones are used but cant be hammered in fully. The storm straps pose quite a problem as well, and the rubber mallet I have doesn't have much effect, but a kind lady in the adjacent caravan has obviously experienced the same problem and lend me a metal hammer which has the desired effect.

Its secured but the pegs are by no means knocked in as far as they should. Everything done I venture down to the office to pay the site fees, where the warden informs me that the snack bar would be doubling up as the bar in the evenings as its low season.

On further inspection of the site its quite clear that people are actually living there, I spot at least 2 taxi firms represented on cars parked outside vans and while I was retrieving my wallet last night Martine said she saw a lot of workers return to their vans with their yellow high vis vests and work boots.

There are quite a few seasonal pitches and the some of the vans are in a state of disrepair with one or two of them with collapsed awnings.

There is a good children's play area though.

In the evening we go to the snack bar come bar where they only have canned beers and lagers but the bar maid is quite friendly and we get to watch Benidorm on a HD wide screen telly.

The next day I'm off back to Sheffield again to watch the mighty Wednesday but that's a fruitless exorcise as we lose again.

Sunday morning and we don't bother with breakfast and get stuck in to pulling down the awning and packing everything away to be ready to leave for 12.......we are informed that we can stay till 6 ........no thanks let us get away.

Its a nice calm day going back and sure enough the cruise control is set at 60  mph and the revs are just over 2000 ,the wind coming down had a big effect on the van.

After parking the van we find a nice bacon sandwich van tucked away by the Harley Davidson shop....very handy as he says he's open every day.

I realise this is the first time we have out with the van and not gone via bolsover or back via Louth......things are looking up

Telly sorted ...........

I'm off work all week so hopefully I can get the telly sorted. I ring the caravan shop and ask him to go through the whole Aeriel system and find the prob and fix it, I also tell him that if after all it does need a new Aeriel then to fit one.

The only day he can do it is Wednesday, the day i have arranged to go to the caravan show at the NEC in Birmingham.but no prob he says i can drop the van off on Tuesday.

So while at the caravan show I get a call saying there is no prob with the Aeriel,but he's fetched a TV engineer in who has returned the TV and everything is OK with at least 99 channels !!!!

AT LAST.

As we are going away again on Thursday (24/02/2011) he agrees to me leaving the van at the workshop till then.
 We go to pick it up about 2.00pm to see the free view in all its glory .........
He says he only wants £35(the cost to him for the TV engineer), so i give him £40,cheap at half the price.

So off we go in glorious spring sunshine, to Delph bank caravan site in Holbeach,Linconshire, http://www.delphbank.co.uk/ we would have arrived about 4.00 pm. but a couple of mile before, we come to a roundabout and the sat nav says take the 2nd exit but numb nuts takes the 3rd !!! no prob its given us a alternate route, turn left in 300 yard, we leave the main road onto a single track road,there's a farm house with a van parked outside blocking the whole track. Now what ? I survey the surroundings, there's a decent sized driveway about 10 yards back. Martine is dispatched on directing operations, and between us we manage to turn round a 26ft caravan and car, it takes a couple of shuffles but we do it and are soon back on the main road.We eventually arrive at about 4.30 pm.

 We get 4 days for the cost of 3 (£52.50) but when I go to pay at the reception I find the nice lady doesn't accept cash cards and Ive only got about £20 on me, but its no prob and says I can pay her when Ive been to the cash machine.
 She shows us to our pitch which is at the end of a row of 4. All the pitches are hard standing, there's about 25 in total and its quite full with vans and motor homes.
Martine takes Jazz for a walk and by the time she gets back Ive just about set everything up ......getting quite efficient .....
We have brought the awning this time, for the 1st time in fact ....the next Chinese puzzle for us to negotiate, but decide not to attempt to erect it until tomorrow (Friday).
 Miracles of miracles the telly WORKS yes get in, back of the net.

We go out into the village, there are two pubs with in 10 Min's walk The Rose & Crown, and The Bull. We go in the Rose & Crown, only 3 other people in.Its a free house selling Elgoods' beer,http://www.elgoods-brewery.co.uk/site/  they have a couple on and I sample both. We enquire as to anywhere serving food. Apparently there's a Chinese restaurant at the other end of the village which has a good reputation. We have another couple and set off to find the Chinese. Its about 10 Min's from the entrance to the site in the other direction. Its by the side of the A17 but to say its in the middle of nowhere its packed, We decide on a takeaway and navigate our way back to the van.

Next morning I go into Holbeach which is a couple of miles away. Its a bustling town with plenty of proper shops and also a Tesco and loads of pubs and take aways. I also find a cash machine.

After breakfast its time to get out of the comfort zone and have a go at the awning......Martine is reading the instructions and directing operations,"Lay out all the poles,thread the canvas round the channel on the outside of the van,fit brackets to beedinding on awning"......"fit poles with hooks into brackets" What poles with hooks? there arent any. Everything is checked against the diagram and there are definitely no poles with hooks on them......so hows it going to hold up ?there's obviously some poles missing.

I ring the caravan shop to inform him we have some parts missing but he's not there, he's at the caravan show until Monday. So everything is packed away.

We spend the afternoon in Holbeach, having a good look round and do some shopping.In the evening we decide to utilise the novelty that is the television and have a night in.

On Saturday the glimpses of spring that we had on Thurs and Fri are gone and its back to winter, windy and raining. Still we decide to have a day out on the Norfolk coast and call in first at Hunstanton some 45 miles away. Its stopped raining but its really cold, we stay about an hour then have a ride further along the coast and call in next at Brancaster beach where we spend about half an hour, its quite breezy and raining but Jazz enjoyed it at least.
We end up at Wells-next-the-Sea where we sample the fish&chips then make our way back. It takes quite a while as we are caught in a torrential downpour and can do no more than 40 mph due to the visibility.

In the evening we go into the Bull and are amazed to find menus'......Why didn't they mention it to us Thurs night in the other pub? We are too late for food though as they stopped serving at 9.00 and its 9.15, have a couple in here, a couple in the other pub then back for pizza and match of the day.

Sunday we have a ride to Spading and call in at the Springfield's outlet http://www.spaldingnet.com/spaldingtown/springfields.html where again it costs' me £100+ but we do get some decent suitcases and a coat and a few other things.
When we get back I notice that the heating isn't coming on but as we are cooking the van is quite warm, later on though it begins to get quite cold and the evening is spent trying to find the prob. It is pinpointed to the pump in the header tank, which when i remove starts working but when placed back in the tank stops when it makes contact with the fluid.The rest of the evening is spent under the sleeping bags.

The next morning its back on the phone to Couplands http://www.couplandscaravans.co.uk/ (we'll be on first name terms soon) and the tell us to call in for them to have a look.

So we have been out with the van 4 times and had to take it back twice, hope it's just teething probs.

The pump is removed ,tested, and they come to the same conclusion that I did......its knackered. A new pump is fitted and we make our way home via Doncaster.

I wonder if we will go out and not have to go via the caravan shop or come back via Couplands !!!!!

I go to the caravan shop and as instructed take with me the poles for the awning,As soon as he sees them he says they are the poles for the bedroom annex and not the awning.

It turns out I have picked up the wrong bag, the awning poles were in the house all the time !!!!!  

More repairs .....

I'm off work Sunday to Thurs beginning 6th Feb so I have to get the mover sorted while I'm off.Gave them a ring and they seem to think its some sort of problem with some pins shearing,and someone is going to ring to arrange a time as he's working in Yorkshire all week.No one rung by Tuesday so i ring them back and after telling them I'm back at work Friday, its Friday when they are going to come .......idiots.They then ring again to say it will be Saturday.this has a funny feeling about it.
The same lad who fitted it turns up half an hour late ........Dismantles the whole thing,changes the pins  but it is still only engaging on one wheel.Says he will have to order a new one,but it will only take a couple of days.I inform him that we are going away the following Thursday and I want it sorting by then........Its arranged for Tuesday at 8.00 am,this time he strips the whole thing down and rebuilds it after changing the pins again,an hour later and I'm away to get to work on afters,mover refitted and hopefully sorted.
Next job get the Aeriel sorted.......I ring the caravan spares shop http://www.discountawnings.co.uk/ ........Yes they stock and fit them.......£145 +£50 for fitting......OK ....need a telly ....booked in for Thursday morning.
AS we are going away that afternoon I take the van over early,and await the call .
At about 1.00pm he rings back and says the Aeriel on the van is exactly the same as the one he was going to put on ,and he had got his TV plugged in and it was fine.
We arrived to pick the van up and were amazed at the picture one the telly.He said switch off the booster and look at the difference in the picture ......Booster ? what Booster ? D'oh ......in the cupboard where the main electric switch was a white box,when switched off the picture went all funny switched back on and its perfect !!!!!!! So it was my fault all along oh well you learn by your. mistakes .......i must be well genned up now with all the mistakes I have made .

So off we treks for a weekend at Stroud Hill Park in Cambridge shire http://www.stroudhillpark.co.uk/ takes us a couple of hours but we arrive before dark and are advised to pick our pitch ........At this stage there's only about 5 other vans on so we find the flattest pitch and begin setting up.the mover is working fine and easily parks the van in position for us.Its getting quicker now and doesn't take long at all.But when the telly is put on the picture is the same ........No in fact its worse than we've had of the two previous times.I try the Aeriel in every conceivable position and still no joy......nightmare.

We get a couple of channels that are remotely watchable but by no means ideal.....this will have to be sorted once and for all when we get back.

The site itself is very good,all pitches are hard standing each one with its own water drainage and elec point.But when we picked the pitch we didn't take into account which side the water point and drainage were on.It was at the wrong side so that our pipes wouldn't reach either the tap or the drain ......if we had picked the pitch at either side it would have been fine.Quite frustrating but nothing that cant be put right with the benefit of hindsight and a bit of experience.

We are at the left hand side of the site right next to the dog walk.One way goes round the edge of a golf course and the other disappears up a hill but is fenced by an elecetric fence,keeping the dogs out of the farmers field and his animals out of the site. I suppose !

The toilet block is immaculately clean with the  showers each having their own sink and toilet !!!
There is a shop,bar and a restaurant as well.

After television tuning efforts we give it up as a bad job and adjourn to the bar/restaurant.They have some real ale on sale from the Cambridge brewery http://www.cambridge-brewery.co.uk/ and very nice they are too. I sample  3 or 4 pints and Martine has a couple of Guinness's.We have a meal consisting of sea bass with fennel for Martine and I had home reared pork, for dessert we had Lemon tart and orange sponge pudding respectively,we both had a cappuccino to finish and it came to about £60 which may seem a bit expensive but it was quality snap and the beer was very good.There were only us and another couple in the place.

Back to the van and make up the beds .....guess who's forgot to bring the pillows ....still in static mode,got to shake this off.We have to use the cushions which are adequate for the job if not a little hard.

Next morning after taking Jazz round the golf course i venture out to find the shops.Its about a mile and a half to the village but there's no shop !!!!! just a pub.I finally find one in a neighbouring village a further 2 miles away.and this also is where the nearest cash machine is.

After breakfast i take Jazz for another walk but this time go the opposite way from the golf course where i am advised by signs to keep the dog on a lead as its a conservation area. Its quite a steep climb up the hill and quite boggy at the bottom.The elec fence tails off to the left and the path straight on. I meet someone coming the other way with 2 dogs not on the lead so i let Jazz off as there are no animals in the adjacent fields. As i get nearer to the main road i realise its the road leading out of the village where the pub is situated, and the way Ive just come is much shorter than going by the road but, not feasible for a night out as its far too muddy.

More vans and motor homes are arriving ........and whilst on a trip to empty the rubbish i have a word with someone and enquire about their TV reception ...."its fine with most of the free view channels as well".......


The Bridge over the river
 in St.Ives town center

 Into St.Ives around mid morning, where there is a bustling market in place. Its quite a busy little town with plenty of pubs/shops/take aways. We also notice a craft and food fair the following day which Martine makes a note of.
We find a Tesco which turns out to be about 8 miles from where the van is and stock up with a few essentials.
Back to van and soon realise that the main reason for going to tesco was to get a couple of pillows.We forgot to get them , so as we cant face another night with a rock hard minute cushion i am dispatched all the way back to get a couple.

Next day we are back in St.Ives and find the craft/food fair.It costs £3 each to get in but that's nowt to what it ended costing me .........Martine found a stall selling pictures,each one unique.The artist is the seller whom Martine insists she has seen on the telly on some crappy daytime prog.Any way she has got to have this painting of some flowers  .......75 bleeding quid ......after I'm brought round by smelling salts I tell her to get it if she really wants it.... Its only money. Once its gone its gone!
We also ended up buying a garlic crusher thing for a tenner,some cheeses and chutney for about the same,some herbal drink for another tenner. So all in all an afternoon at the craft fair ended costing £100+ !!!!!

Sat' night we decide to go up to the village pub "the Mad Cat"but have to go in the car so only have a couple and go back to the bar on site.This time is absolutely packed, with most people using the restaurant, but we manage to get a seat.It must have a decent reputation because the people here aren't staying on the site.They arrive and leave by taxi or in their cars.

Sunday is spent chilling....and then its off home on the Monday.
Each task (setting up/packing away and parking  back in the storage yard) is getting quicker as we get the experiance of each.