We Have A New Home…

We’ve bought our campervan!!!! Or should I say, our new home…..  We’re very excited and can’t wait to collect it. We arrived in England on Monday 19 March and spent a day with my brother, including a visit to a motorhome dealer near Bedford.  We then planned to visit three dealers in Huntingdon, Northampton and Wellingborough on Wednesday 21st, but on the day we never got further than Huntingdon.  Wellsbridge Motorhome Sales at Ramsay Forty Foot (yes that’s a real place) had a huge selection and after spending ages hopping in and out of vans, opening cupboard doors, checking cookers and fridges and comparing layouts, we finally settled on a 2001 VW Autosleeper Gatcombe.  All the stars seemed to be aligned; there was free soup, tea and coffee, a beautiful friendly fluffy cat and the salesman, Lance, was pleasant to deal with; definitely an unexpected bonus.  It was at the top of the price range we were hoping to pay, but it had low mileage and all the extras that we wanted like a bike rack, TV aerial, full oven, heater, etc.  We had a little test drive (unfortunately no time to have a test sleep) and generally enjoyed the feel of the’ home on wheels’.   So after 2 ½ hours at the showroom we were the (hopefully) proud owners of “Eileen” our new home away from home.  The dealer now checks everything is fully functioning, does a full service, valet, fixes up anything that needs fixing and an MOT for a year, all before they will let you take possession, so we’re waiting, waiting, waiting until Thursday 5 April.   They do include a year’s warranty in the price, so it’s probably in their interest to make sure you’re not going to be returning it too quickly.

 

                                                                            Looking back toward the kitchen

As we were very close to Peterborough that day, we tootled up to my stepmother, Val, for a sandwich and to share the exciting news.  We were still stunned that we had managed to find exactly what we wanted at only the second dealer we visited.  When we woke up the following morning we were relieved that we didn’t have to spend more time looking and we started thinking about kitting out the van ….. so started ‘the list’……  I’ve spent every day carrying around a small pink notebook and pen and am constantly make note of things we have to do and items we have to buy before we can go anywhere.

So many days full of frustrating hours have been spent on the internet and phone, sourcing insurance, sat navs, solar charges, power inverters, legal requirements of what has to be carried in Europe,  details on re-taxing the vehicle early (it’s due to run out while we’re in France), ferry routes, prices and timetables.  We also needed to buy two bicycles so we looked on-line and in various shops. Rodney wasn’t fussy at all, apart from wanting a fairly comfy saddle, two wheels and some gears. On the other hand I had a problem finding anything small enough for me to reach the ground with my feet and to be able to sit fairly upright.  I’ve ended up buying a junior 8 to 10 year olds bike that’s white with pretty bubbles on it and a big fat soft seat.  I’ve only done a test run around the shop and can’t wait to actually get on the road with it.  One recommendation I would make when trying to buy a bike is that one shouldn’t wear a long skirt, it does make it a bit tricky!

We sourced iPod speakers, another task fraught with real problems. One set was so bad we returned them the next day.  One set threw out some smoke rather than sound, when tested it in the shop and then we couldn’t find any others that we liked in stock anywhere. Fortunately my brother, Neil, has now given us a set that he no longer uses ( and thank you Andy for the power cable ).

Buying a Garmin satellite navigator, a bargain in the sale in PC World was a much easier job.  We have managed to test it out on our drive down south to Sussex.  It’s easy to use, warns us when Rodney is speeding, finds petrol stations and so far has found all the addresses we needed to get to.  I still like my maps though and will use them too, especially when the woman in the box really starts to annoy me with her directions to “continue driving for another 5 miles”….. I do love the start up menu; we received twelve paper copies in almost every European language.  Some of them are brilliant.

We’ve joined the Caravan & Camping Club, which really makes us feel like a couple of grey nomads. We’re now waiting for the Caravan Club book of campsites to arrive, then we have to start thinking about working out a route to take us around France.  Meanwhile I knew I was in England on Wednesday when drinking “British Water” from Harrogate, Yorkshire at a posh café in The Pantiles, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent.

I have also successfully purchased a pair of black knee high boots to keep me warm in England.  I haven’t had a chance to test them yet as the weather has been unseasonably, warm, dry and sunny, every single day.  We cannot believe the weather here, some days it has been warmer than Sydney.  I have to admit that I have exclaimed, 3 days in a row, that I’m too hot!!!  We had lunch with my Auntie Susan and Uncle Tom at the Golden Galleon near Seaford on the South Downs last Thursday.  It was such a beautiful day that every table outside was full and the pub was mostly empty inside.  All the tradesmen on building sites are topless and getting sunburnt and girls are walking around wearing clothes they would wear at the beach.

Everywhere we go there are daffodils in every shade of yellow, orange and cream.  Gardens are full of them and there are wild ones along roadsides, they look so pretty.  On Friday, for the first time in 10 days we saw clouds in the sky and remembered what they looked like, after not seeing any for so long.  But today (Saturday), the first day of the Easter school holidays, the weather has cooled down a lot, so we may have to pack away the summer clothing again as we’ve had to pull out the boots, gloves and jumpers.