Lincoln's First Outing

   Our maiden trip out with Lincoln found us at Ingoldmells a small village on the Lincolnshire coast.I had visited Ingoldmells frequently as a child staying in several family members static caravans, it only seemed right that I should visit again in adulthood with my own caravan.

It was Easter and the weather was sunny but cool.Easter is seen by many campers to be the beginning of the camping season,with spring flowers in abundance it makes you yearn for the warm sunny days to come.

On arrival we booked in and was promptly shown to our pitch by one of several helpful wardens.As we approached our pitch we saw that Lincoln was not the oldest van on site and up against the newer models he didn't look embarrassed or out of place.Neither did we see or hear any derogatory remarks which made us feel better to as though we belonged.

We set to winding the corner steadies down hooking up the electric and filling the water drums.Now we could take five and have a brew.We discussed the journey here, to my own amazement I found that after the first twenty minutes or so my nerves regarding us towing were put to bed.Hubby himself was pleased with how easy it had been, unwilling to show any sign of nerves.

As there was just the two of us for the weekend we didn't use the awning.With everything in place we set off to the local shops some five minutes walk away.Looking at all the other caravans as we passed by.

As darkness fell we set about making up the bed.The two front seat cushions fold down to make a rather large bed.With this done we sprawled upon the bed and watched a movie via our laptop.It was very cosy but there was still a bit of a chill in the air.As we had not had the gas fire checked we had decided not to use it for safety's sake.We had however invested in a small blown air heater,this worked to well and soon we were opening the door to cool down.

The following morning was bright and sunny once again.We decided that we would have a full English breakfast and proceeded to get comments from passing campers/caravaners on how good it smelt drifting over the site.We thought it funny that we had not smelt the cooked breakfast from others, were we surrounded by healthy campers!

We opted to visit a local car boot sale that we had seen advertised on route.It was only ten minutes away from site via car.Well it turned out to be a little goldmine.You could purchase most things you would need for a caravan and we upgraded our water drum ,to a lay down model with it's own wheels to make that water trip just a bit easier.

It was nearing the end of our first trip and we would be bringing home with us a list of needs and likes.But for now we were happy and content with our Lincoln.

http://www.countrymeadows.co.uk/camping.html









  

Sad News

      On Thursday I was shocked to find an email from another camping club member,notifying us of the sudden passing of  B.S.

We had met B on only our fourth outing.It was a brief meeting albeit a nice welcoming one.We were to see B many times after at camping meets and also enjoyed his company on several solo camps.

B was a retired R.A.F serviceman aged  66yrs.  He regaled us with stories from his air force days sat around a roaring camp fire.He was well known for his love of camping and his beloved tent the Guadeloupe.

Camping meets wont be the same without him or his Guade.

R.I.P   B.S. 
We hope the gods have given you a good pitch and you enjoy your new position of Sky warden.

Condolences to his wife and family.

R.I.P.  B.S

Attempt two at camping

 Having bored easily of the foreign holidays, a pool and a posh hotel are lost on us.We are active up and out all day kinda people.Wanting to explore the area and culture.We were looking at other ways in which we could spend our valued holidays from the daily grind known as work.

A chance conversation with a neighbor gave us both what we had been craving.
A caravan of our own to tour up and down the country at our leisure.

So the research began what caravan /storage/berth/towing.We knew nothing but it didn't take long to find out what we really needed to know.There are some great forums out there with lots of advise freely available to the novice.

Storage would be at my parents home as they have a large accessible garden,this saved greatly on finances as we found storage is not cheap.A damp meter for the all important check of the caravan.
Our then car could legally tow thanks to the tow check. 

After searching everywhere and anywhere we found Lincoln.An aged but respectable looking Abbey Lincoln two berth caravan.Hubby was going to view as I was at work Remembering to take the extended towing mirrors he set off with my father.

On my return home a delighted hubby greeted me with Lincoln.

Lincoln

Our next few weekends were spent applying our own personal touches and some D.I.Y. repairs.
A cracked shower tray gave hubby the chance to make his own from fiberglass and resin coating.
While I busied myself with new loose covers to hide the hideous pink dated originals.Amongst our purchases was a fantastic canvas awning to give that outdoor feel.On arrival of the awning I fell in love with the canvas and original curtains, Tulips on a white background so fresh and modern looking for such an old awning.
 

Obi Queen Awning

    

My first taste of camping

   So the conversation around the dinner table turned to our fast approaching long weekend away.A whole four days in Somerset just the hubby and I.We discussed the places we were to visit and what we would like to do. I'd searched the net for What's On and mentioned the amount of camp sites within the area.

Now I've never camped but the hubby has.The teens and myself listened intently while he spent the next few hours recalling some of his childhood trips.I was intrigued and later that evening approached the subject of camping.To cut a long story short we decided to add another night to our four day break,only this was to be in a tent.I was going to camp.

I was overwhelmed by just how many sites there was to choose from.Then trying to work out all the symbols and pricing.In the end I just rang one and spoke to a dear old lady.It was done we had booked for one night.

Now the search for the two man tent that had been bought for the children to garden camp years before.Hubby inspected it and said it would do it wasn't great but yes it would do for one night.No point buying a new one in case I decided camping wasn't for me.

Before we knew it the day had arrived,we set off from the luxury apartment sat nav at the ready.I'd been looking forward to our little basic camp but was getting nervous.Now I'm not a great fan of sat navs and we had been traveling for sometime when eventually half way down a country road miles from what seemed like anywhere,it announced we had reached our destination.
Looking around we could only see what looked liked someone's back garden.Deciding that this couldn't possibly be it we drove on and on to nothing.

So before world war 3 could erupt we pulled into the nearest garage."Sorry never heard of it" was the response after waving around the campsite address.Back to the car and the what now look from the hubby.We decide to stop at the next site we come across surely someone knows where it is.As hubby finds somewhere to park, I dash into an all singing dancing site complete with security box (empty)
after wandering around for a good ten minutes and not finding a soul, I casually use the first class facilities and promptly leave.Back to the car and the now impatient hubby, mumbling" Sorry dear they didn't now either".Let's try the sat nav again. OK so we ended up at our first destination and sure enough it was the correct site complete with dear old lady.

We were shown to our pitch and paid our fee.To be asked" did you find us alright"? the granddaughter has decided to change the name of the site when she was updating the web page but didn't think to tell anyone.

The reason I had initially chosen the site was due to camp fires allowed.No running hot water or showers.One toilet.We've just had four nights of luxury how hard can it be.

Hubby set about pitching our little tent, it looked lost in the sea of huge polyester tunnels either side of us.I collected some wood from the huge pile that was free to burn and we set about making our tea.Jacket potato and beans with a side of garlic mushrooms.Delicious and worth the wait.

Bedtime is approaching and even though the stars are shining down the fire is all but out and I'm feeling the cold.We crawl into the tent and immediately start to giggle realizing that in our haste we have only pitched on a slope.Well the double sleeping bag just slides to the bottom of the tent no matter what we try.In the end we give up curl up and fall asleep.

On waking we think we have had a storm,there is water running down the walls and one of the tent poles has snapped.We are drenched.After a quick wash and change of clothes we throw the tent into the car boot and head for the nearest garage to fuel up ready for the long drive home.So hubby as always sends me into the garage to pay while he fuels up and I'm totally embarrassed by the fact that I stink of not only smoke but garlic too.I can't get back in the car quick enough.

On returning home we laughed about our camping, but decided that a two man tent from year blob with a double wafer thin sleeping bag from the deep dark depths of Gran's wardrobe was not sufficient nor was our menu people friendly.

On the whole I enjoyed it and wouldn't rule out camping,though our next adventure was some two years later after several foreign holidays.