Week 1

1 September 2016

The Adventure Begins

We hoped to be on out travels by 11:00 but it never happens. We had been clearing the house ever since the grand kids left on Monday 29th August. We had been working flat out for two and a half days and today was no exception. 

The van was finally packed (to the rafters) and the furniture was stored so that the house could be let and at about 2:00 in the afternoon we said goodbye to our home of twenty five years and finally got under way. 

On the drive over our letting agent rang us up with the news that someone was interested in letting our house. A couple with two old dogs were moving back to the UK from Australia and were willing to pay six months rent up front. We had stipulated no pets to the letting agent so we said no. Then driving along we thought about it and decided it might be ok, so we rang Jamie back and asked him to get more info on the couple. He said he would get back to us with more details. 

Last year we spent about six months in the van to see how we would cope with living in a confined environment. It was a test to see if we could adapt to full timing and at the end of it we thought, let's give it a go. 

Our first stop on this new adventure was our daughters home in Sheffield which we intend to use as our new home address. She has kindly let us register as tenants and will look after our mail and admin whilst we are away and we will live there when we are not on the road. 

We arrived late afternoon and after unpacking the things she had somehow left behind when she moved away years ago we celebrated with a few glasses of fizz and a nice meal. 

Time for bed we were well and truly knackered. 

2 September 2016

We hoped to get so much done. We wanted to contact the council to let them know we had moved. There was the Bank, the Building Society, DVLA, the list goes on and on. So we spent most of the day on the phone or online notifying people of our change of address, but not getting anywhere near as much achieved as I'd planned. 

I had pencilled in time for an haircut but that will have to wait till tomorrow. At about six in the evening we decided it was time to relax. The two women who I call Angel set about pouring yet more fizz and rustling up a curry. It took a while but it was delicious when it arrived. You can't have a curry without a beer so we were forced (hands tied) to drink some German wheat beer. Closely followed by some English lager to go with it. Life can have its hardships. 

I made the mistake of playing some music so we were up till turned midnight chewing the fat and enjoying some tunes. Day 2 went by in a flash.

3 September 2016

Painting Day

Today's job is to help our daughter paint one of the bedrooms in her and our house. Every time we come and stay we seem to do some painting. We even have old clothes and dust-sheets ready for the job.  

Bacon and egg for the willing workers started the day.  Then it was down to a hard days graft with a short break for sausage sandwiches at about 2:00 in the afternoon. One bedroom, walls, ceiling and one staircase. Sugar soaped, rinsed and painted. Job done. 

The evening was spent enjoying a pad Thai made by our lovely daughter Lisa Loo and in the company of her boyfriend Matt. Some good chat, good beer, and good wine. Another day gone by in a flash. Happy days. 

4 September 2016

Southward Bound

We woke early at about 7:30, then dozed till about 8:30 and then dozed again. By the time we got out of bed it was almost 10:00. Still we don't have to be anywhere at a definitive time so we'll set of when we're ready. 

We left Sheffield just before 2:00 in the afternoon heading for London. An easy drive through Chesterfield, past the crooked tower and  on to the motorway. Straight down the M1 with only occasional congestion. Off at J2, through Archway and to our sons house in Crouch End. 

We unloaded five cardboard boxes of his books that had been with us since he left home to go to university. There were photographs and pictures that had hung on his bedroom wall for many years. There were toys that we had accumulated for when the grand kids visited and Van Rowan must have breathed a sigh of relief when we had finally unloaded it. 

After a sandwich it was back on the road to get anywhere in the vicinity of Clacton on Sea. Not so trusty Tom who must be followed directed us to Frinton on Sea which is about 6 miles from Clacton. When we arrived at the Esplanade we found road signs down on side of the road not allowing overnight parking. So we swung Van Rowan round and parked in good order on the other side at N51°50'4" E1°15'5" and called it a day. It was almost 10:00 in the evening and we had been on the road since 2:00pm. 

We couldn't be bothered with the iBoost as we were both well and truly knackered, so it was a quick cuppa for me (what a lightweight) and a glass of vino for Val closely followed by bed. 

Martello Beach Resort here we come