ABC Wednesday

C IS FOR:

 

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” - Mark Twain


CAMPER VANS - which have conveyed us around Cheshire, Cumbria, Cornwall, to Chatsworth, Combourg and Cancale, from coast to countryside from cities to canalsides, and a whole host of other destinations between A-Z.

When himself began earnestly reading 'Motor Caravaning Monthly' several years ago I was seriously concerned. I am a girl who likes her creature comforts. However it was his heart's desire so one day the dream became a reality. Disaster struck within the first month of purchase when himself made a journey to the local municipal tip returning with the roof neatly sliced in half. He had forgotten just how tall this beast was and encountered the rather inconveniently placed low entrance barrier - CCCCCRUNCH ! We have seen realised that there there are odd places that are wise to avoid. Multi - storey car parks out of the question. Well this minor mishap delayed our maiden voyage by a few months. Undeterred himself patched the van up and in doing so cured the leaking roof that had come with it.

So off we went on our first holiday one sunny weekend in June. Armed with 'The Yellow Book' and 'The Plant Finder' we travelled south along the A49 in search of open gardens and nurseries - well that was the bait dangled in front of me. It certainly did the trick ! I soon realised that this was an ideal way to explore. Travelling by van is like a snail traveling with it's home on its back. Most of them have copious amounts of cupboard space, and as for plant buying there is a cavernous space to fill. Morever, himself could sit comfortably in the van, with a cup of tea and newspaper, whilst I could amble round nurseries at my leisure. So the days passed whilst the evenings lended themselves to gentle strolls to local pubs or a meal at 'home' followed by reading or a game of Scrabble. Once darkness fell and the curtains were drawn you were in a cosy little world of your own.

So a good few years on and five camper vans on, the latest is a soon to be twenty one years old Bedford. I must confess that my eyes watered when himself sold her predecessor, the indomitable Billy the Bedford. The latest incarnation a Ford is presently resting up for the winter but come spring we will be out on the road again. This really is the way to travel !

Why don't you now pay a visit to the home of ABC Wednesday here where you can discover other posts on the letter C.