greentapestry : ABC Wednesday

Wednesday 4 February 2009

ABC Wednesday

C IS FOR:

 
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“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.

10 comments:

  1. We just love camping! Driving around whith our cameras - thats life!

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  2. I never cared for the 'under-canvas' bit but a Winnibago would just about suit me!

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  3. Hi Anna, wow you got in a lot of C's there.
    I have acually never tried it although I do like the idea a lot.

    Take care/ Tyra

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  4. Like Tyra I've never tried cvamper vans, but boy! Do you make it sound appealing.
    P x

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  5. Here's another C for you - a collage!

    The only time I've tried a camper van trip was in Australia. It was great fun!

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  6. We have a camper van we haven't used for a while because our old dog can no longer jump in and he's too big to lift. He's very old now. I'm sure the time is not too distant when we'll be off again in the van.

    Not surprisingly, I have mixed feelings about that. :(

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  7. Great photos in your collage...they are fabulous when enlarged... I especially like the one with the fence...also middle one...enjoyed your story...

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  8. Anna, how appropriate your Twain quote is for me this week--On Monday, I resigned from my job. At age 43, I'm taking a "gap year" to "Explore. Dream. Discover." -- garden, write, travel, muse, enjoy, dial down. I've been saving for this for years. I don't have a camper van, but I do have Courage! :)

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  9. What a lovely post. I am glad camping has brought you and your family so much joy!

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  10. Welcome Lene and thanks for your comment. Camping or in our case camper vanning offers a great opportunity to take photos :)

    Could not agree more Rinkly Rimes - the under canvas bit never appealed to me and I only did it twice to show willing :)

    Tyra, it's worth trying if you ever get the opportunity :)

    A great vehicle for hiding your plant stash Pam :)

    Lucky you VP - I imagine that the roads in Australia would be less crowded than here !

    Welcome Jay and thanks for you comment. So sorry to hear that you can't use your van at the moment. You must have some happy memories though of holidays with your dog on board :)

    Thanks so much Carol. The photo with the fence in was taken in Langdale, Cumbria whilst the middle is a beach somewhere in Brittany :)

    Oh Monica I am so pleased for you - what marvellous news. I look forward to hearing more about your gap year . I think that it is something I should have considered - I might have still been working now if I had done so ) Wishing you a wonderful year ((((()))))

    Hello again Kaishon and thanks for your comment. We have had a lot of pleasure using our van and hope to fit in more trips this year.

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All your comments are much appreciated and treasured. I wil try to reply to everyone who leaves a comment, but it may take me a few days, especially when I start spending more time in the garden and at the lottie. I know that you will understand :) I am sure that I will also visit your blog if I have not already done so. If you have any specific questions I will either reply to them here or you can email me at : thegreentapestry@gmail.com

Namasté

- Anna.