Whirlwind European Tour 2011.

First let me apologise for not keeping this Blog up to date in recent times.

As some of you are aware we are currently trying to build a large overland vehicle for future travel and it has taken up most of our spare time.

Anyway, back to our recent gallivanting around Europe in our trusted motorhome.

Our good friends and students Andy and Lorraine begged us to escort them around Europe this year and we eventually agreed to let them follow us on our tour.

We set of on on the 21st of April and headed for a quick stopover at Nieuwpoort, Belgium. Obviously Andy and Lorraine ( the Apprentices ) were, understandably,  only allowed to stay outside the gates of the site.

The next day we headed for Brugge were we stayed at "Camping Memling" which was perfectly adequate and only a 10 minute cycle from the centre of town.

We had a good go at the local brews which were outrageously strong. I would recommend a great Bar called "De Gare" which is just off the main Square.

After Brugge we went to "Camping Bon Repose, Berdorf in Luxembourg.

Most people view Luxembourg as the Petrol Station of Europe but believe me it is Beautiful, very clean and friendly. We talk a country walk to Berdorf and on the way Andy's hand turned into a balloon following a bite.

We decided to try a local speciality and had a Large Doner Kebab for lunch. Feeling bloated and fat we got the bus home.

The next stop was a rather picturesque car park on the banks of the Mosel river.  This was one of those Stellplatz areas that cost very little, but serve a purpose in that they are close to the city. Great for a couple of nights although some people looked like they were there for the summer.

Trier was pretty but will probably blend into all the other pretty cities that we have in our heads .

One of the main reasons for going to Germany was to go to Hauenstien to visit a company called "Ormocar" who build overland trucks.

We had arranged a tour and a chat with them and we were not disappointed with their products and professionalism. We came out thinking that we could do business.

We then drove to a site at  Neckargemünd near Heidelberg on the banks of the river "Neckar".     Here we   celebrated the marriage of William and Kate. We don't really care for them but it seemed like a good excuse to have a drink . The girls even decorated the van.

In the few months prior to the trip Pat had befriended a group of complete strangers on an Internet forum and had arranged to visit them  at at one of their homes in a small town called  Oppershoffen. near Rockenburg.

Although we hadn't met any of them before they all belonged to a German overland truck builders forum and were all extremely friendly.  I had decided to take them two cases of "John Smiths " beer so that they could experience a typical British Beer. They hated it but I wasn't offended.

Me met some great people some of which we have been in touch with since and one couple who we have met up with again  on our our last trip to Germany.

We were running out of time so on the 1st of May we made the long drive back up to Belgium and pitched in at a great site called "Camping Groeneveld " in Dienze , Belgium.

I will look back at this holiday with great fondness and it would be fair to say that even the Apprentices behaved well .

In true tradition there is a short video of our trip for your enjoyment. Please ensure that you have the volume cranked up.




Now for Anorak Corner

Aire at De Zwerver, Nieuwpoort N51.13050 E002.76555
Camping Memling Brugge N51.20641 E003.36188
Camping Bon Repose, Luxembourg N49.49036 E006.20541
Stellplatz Trier, Germany N49.74000 E006.62500
Stellplatz, Hauenstein, Germany N49.11210 E007.61190
Campingplatz Neckargamund N49.23473 E008.47343
Camping Groeneveld, Dienze, Belgium N51.00168 E003.34238

Stansted Mountfitchet EEDA 2011

The Essex District Association of the Camping and Caravan Club really know how to put on a good social Weekend.

We all stayed at Stansted Mountfitchet School and following the groups AGM we had a great evening with a live Singer.




The usual Crowd were in attendance and Pat got a little bit drunk.

Somerset with Clive and Ann

On the weekend starting on the 4th March we went to see our dear Friends Clive and Anne who live full time in their overland vehicle on a site in Somerset.


We stopped overnight on the way down at the Golden Swan Pub Nr Pewsey in Wiltshire.

Clive and Anne are the most adventurous explorers we know and have used overland vehicles to travel all around Central and South America, Africa  and the Far East. In  a few weeks they are setting off on a huge drive to China and back via loads of countries who's names finish the the word "stan "

Despite getting ready to go they still managed to set aside  a couple of days to help us with our plans to build an overland truck.






They are truly special people and we can't wait to hear of their journey.  "Good luck"

On the way back we stopped for one night at "Sandy Balls" camp site on the edge of the new Forest.   Very Nice .

EEDA Valentines Ball .

Billericay in Essex  isn't the first place that comes to mind when attending  a romantic "Valentines" weekend.

However, having been to a few East Essex Camping and Caravan club events I knew that it would be a great weekend and I wasn't disapointed.

We all stayed in the Grounds of Mayflower School and the main event was on the saturday Night.

Over 200 of us filled a large hall and partied all night to the Mowtown sound of "The Curvettes".

Sadly too much alchohol and fabulous food  was consumed to make the night truly romantic, but what the heck there is always next year.

New Year 2010

Best wishes and a Happy New Year to all of our Friends and Family

This year we decided to go all the way the Chelmsford and spend the New year at "New Hall School" with the East Essex Camping and Caravan Club. The event spanned the new year and each night had its own theme


The venue was a very posh private school and we had access to the parking areas, ( were we parked )  One of the Halls and the Swimming Pool.   Once we had found the way in it became the perfect venue for a New Year Rally.

The usual crowd of Sonja and Kevin, Andy and Lorraine were in attendance 

We arrived on the 29th a day after most people and the theme for the evening was a "Scottish Night ".

What this really meant was dressing up and making a complete idiot out of yourself  taking part in impossible tasks and challenges. As the drink flowed it got  louder and  became a great evening. Needless to say we were  crap at most of the tasks but what the heck

The next night was pretty somber, so we decided to go out for a Chinese Meal in Chelmsford whilst most of the group went out on coaches to see the pantomime "Aladdin "

New years eve turned out to be a very unusual day.

It all started to go a bit strange in the morning when our good friend Andy went swimming.  After he got out of the pool having swam 40 lengths he became disorientated, confused and very forgetful.

We took him to the local hospital were he was diagnosed with a temporary condition known as Transient Amnesia. The good news was that he had recovered fully by the next day. The bad new was that he saw the New Year in from a Hospital bed.  It could have been a lot worse, it could have been me . ( Sorry Andy )

Enjoy it mate , we 're off to a party

Despite poor Andy's incapacitation the decision was made to abandon him at the hospital with the small amount of remaining sweets and grapes that I hadn't eaten and go and have a party. ( That's what good friends do )

The New Years Eve  party theme was "The Musicals"  This meant that each table had to create, in advance, a large table decoration that depicted a Film or TV Musical . The table decorations would be judged and one table would be declared this years winners.

We knew that some groups were quite competitive and that they had secretly been making their table displays in advance ready to produce on the day.

What we failed to understand was that this competitive spirit had clearly got out of control and that some teams had in fact devoted most evenings of the whole of 2010 planning and creating their displays.       Winning was the only outcome in their eyes, anything else would bring shame on themselves and their families for the next year.

We had decided to go with the musical "The Wizard of Oz" with a  twist in that the OZ bit was Australian.  So we created a 3 foot square model of Aires rock with a large picture of Dorothy on a pole stuck in the middle of it . We then adorned it with most of the characters of the film , but with an Australian spin on it.    For instance the "Tin Man" became the "Tinny Man" and was decorated as a "Fosters Lager " can.


The painting of Dorothy looked distinctly Transsexual but all in all we were quite proud of our creation and genuinely felt that we were in with a chance of winning.

Our hearts sank when we entered the hall and looked around the room and discovered that we had failed to incorporate moving parts involving pneumatics, hydraulics and complicated electronics . We knew we had lost before the night began.

Andy's illness and absence  was instantly forgotten, we had more serious problems to deal with. How could we make our cross dressing Dorothy more competitive. We were in serious trouble .

One group had created a the city scene from "West Side Story" with lights and animation, another had created the fairground scene from "Greece" complete with a moving Ferris Wheel which small children could have ridden on .

The entire set from the Lion king was present and another  group had built a full size Kebab House, out of beer cans ,  in the shape of the Acropolis , complete  with a 4 foot high revolving kebab in the centre of it . They claimed that it was an alternative "Greece"

Our Dorothy   ( of doubtful sexuality )  on a stick looked pretty lame in comparison.

We all dressed up to match our displays , Pat was the Glinda the good witch, Sonja was the Wicked Witch, Kevin kindly stepped into the absent Andy's role and became the Tin man and Lorraine was the Scarecrow.

I opted for the alternative angle and went as "A friend of Dorothy's "  which is gay code for being gay and dressed as "Dame Edna" .

The competition winners turned out to be the "Lion King "

The next   Morning Dorothy the Tranny was consigned to the skip and Andy was collected from the Hospital right as rain again.

In view of the fact that poor Andy had missed the main event we decided to drive up to Polstead in Suffolk for a few days to make up for it. We didn't do much here , a couple of walks and a nice pub lunch .

Lorraine claimed to be crap at Scrabble and then thrashed everyone.

A great start to the  year.

2011 Bring it on .

Happy Xmas

Happy Xmas 2010

We wish all our Friends and Family a Very Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year.

Below are two videos that Pat created  . 

They are both very similar, only the drummers have changed from Rachael in the first to Stephanie in the second.

( Not enough characters to get us all in one. )


Jonathan is the one with the make up on







version 2 with different drummer

Aylesford Priory 2010

This weekend we went to Aylesford Priory near Maidstone Kent with our great friends Andy and Lorraine ( who seems nice )  and Sonja and Kevin.

We parked in the grounds of the Priory courtesy of the Kent MCC, who were having their Xmas party in a Barn within the grounds .

On the Friday we went into the Priory to a Carol service with a band  followed by the obligatory coffee and Mince Pies in a nearby building that was set on three floors, Minstrel gallery style.

On Saturday we had a short walk around Aylesford and then onto Rochester were we met our friends Dane and Hazel.

Rochester was hosting a Dickensian market which also had a Bavarian feel about it within the grounds of the castle.

On the Saturday night the Xmas party was brilliant with a superb live band. We all decided to go in fancy dress .  Andy, Lorraine and I were Santa's and Pat and an Elf.

Lorraine and Pat made the most of the chocolate fountain.






All in all a fantastic weekend with fantastic friends .