Reading

MONDAY 14^th April

Got up early and had breakfast as we had a two hour drive to get the cars and a busy, busy day. Got to Swindon and double teamed the car dealer. Rob and I took care of the paper work while the Aquarian packers moved everything from the rent a car to the cars, as only Sue and Richard can do.

As usual it was a balls up as the Insurance went through to an Indian call centre which was very hard to understand. The guy even asked me who my favourite cricketer was. We only wanted cover notes and their insurance was expensive. They also had the registration on the cars backwards. We dispatched Rob and Sue in the Rent a car to London (about one and half hours) so they could take it back and pick up the credit cards etc from the bank. The bank had stuffed up initially when we got ours. Richard and I have been paying for everything!!!! What a terrible thing. We sorted out the cars and typical of a car dealer, they had no fuel. Sue and Robs car was on total empty. Richard drove our car and I drove theirs. We had about an hours drive and we had to get fuel and buy two motor tax stamps at a post office. We filled the cars 138 pounds to fill both!!! Diesel is about 1.16pounds per litre!!!!! I will never complain about the cost of fuel again.

We then finally found the post office and got the stamps and headed off to Pangbourne which was nearest where we could get a hotel at a reasonable price near where we had to get the vans. Sue and I had pondered about the hotel, it was called The Elephant Hotel and had Indian themes.

Richard and I finally found it after driving past twice. We had the two way radios going which we got in Singapore. The hotel turned out to be delightful. Big beds and nice warm rooms. The weather is still very cold although we have not had snow for 3 days. I went to the laundrymat and did 20pounds worth of family washing.

While we were waiting for Sue and Rob to come on the train from London we went to Halfords which is an automotive shop and got the extension mirrors for the cars. While we were there we got a text to pick up the riff raff from Reading station. We all then went to another Halfords then to the hotel.

The little town on Pangbourne was really cute and right on the

Thames river. We walked to a pub called The Swan and sat right on the river, inside of course as it was really cold. Had a nice meal which the others finished off with desert. Walked back past the local Bentley dealer who had a nice Ferrari for sale, which we didn’t buy.

Tuesday 15^th April

Breakfast at the Elephant, very nice. Sue and I are managing to eat fairly healthily. The boys however, are not. Eggs Benedict for them!!! Got in our new cars and drove to Reading and the vans. Paid for them and got a really good deal on the insurance for the vans. Took several hours to go through everything and find out how things works. Richard found several problems, of course, but they where fixed immediately.

Then the stressful part, we had to tow the vans for about ½ hour along the M4 motorway to the nearest campsite we could get. It is school holidays here so some parks are full. Can’t believe people would want to camp in this weather. The boys did well and backed them into some very soggy sites. This is suppose to be a 4 star park but it is a 1 star bog. Mud everywhere boggy, but in the woods. Terrible place, but we are only here for two nights. Got the vans off and Sue and I headed off to get all the necessary stuff. Bedding, plates, flat wear, kettles, pots, food, utensils you name it. Took us several hours but it was fun and we got out of it very cheaply. I got fresh raspberries, yeah baby. Had some for you Jude.

Came back and the boys had unpacked the cars and put some of the stuff away that they knew where to put it. Finally stopped about 8pm and had one of our picnic teas in the E van. Pate,Cheese, Bagget etc. Then S & R favourite pommy ice cream, which is really yogurt. Richard nearly chocked when we told him that. Hit the sack out 10pm very tired. First night in our vans was nice.

WEDNESDAY 16^th April

Slept in today till 7.30am!!! We decided to have breakfast late. All got together in the W van and had cereal, yogurt and fruit.

Then got stuck in to sorting the vans! About 11 the boys took off in the W car and the girls in the E car. We have to negotiate about 100 roundabouts (worse than the Sutherland shire). They are all multi lane with at least 4 sets of traffic lights on each. We got a little confused and ended up going about 11 miles out of our way on the motorway before we could come back around. Being the girls we just laughed. Hit the shops again for all the things we forgot and some things we didn’t know we needed. Richard and Sue talked me into buying new jeans that fit. Everything is baggy.

Found our friendly check out guy, Sue chatted up yesterday. Got more food including a Peking Duck dinner, which was the duck ready to bake, the pancakes and the sauce. I cooked it in our vans oven and it was really nice. We just finished dinner, table cloth and candle. Now they are into the Lindt chocolate and the boys are into the Scotch. Having demolished 2 bottle of Chilian red wine. Richard has gone out to have a screw in the dark. He has decided to steal a screw he needs from one of the park signs. Rob and Sue are working out where we will be going tomorrow night. Richard just peered in the window at Sue and scared her, nasty person.

Things are now out of hand, Sue has painted Rob and Richards nails!!!!!! Photos follow. We have sent Rob back to their about 6 times and they are hitting the scotch to avoid the cold. The vans have really good heaters built in and they are going flat chat. They are now arguing about a blood screw driver!!!! I think I will have to limit the amount of alcohol per night. Children and their toys. Richard says people will wonder about the cakes in Ireland so just to shut him up they where carrot and coffee walnut for god sake.

Yes we are still having fun. I am done now as it is getting very cold. We still have to walk through the bog to have a shower. Our vans have shower and toilet which is great on these cold nights. They are really better vans than at home, fly screen, blinds and curtains on every window. The bathroom is really good with hot water in the wash basin and the shower as well as the kitchen sink. Ovens and grillers. Did I mention the wonderful heater, which runs on gas or electricity. Two tables, one which can be used outside, which at the moment is the last thing on our minds. Still it only weighs 1.2t which is less than Percy. No water tank, we have this barrel thing that rolls full of water and a grey water tank that has to be emptied. No safety chain either, just this cord thing that pulls on the handbrake when it separates from the cars!!! Fabulous. Also you don’t have to register them, just put an extra car number plate on it. Things have really taken a turn for the worst, there is so much laughter going on. It has been a great night.

Thursday 17^th April

The best laid plans of mice and men……we did plan to leave today for Sandwich, but things didn’t work out like that. The car insurance has proven to be a pain and we got information that if we got hold of a copy of our car insurance at home, we could have the cost reduced from UKP2500 or over AUD5000 each to UKP640. Chris came to the rescue and got our information to us very, very quickly. Thanks son. We will get just under half back when we sell the cars. So that took time to get the email and phone home and the actual insurance. The security locks for the tow bars which we need because of the insurance, hadn’t come it. So the boys had to get that sorted. Took a lot of running around.

Meantime the girls took off for the hardware store (B & Q) which is like a bigger and better Bunnings and they actually help you!! Sue was in heaven, you could get a bag of assorted nails and screws which you chose yourself……god it was a kid in a candy store! Finally got out of there with an electric drill, drill bits, assorted screws and nails and other stuff. Then off to Sainsbury’s, our favourite store for the few things we forgot.

Can not buy tongs anywhere!!! If some nice sole could send us some it would be good.

It appears Kathryn has bought a house in Auckland, so calls and emails have been going back and forth because she is excited. It is a new two story, 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom so she can expect mum and dad to come for long and frequent stays. That will please her.

We all got back so late from our expeditions that we decided to stay here one more night. So and I went and changed the booking and the girl on the desk had to use a calculator to add up two lots of 18!!!!!

Then we girls got in the car and made the boys sit in the back seat while we drove into Reading to the bank to sort out the family finances, as we call them. We had all paid for various things relating to the cars/vans/living. Rob and I got dropped off while Dick and Sue supposedly went around the block. Rob and I stood freezing our buts off till we got a text saying they where at the bank!!!!

Then went to Boots to get hand cream as Sue and I are suffering from having our hands in water and very cold. There is a nasty wind blowing now. We are all tired of freezing, although it is now lovely in our van and we have the beds sorted and are very comfortable.

The boys got the locks sorted, although they have to get some more bits to fix them.

Had a hassle with the E vans stove, but a phone call sorted it out as the lid has to be all the way open. As we speak, Sue is cooking us a gourmet meal. We have decided after each cooking one nights meal that in future we will split the cooking. We did get a gas BBQ today so that the boys can cook. The weather will need to get a lot better for that to happen!! Anyone who knows me, will know that I do not do well in the cold. After dinner Richard and I are going to McDonalds to update the blog.

HERE IS AN IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO READ ROB’S NEWSLETTER, DON’T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU READ, HE HAS KISSED THE BLANEY STONE RECENTLY AND HE WILL NOT LET THE FACTS GET IN THE WAY OF A GOOD STORY. (Unlike me of course)

My turn at doing the blog is now over….Sue will be the next scribe so be prepared. Hope you are all well and in case you can not guess we ARE having fun.