15-23 March: Modifying Truffy, getting evicted and finding a new home

Author: Mr A

Location: Doncaster (Yorkshire), Harby (Nottinghamshire), Kettering (Northamptonshire), Brighton (East Sussex), West Bagborough (Somerset), UK

In my dotage, which is looming ever closer, I hope to be able to say that we, and all those we hold dear, survived these scary times, came out the other end having learned new things about what’s important to us and the planet we call home.

It has been a roller coaster week of intense highs and lows. It started with me heading north to Doncaster for a couple of days to get some major modifications to Truffy. We had decided to get a levelling system fitted as every time we set up camp we have to drive him up on massive ramps. Not always in good weather, and not always leading to good marital relations as Catherine tries to direct me up the various levels without driving over the top of them. Yes I did that once. So we now have four hydraulic legs that lower down with the press of a button and get the Truff all nicely level.

To be frank, Doncaster isn’t somewhere I’m going to be rushing back to, but I did discover an awesome cycle route just outside of town that none of the web sites I searched even mentioned.

The Trans Penine Trail, running coast to coast is one of the great cycling infrastructure assets of the UK with over 200 miles of signed path on mostly dedicated cycle way or quiet roads. What a fabulous opportunity to “socially distance” myself and ride its quiet paths.

The Trans Pennine Trail
A beautiful spring day to be out cycling
The Stainforth and Keadby canal – connects the River Donn and River Trent

I would prefer the term “physically distance” ourselves as being more precise. We need to continue to socialise, to support each other and keep ourselves mentally healthy, just not by physical socialising.

I then rejoined Catherine in my old home town stomping ground of Kettering, and once again experienced the generosity and thoughtfulness of our friends, with whom we had a cracking evening filled with gin, red wine, Indian takeaway and much laughter, then a hangover breakfast and a escorted shopping trip to try and stock up an empty Truffy larder.

Cheers! Lots of laughs…

We had booked on to a campsite in Brighton for a week. By now we had accepted that camp sites were likely to close and we would have to find a rental place. That proved harder than we thought with landlords returning to their holiday homes, and press articles appearing from rural communities saying they didn’t want incoming travellers escaping the cities and overloading their health services. Fair enough, but where were people like us with their homes rented out going to go? Some friends near Lincoln had offered co-habitation in their fabulous place, but we didn’t know how long this would have to be for so felt we really needed our own front door and not have to impose on friends in their sanctuary.

Brighton Pier only available for careful takeaway
Blue skies hide the chilly north-easterly wind that was blowing

Catherine managed a couple of brief catch ups with her sister and family, and also a friend from Sydney who had travelled over for her mum’s 100th birthday, only to be told on landing that the care home she was in had just been placed on lockdown.

Catherine and Wendy maintaining distance while catching up on news

There are so many stories like this around the world are making this a hugely stressful time as we try and adjust our lives and expectations.

Sisters can’t be torn apart
A couple of elves in the park

Then on the second day into our week‘s booking we were told we had to vacate the camp as they were closing, with immediate effect. We were stunned. We had nowhere to go. There had been some bad press about people streaming down to the coast to caravan parks and I think the government put pressure on the parks to close. But with zero notice we were in a difficult position.

After some calling around we found another site that was still open, booked that and were ready to head off when they rang and said they had changed their mind. Then we found another that was still open. We called in on Catherine‘s mum in Hastings, to pick up some parcels and deliver Mother’s Day flowers and card. These were passed across the threshold of her door, no hugs or kisses today. So hard for all of us. But we must behave responsibly.

It was a stressful night, made suddenly better by another kind gesture from friends who offered us a spot on the driveway of their new house. Power and water and electric hook up. We got up in the morning all ready to head to Essex.

The very much non-glamorous side of Truffy travels – heading out to the shower block in 2°C !

Then another offer came through from friends we made way back over 15 years ago in Sydney. They had a cottage available in Somerset. The property we were offered was a 16th century farmhouse set in an area of outstanding natural beauty in the Quantock Hills. We were both on the edge of tears with relief. Our own front door, in an area we had wanted to visit anyway.

Off we shot down some very quiet motorways and arrived as the late afternoon sun set over the hills. We sipped a gin, held hands, and gave thanks to the kindness of friends.

15-16 April: Truffy the Truck gets some loving

Author: Mr A

Location: Brant Broughton, Lincolnshire and Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK

It’s funny how when you think you’re “finished” with modifying your motorhome or caravan you then realise it will never be done. There will always be something else that needs adding or tweaking. Part of the fun really. Well, until you check your bank balance.

Over the past few days we have been racing between various suppliers in the motorhome business here in England. I have to say its been a delight to deal with these people. All of them have been so quick to respond to enquiries, executed on what they committed to, and do so with absolute courtesy.

We started the week with a visit to an auto electrician to get an invertor fitted, basically it enables some 240v charging from your 12v system in the motorhome. A husband and wife team called Automate UK Ltd and had already done some work on Truffy for our dealer and done a great job. It was good to finally meet Rob and his wife Charlotte (who was also wielding the tools) as he had been so responsive, answering my initial e-mails about alarm systems and other electrical mods at all hours of the night, even on Christmas Eve!

Bella supervising Rob and Charlotte’s work

Then it was over to Fuller Leisure where we brought Truffy from, for a few minor tweaks. These guys have also been superb. From Neil our sales contact, who continued to be as diligent in answering questions after they had our money as before. We met the workshop guys – so keen to help, nothing was too much trouble, they even gave us a loan car so we didn’t have to hang around! Amazing…thanks Dave and Nathan!

Then today Truffy got himself a sleep mask…well it’s a thermal insulator to keep in the heat in winter and keep out that Southern European sun we are expecting this summer. It looks like a sexy mask though right?

All tucked up and cosy

Is this Truffy’s best side?

The guys who made this up (Minster Products) did it while we waited! All you Aussies out there with experience dealing with suppliers to the caravan industry – can you imagine that happening? We certainly haven’t come across that type of service before and it’s a pleasure when we have so much to get done.

Another great product and service experience has been from a company called Motorhome WiFi. We brought from them a bundled Huawai MiFi device (we clearly have no secrets worth hiding from the Chinese Communist Party) and a 4G signal booster (installed on Truffy’s roof). Again another business that has been awesome to deal with – timely and responsive to questions. Combined with a 100GB a month data plan from Vodaphone for £20 a month we have awesome wifi everywhere we go. We can even take the device with us on a day out.

The caravan parks we have stayed at have also been awesome, staffed by friendly, courteous people, who keep using the words ‘please’ and ‘thank you’. We’ve stayed on three of the biggest site pitches we’ve ever had. It seems odd doesn’t it, in this tiny country compared to Australia, where we are almost always crammed in awning to awning.

I should be clear that we are not receiving any affiliate marketing dollars from these businesses. We just want to give credit where credit is due. To see these mostly small family owned businesses finding a niche and delivering such excellent products and services certainly gives us a buzz. We have had a lot to do to get Truffy ready to embark on his adventures over in Europe. Our ferry to Dieppe is booked for the 2nd of May!

This generally good vibe also seem to extend to the pubs and shops we walk into. We are almost always greeted promptly with a smile and courtesy. Even on the crowded roads 9 out of 10 drivers seem keen to help each other by slowing down and flashing you out of junctions, or waiting for you to come through a tight spot rather than barging through. A very different experience for us than driving on the roads in Australia and New Zealand, where incidentally the mortality rate from car accidents is nearly twice that of the UK’s.

I’m sure it wont always be like this, but we are definitely in the honeymoon period. England is certainly showing us its good side, well apart from the fact that it’s BLOODY FREEZING! But apparently thats all going to change tomorrow…let’s see…hopes high. And you see I didn’t mention the B word once!