Supprise Trip ended up in a Disaster
I'll come to the title in a mo. But first some Geocaching News, if you've followed by blog or are a regular on the G:UK Forums you will be aware that I'm involved in setting up a UK Geocachers owned and run listing site, well I'm pleased to announce that Geocaching.org.uk's Demo site is now up and running and we have invited comments so that we can move things forward.
Now for the title! We have recently purchased "Tizzie" a Fleetwood Colchester caravan. She may be old but to us she's special(it might seem daft naming her, but to us like many caravan owners, she has her own character, she's towed by Bessie the Tug.)! We bought her from Glossop Caravans complete with a Awning. As you may be aware our first outing should have been to Carry On Camping Cache Event, but we could not attend due to Trixie (4PawDrive Poodle) having to go to the vets for tests.
Friday Nette had a call from Haven Holiday Parks with whom we'd booked a week in August, as we are taking my Nieces with us, telling her that they'd got a offer on this weekend at the same park, 3 nights including Trixie for only £28 at Blue Dolphin in Filey. It meant a bit of a push money wise but she booked it as a supprise for me. After booking the stay she then informed me that we were going away for the weekend! Which meant that I'd about 12 hours to get both the house sorted, and get Tizzie ready for our first trip with her!
This meant steralizing the water pipes and container, sorting out blocks to go under the corner stedies, load up the site equipment and clothes for the stay. When your dealing with a tourer you have to get weights and balances right for safe towing. And all this when Stephanie and I were half way through washing Tizzie. Did I panick? Of course not, mind you the air did seem to be a bit Blue!
Last thing I did early Saturday morning (and before getting my head down for a kip) was sort the route out using the AA's Route Planner. This recond we had a 3 1/2 hour trip, wich when translated into towing a caravan can mean up to nearly double the time. Directions all printed out we were sorted for our trip (so I thought)!
8am and Nette decides that we've got to pop to the local suppermarket for a few things. Enough cat nuts and litter (we've got 4 cats) to last them while we were away, crisps and drinks and biscits, so off we toddle. Once back home all I had to do was reverse the car up and hitch up, as we'd already turned Tizzie around (Tizzie goes into a corner of our drive, but has to go hitch first to fit in).
Off we set, ignoring the first part of the AA route (as it routes us of the coast road and routes us to the M56 via the A55, when it's quicker and cheeper to just follow the coast rd and take the Deeside Bypass to the M56), once on the M56 we pulled into Chester Services at j14. At the moment their buggering around with the car park and have removed the caravan area, but havn't re-signed routing into the HGV area, so we ended up parked across 5 or 6 spaces, with another caravan behind us doing the same. Break over of we set again and on to the M6.
At this point you have to realise that I'm driving and Nette has the sheets with the route on and is navigating. Deciding that no one wanted the last bit of coffee in the cup, she opens the window to pour it out. Forgeting that the sheets with the route on are on the dash! Result wosh! Out of the window goes the sheets! Luckily enough I had the atlas in the car, so she ended up routingus with that, which was more straight forward than the AA one, but avoided being routed via the M1and York.
Finaly we arrived at Blue Dolphin and Nette went to reception to book us in. This aclumpished off we set to find our pitch. The pitch markers are slabs set into the grass, with the no's painted on them and are not visible when your driving round. We ended up doing a complete circuit trying to find the pitch, in the end Stephanie worked out where it was. Talk about being squezed in!
As we aproched the pitch there was a bin area and the road (only just wide enough for the van) splits into 2 and goes round it, this creates a grass area with pitches on it. On the other side of the bin area a road crosses the first 2 at a angle sepperating the first pitch from the bins. This was our pitch! We were told we could pitch the van in one of 2 directions, paralell to the bins with the off side of Tizzie facing them (this meant the awning would be facing the next 2 pitches and leave no where for the car) or pitch with the hitch pointing to the bins. We chose the second option, after checking with the occupants of the folding camper on the next pitch to the left, as this placed the end of the van 6ft away from the door of their awning. The husband actualy came out and helped us push Tizzie into place, as there was no way to manouver her with Bessie.
Next job was to get her level, this meant pulling her up the levelling ramp, that completed and the wheels chocked, it was a simple case of levelling her front to back using the jockey wheel. Once this was completed the kids wound down the steadies for me. Now it was time to start showing them the site jobs. Hooking up the electric hook up cable to the van and bollard, this meant running the cable between the FC and a Dome Tent to the Bollard which was on the other side of them. I could not believe it! A area which should have been just one pitch was actualy 2! The FC and the Tent were less than 6in away from each other! Then I went with the kids to fill the Aquaroll
This done and it connected to the water pump and the waste water container connected up. It was time for the big job, putting up the awning!
After sorting out the poles and laying them out it, next was the mammoth task of pulling the awning bead through the channel. On opening the canvas out I found that it was beyond belief! It had several repairs with gaper tape (we got the awning with Tizzie and had thought that it had been checked by Glossops), disaster no 1! Ok instead of Stephen sleeping in the Awning, he was going to have to sleep in the van with us.
Whist I was sorting the rest of the van Nette and Stephanie went over to use the ladies, and came back totally disgusted! the floor around the toilets was full of urine (and this was the ladies remember). Disaster no 2! We were sat in Tizzie having a brew when across the way we could hear a loud and violent argument tacking place! The occupants of a tent about 9ft away from us on the other side of the road were totally legless,I've no objections to any one drinking, but to be in that state at 6pm and still carry on drinking does not bode well. Disaster no 3. As it was so late Nette and I decided to go and get a takeaway from the main complex. As the touring area is so far away we went in the car. The Takeaways have their own entrance which was locked, so we had to use the main entrance to get in which meant queuing up to show our leisure passes. After getting the order Nette went back to the car whilst I went to the camp shop. Whilst waiting to pay there was a couple of lads buying a large quantatity of beer (nothing wrong in that) unfortunately they were already legless, and every second word was a swear word. The staff in the shop did nothing about this (the manageress was present) even though the shop was full of children as well. It turned out these ejits were piked just beyond the first lot of ejits (I found this out because they got into a barney with them) disaster no 4!
After eating dinner I could see that Nette and the kids were not happy about staying there, so after a quick discussion with Nette and the kids we decided to pack up and go home! Once I'd packed everything away, I popped over to the gents, and could not believe the amount of dirt ingrimed into the floor! Having worked as a contract cleaner doing public toilets, I know this is just a case of the cleaners not doing a proper job! Off we set, Nette handed in the leisure passes and the toilet key to one of the security guards and off we set home. Arriving about 3am.
Later on Sunday Morning after she had a sleep, Nette phoned Haven and asked for a full refund, which they agreed to. She also spoke to a member of Havens Staff at Marton Mere who assured her that the touring area was next to the main complex, they don't take tents, and they do not squeeze people in. So Nettes changed our booking for August to there.
I feel realy sorry for Nette! As what she thought was going to be a great weekend turned into a total disaster for her! But the weekend was not a total disaster, as we ended up going for a drink with Craig (Fruity) and Sarah, and had a realy good night!
On the Awning front as the sales man gave it us for nothing, when Glossops gets another second hand one in of the same size they will exchange it for us.
Dave
Now for the title! We have recently purchased "Tizzie" a Fleetwood Colchester caravan. She may be old but to us she's special(it might seem daft naming her, but to us like many caravan owners, she has her own character, she's towed by Bessie the Tug.)! We bought her from Glossop Caravans complete with a Awning. As you may be aware our first outing should have been to Carry On Camping Cache Event, but we could not attend due to Trixie (4PawDrive Poodle) having to go to the vets for tests.
Friday Nette had a call from Haven Holiday Parks with whom we'd booked a week in August, as we are taking my Nieces with us, telling her that they'd got a offer on this weekend at the same park, 3 nights including Trixie for only £28 at Blue Dolphin in Filey. It meant a bit of a push money wise but she booked it as a supprise for me. After booking the stay she then informed me that we were going away for the weekend! Which meant that I'd about 12 hours to get both the house sorted, and get Tizzie ready for our first trip with her!
This meant steralizing the water pipes and container, sorting out blocks to go under the corner stedies, load up the site equipment and clothes for the stay. When your dealing with a tourer you have to get weights and balances right for safe towing. And all this when Stephanie and I were half way through washing Tizzie. Did I panick? Of course not, mind you the air did seem to be a bit Blue!
Last thing I did early Saturday morning (and before getting my head down for a kip) was sort the route out using the AA's Route Planner. This recond we had a 3 1/2 hour trip, wich when translated into towing a caravan can mean up to nearly double the time. Directions all printed out we were sorted for our trip (so I thought)!
8am and Nette decides that we've got to pop to the local suppermarket for a few things. Enough cat nuts and litter (we've got 4 cats) to last them while we were away, crisps and drinks and biscits, so off we toddle. Once back home all I had to do was reverse the car up and hitch up, as we'd already turned Tizzie around (Tizzie goes into a corner of our drive, but has to go hitch first to fit in).
Off we set, ignoring the first part of the AA route (as it routes us of the coast road and routes us to the M56 via the A55, when it's quicker and cheeper to just follow the coast rd and take the Deeside Bypass to the M56), once on the M56 we pulled into Chester Services at j14. At the moment their buggering around with the car park and have removed the caravan area, but havn't re-signed routing into the HGV area, so we ended up parked across 5 or 6 spaces, with another caravan behind us doing the same. Break over of we set again and on to the M6.
At this point you have to realise that I'm driving and Nette has the sheets with the route on and is navigating. Deciding that no one wanted the last bit of coffee in the cup, she opens the window to pour it out. Forgeting that the sheets with the route on are on the dash! Result wosh! Out of the window goes the sheets! Luckily enough I had the atlas in the car, so she ended up routingus with that, which was more straight forward than the AA one, but avoided being routed via the M1and York.
Finaly we arrived at Blue Dolphin and Nette went to reception to book us in. This aclumpished off we set to find our pitch. The pitch markers are slabs set into the grass, with the no's painted on them and are not visible when your driving round. We ended up doing a complete circuit trying to find the pitch, in the end Stephanie worked out where it was. Talk about being squezed in!
As we aproched the pitch there was a bin area and the road (only just wide enough for the van) splits into 2 and goes round it, this creates a grass area with pitches on it. On the other side of the bin area a road crosses the first 2 at a angle sepperating the first pitch from the bins. This was our pitch! We were told we could pitch the van in one of 2 directions, paralell to the bins with the off side of Tizzie facing them (this meant the awning would be facing the next 2 pitches and leave no where for the car) or pitch with the hitch pointing to the bins. We chose the second option, after checking with the occupants of the folding camper on the next pitch to the left, as this placed the end of the van 6ft away from the door of their awning. The husband actualy came out and helped us push Tizzie into place, as there was no way to manouver her with Bessie.
Next job was to get her level, this meant pulling her up the levelling ramp, that completed and the wheels chocked, it was a simple case of levelling her front to back using the jockey wheel. Once this was completed the kids wound down the steadies for me. Now it was time to start showing them the site jobs. Hooking up the electric hook up cable to the van and bollard, this meant running the cable between the FC and a Dome Tent to the Bollard which was on the other side of them. I could not believe it! A area which should have been just one pitch was actualy 2! The FC and the Tent were less than 6in away from each other! Then I went with the kids to fill the Aquaroll
This done and it connected to the water pump and the waste water container connected up. It was time for the big job, putting up the awning!
After sorting out the poles and laying them out it, next was the mammoth task of pulling the awning bead through the channel. On opening the canvas out I found that it was beyond belief! It had several repairs with gaper tape (we got the awning with Tizzie and had thought that it had been checked by Glossops), disaster no 1! Ok instead of Stephen sleeping in the Awning, he was going to have to sleep in the van with us.
Whist I was sorting the rest of the van Nette and Stephanie went over to use the ladies, and came back totally disgusted! the floor around the toilets was full of urine (and this was the ladies remember). Disaster no 2! We were sat in Tizzie having a brew when across the way we could hear a loud and violent argument tacking place! The occupants of a tent about 9ft away from us on the other side of the road were totally legless,I've no objections to any one drinking, but to be in that state at 6pm and still carry on drinking does not bode well. Disaster no 3. As it was so late Nette and I decided to go and get a takeaway from the main complex. As the touring area is so far away we went in the car. The Takeaways have their own entrance which was locked, so we had to use the main entrance to get in which meant queuing up to show our leisure passes. After getting the order Nette went back to the car whilst I went to the camp shop. Whilst waiting to pay there was a couple of lads buying a large quantatity of beer (nothing wrong in that) unfortunately they were already legless, and every second word was a swear word. The staff in the shop did nothing about this (the manageress was present) even though the shop was full of children as well. It turned out these ejits were piked just beyond the first lot of ejits (I found this out because they got into a barney with them) disaster no 4!
After eating dinner I could see that Nette and the kids were not happy about staying there, so after a quick discussion with Nette and the kids we decided to pack up and go home! Once I'd packed everything away, I popped over to the gents, and could not believe the amount of dirt ingrimed into the floor! Having worked as a contract cleaner doing public toilets, I know this is just a case of the cleaners not doing a proper job! Off we set, Nette handed in the leisure passes and the toilet key to one of the security guards and off we set home. Arriving about 3am.
Later on Sunday Morning after she had a sleep, Nette phoned Haven and asked for a full refund, which they agreed to. She also spoke to a member of Havens Staff at Marton Mere who assured her that the touring area was next to the main complex, they don't take tents, and they do not squeeze people in. So Nettes changed our booking for August to there.
I feel realy sorry for Nette! As what she thought was going to be a great weekend turned into a total disaster for her! But the weekend was not a total disaster, as we ended up going for a drink with Craig (Fruity) and Sarah, and had a realy good night!
On the Awning front as the sales man gave it us for nothing, when Glossops gets another second hand one in of the same size they will exchange it for us.
Dave
posted by Dave the Pyrocacher @ 2:44 pm
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