Caching, Friends, Caravans and Nieces, and Tooth Pulled Out

Where to Start? Well this blog must start with our visit to Eland to visit our friends Craig (Fruity&Doggit) and Sara (Sarajayne). Stephen stayed at home, as he did not feel like travelling. As usual we took a tortured route as we called into Awning Land which is part of Glossop Caravans. To pick up our new awning. We took the one that had come with the caravan back, and Eddie the manager hadn't a clue what make it was, and couldn't believe that we'd been charged for it. Due to the convoluted nature of the paperwork, he brought down one of the owners of Glossops to sign off on the deal he was giving us (he was knocking off over a hundred quid on a virtually brand new awning). This aclompished we continued on our journey.

We finally arrived at Craig and Sara's, and had a bite to eat. That evening Nette and I went out for a drink with Craig and Sara, accompanied by Hazel (Ian-rutsons O/H). Stephanie stayed in and looked after Joshua. We had a good night, and about half way through went to the local Kebab house, where I got a mixed kebab. For what they charge they must be cutting their own throats, as it was absolutely huge! At the end of the night we put Hazel in a taxi and jumped into another one.

The next morning Nette, Stephanie and I went out with Craig to do some caching. Surprisingly we managed to do 10, before it was time to set off home. There was some realy devious caches that we found. After our great day it was time to leave for home, which we managed without getting lost.

On Thursday the 19th I had a tooth extracted, just in time for our holiday. Friday, Saturday and Sunday was spent getting the caravan ready for our stay at Marton Mere a British Holidays company site. Nette had invited my brothers 2 daughters to come and stay with us.

Monday Morning and off we set, first dropping of Trixie at my mothers for her holiday. We arrived at Marton Mere with no problems, and were quickly directed to the Tourer check-in by a friendly security guard. Nette quickly checked us in and we were soon setting up on our pitch, something I was not enjoying as the socket in my gum was developing a abscess. We'd got the van pitched and threaded the awning through it's channel, when the girls arrived. Once the awning was sorted and Graham and Pam had left we sent the Girls and Stephen and Stephanie up to the complex whilst Nette and I had a brew. I'd taken details of 20 local caches with me and I realy wanted to complete the list. Unfortunately over the next 4 days my mouth got worse so I actualy found 7 over the the next 4 days. One which we drove past about 6 times was one I just had to do so on our last night, Stephanie came out with me to do Blowing Sands. As this located right next to a very busy junction, I got out my caching disguise. A HI-VIS waistcoat, and looked like a workman. Stephanie was laughing her knickers off!

Friday morning and we packed up ready to set of home, we stopped to pick Trixie up and then it was back onto the Motorway, all of a sudden the caravan started to act funnily, as I was doing about 55mph it was frightening, as I did not know what the problem was. Pulling into the Hard Shoulder Nette and I got out to see what was wrong. After checking the wheels and around the back of the caravan. I noticed that the jockey wheel had dropped down. Luckily for us it had run along the road surface and not dug in which would have flipped the van. What a luck escape we had.After we had dropped the van off I had to shoot straight round to the Doctors who gave me course of antibiotics as the infection had gone into the gland on my neck.

Saturday night Nette went to Talacre Caravan and Leisure Park for a drink with Craig and Sara, Stephanie minded Joshua. I didn't go as I was still feeling totally wiped out. Before I went to pick them back up I notice that What's Cooking? Lime Pie even though I felt so bad there was no chance I was missing a FTF. So off we trotted in the dark. After completing the first 2 parts, even though we took a guess at the second part as no animal is mentioned. we set of for the last part, unfortunately my big rechargeable torch ran out of power. So we had to use a tiny one. the container was finally discovered and the log signed and off to bed we went.

On Friday the 30th we had to go to Wrexham for a appointment, before leaving I noticed a new cache had gone live near to where we had to go. So after our appointment we set off for Judge and Jury-Acton Park. I put the parking coordinates by hand and the etrex was saying we were over 69km away, Stephanie checked them whilst I drove down the road. When we went past a sign saying England, we knew we were going wrong. So using the actual cache coordinates we went and found somewhere to park. A short walk and and the container was soon found, as it was Nettes One Hundredth cache, the kids presented her with a certificate that Stephanie had made. This made me feel Tons better, even though I'm still fighting the infection.

We should have been going to 2005 Shropshire Camping Cache Bash but due to the damage to the van and the way I still feel, we've had to give it a miss.

On a caching related subject, if you've read my Blogs you'll know I've been trying to set up a UK caching community listing site. As I'm not a tekkie I have to rely on others for this side of things. As there has not been any forward movement on the site, it does not even show our own logo. I'm now seriously considering abandoning things! Talk about gutted is not in it!