Travelling again - not unusual for us, I know.

Travel plans have been made for the rest of 2016, with ferries, flights and accommodation mostly booked.  Once our tax returns had been submitted, we set our budget for 2016/17.  And then the travel plans fell into place, so as to speak.  Such a good feeling to be organised, finally.

The caravan has had a good wash, which took quite a few hours.   It was very dirty, after spending six months outside.   The roof was especially grimy, black with dirt and leaves from the hedge at the back, and green with algae where the sunlight had not reached parts of the roof. 

A very wet and cold job, standing precariously on the top of the stepladder, in order to reach the roof top.   We are definitely buying a caravan cover before next winter. 

The caravan looking clean, and shiny white, in the photograph below.   All ready for the first trip out, in order to make sure it is running perfectly before we take it to the Netherlands in May.  

And we have taken it out since the photograph was taken, only to find the hot water system worked sporadically.   But it is very difficult to book it into anywhere to get it fixed, at this time of year.   But at least we know about the fault.  There will be no showers in the caravan, in the meantime.

We are intending to travel to a new country this year.   Well new, for us anyway.   And it is with some embarrassment that we have to admit that after living here for twenty four years, this will be the first time we have set foot on the most beautiful of green countries, the Republic of Ireland.   People have told us we will love the country.

 So in June, we will set forth on the ferry from Fishguard in Wales to Rosslare, which is near Wexford, and about 140 kms south of Dublin.   So with maps, the Lonely Planet guide, and a camping book, we have researched our trip.   Sadly, not enough time to see everything unfortunately.   Ireland appears to be overloaded with important sites and attractions to see, so we have had to cut it down, otherwise we will be constantly on the move.

Our plan is to drive up to Dublin for a few days, then across to Limerick, and then down to Killarney, where we will base ourselves while we visit the Dingle and Kerry Peninsulas.   Hopefully we will find a road south to Bantry that will take a caravan, so that we can base ourselves there in order to visit the Beara Peninsula and the rest of the south coast.   Finally we will visit Cork and Waterford before returning to Wexham.   Of course there are many, many other places we will visit once based at the relevant camping grounds.    

It would appear from perusing the maps, and talking to people, the minor roads are very narrow so we are planning carefully.     We do not want a repeat of my embarrassing panic attack when faced with a large coach on a very narrow one way road in Norway.   The time when I found that I could not reverse the car and caravan back down the road.  

Also, after the initial mistake I made regarding Rosslare, which I thought was by Cork, we need to be extra alert, when travelling in Ireland.   As always when planning a trip it is difficult getting one's head around the place names.   But my initial error with Rosslare resulted in having to replan the whole trip again.  Thank goodness I found the mistake before we set sail from Fishguard.

So Ireland, here we come.   That is, after Scott's visit here, our trip to the Netherlands, and perhaps another small trip to the Netherlands.     Always on the go.      

A quick visit to East Sussex

We are in East Sussex, at a camping ground in a small town called Crowborough.   Not far from home, I know, but we needed to take the caravan out for a few days to make sure that everything worked, and more importantly, that we remembered how to use it again.   Before we take it on a long trip, out of the country.

It has been six months since we last used it, and we certainly felt like novices as we hitched up.  Thank goodness we had a checklist.   There were no problems on the road, and the caravan mover did its job, once Walter remembered to connect the leads on the leisure battery.    Then I forgot that I had left all the taps open when we packed the caravan up, in case of extremely cold weather.  Consequently when we turned the pump on, the bathroom got an extra large clean when the shower sprayed water everywhere.   And now the gas hot water system is playing up, which will definitely need fixing before we use it next.  The joys of caravaning!

The the camping ground is next to sports fields, a playground and leisure centre, which has a swimming pool.  I had been here previously with Jackson and Isabel, and Donna, Scott and Lucy.  A fantastic area for walking, and great facilities to keep children amused, and plenty of space for dogs too.   A very muddy place though. Luckily I brought my new pink Wellingtons.

The car and caravan, all set up in brilliant sunshine.

Today we visited Tunbridge Wells or more correctly Royal Tunbridge Wells, which is about a twenty minute drive from here.  Although we have often driven around the edge of the town, this was the first visit in about twenty years.

We were specifically intending to visit The Pantiles, the most historical part, and where The Bath House and Chalybeate Spring was situated on the edge.  We parked in the carpark opposite the railway station and followed everyone else up the hill, which was in the opposite direction to the Pantiles.  We soon found that our destination was a large shopping centre.  Oh well a little bit of retail therapy never goes astray.

We went through a beautiful arcade on the way, and past some very upmarket shops.

After parting with some money, in more familiar shops, such as Poundland, BHS and and Maplin, we decided that it was time for lunch.   And luckily we found a Weatherspoon pub, in the old Opera House.  Such a magnificent setting, for a very cheap lunch.  We ordered the menu specials, Mexican dishes, washed down with lime and soda.  Total price £10.50.  

After checking Google maps, we realised that we needed to walk down the hill, past the railway station, and then keep walking downhill until we reached The Pantiles.  It makes sense that the spring would be down in the valley rather than on top of a hill.

There were plenty of beautiful Georgian and Victorian buildings lining the roads.

And little boutique shops.

The spire of the Church of King Charles the Matyr, built and added to,  between 1678 and 1760.

The upper walk in The Pantiles, which is now home to many restaurants and cafes, plus a weekly market, and open air concerts and plays.   We saw many historic buildings, including the Corn Exchange, once a theatre, and now holding small shops.

The Bath House and Chalybeate Springs is at one ènd of The Pantiles.  The spring was first discovered around 1606 by Lord North, who was riding through Waterdown Forest, which was once sited there.   The iron in the water was thought to have health restoring properties, and after Lord North found the spring, increasing numbers of people started coming to the area, to 'take the waters', either by drinking it or bathing in it.  Consequently a town was built to cater for the large numbers of people who visited the spring.  

However we did not sample the water.   Instead we found a small cafe and sampled the coffee instead, which was more to our liking really.   We also found a home made ice cream parlour, and also sampled their ice cream.

Tomorrow we pack up again, and head off home.  Hopefully all will go well, and the sun shines.  A little sunshine makes all the difference, as we know.

Holidays with the dogs, plus lizard of course.

Last Sunday was the last day of a long holiday for the dogs, Bobbi and Jezzie, and for the lizard, Jeff.  They went back to their home, which was a bit confusing for a start, but they all settled in quickly.   Home is always the best place, even for animals.

Emma, Steve, Jackson and Isabel had been travelling, to Adelaide, Australia.   A short holiday for them, but a very exciting and enjoyable one.   We enjoyed hearing about all their adventures.

Jezzie went to the grooming parlour, in order to have a shampoo and trim.   She came out looking very pleased with herself, and with lovely soft white fur.   A week of walking in the muddy woods dimmed the white colour a bit.

Spring has arrived, even though most days are gloomy.   The smaller trees, have burst into green leaves.

My new pink wellingtons, which after two weeks are no longer bright pink, but more of a muddy pink.   My last boots started leaking  which of course meant they were useless in the mud and water.  I really liked them too.   They had a duck pattern over them and were very comfortable.  They cost me only £5.  Very cheap, which is why they developed holes, no doubt.   But my new pink boots are equally as comfortable, but very much more expensive.

A morning walk in Danson Park, with Walter, Karen and her father, Leslie, and then coffee with Judy, and her dog, Scrappy.   We were very pleased to stop for coffee, as it was a cold and wet start to the walk.   Luckily the cafe was half way around the lake.  Time to dry out and warm up.

What else can dogs do on a cold, grey morning, but curl up together on a warm rug.

Jeff enjoying a little sun in the conservatory.   Of course the doors were closed, on the lounge side and on the garden side, as we certainly did not want Jeff to escape out into the wild of our back garden, nor have two dogs attack him in the house.

Walter, Jezzie and Bobbi trying to find a path through the mud, at Shorne Woods.

Walter, Leslie and I lined up for a photograph.  Bobbi looked for fish in the water.  And while we were busily having our photograph taken by Karen, Jezzie snarled at a small dog on a lead, and the owner was not impressed, and told us that we should have our dogs on leads.   Eh, no other dogs were on leads either.  I could feel the aggression oozing out of the owner of the dog, and the poor dog on the lead.  Say no more.

We loved this poodle/?   It was beautifully groomed, and so fluffy.   It bounced around everywhere.   Jezzie loved playing with her.

I will miss my walks with the dogs, even though it was often a struggle in the mud, but I feel so much fitter and have even shed a few kilos.   They were also great company, with their funny little ways.  Looking forward to their next visit.

Yearly procrastination - the tax returns

Finally, I have completed my part in the accounting process for the yearly tax returns, so now Walter can submit the figures to the taxation office.   All done.   Finished for the year, and by the 7th April too. 

No matter how carefully I enter the figures on the spreadsheets each month, and double check them, I still seem to make mistakes.   So of course the columns do not balance at the end of the financial year, which results in extra time being spent trying to find the errors.  As I know in advance that this will happen, I tend to procrastinate for a few days, which means that I get nothing else done either.   More time is spent thinking about the task ahead, then actually completing it. 

I would like to point out that there are no offshore, tax dodging investments for us. Or being exposed by the latest scandal, regarding Panana.  Like all small investors, we conscientiously pay our taxes,   After all, we benefit greatly from living in this country, and therefore need to contribute towards paying for the benefits.  This does not appear to apply to all  levels of society, and it would appear the more money one has, the less one is inclined to contribute, via taxes.   But enough said on that subject.   

The next job that I have lined up, mostly affects Walter, but I will watch and support.  The weather has been so miserable he is putting it off.   The task, piecing together a new rose arch for the back garden, which will hopefully stand up to the strong winds that whip through there.   The last one, very cheap, did not even last one year.

We did complete the task in the photograph below, during my accounting procrastination period.   We built a border around the rhubarb, in order to stop the soil from washing down onto lawn, or more accurately, the uneven grassed and stoney area.  Mole activity is rampant here.

And here we go again, mole activity beside the new border.   I notice that our neighbours bowling green lawn is no longer smooth.   They have a mole there too.   The moles are actually solitary creatures, and it is amazing how one mole can make such a mess in the garden.

And I will end with a photograph of a beautiful Spring display, a gift from Aaron and Kylie.  Dutch flower shops are so skilled at putting together flower arrangements.  It has certainly been giving us much pleasure.