After leaving Devon we went back to Wareham just to break the journey up to Brighton. I don’t really like big drives and we still have time on our side, so why rush, life is to short as it is. A chilled out two days at Wareham and on to Brighton.

The journey was good apart from the fourteen miles of roadworks on the M27 which seemed like forty miles. Arriving at Brighton in sunshine was nice and we got a pitch on part of the site we like so that was good. Another couple of days of chilling out and then a trip to Eastbourne to see Nikki’s cousin Caroline and her husband David who had said about coming over for Sunday lunch. Now when home made Sunday lunch was mentioned I was all ears. We don’t have Sunday lunch, I know a lot of peaple do but we are not one for tradition so we eat what we want when we want. But and it’s a big but I put my hand up to loving a good home made roast dinner. So my little brain was working overtime at the thought of a home made Sunday lunch. I think at one stage I even started dribbling at the thought of it. I kept saying to Nikki, I wonder if it will be beef, or chicken. Nikki said it will be roast chicken. I was secretly hoping it was going to be beef and roast potatoes and Yorkshire puddings and must have gravy. Are you getting hungry now. I am having to move my iPad away from me while I type this because I am starting to dribble again. Anyway we drove to Eastbourne, found their house and on entering you could smell the dinner cooking. Something smells good I said. That’s the roast beef cooking David said. Result I thought. Really nice to see them and the dinner was spot on. We even had rhubarb crumble for afters. Yum yum.

The next day was a beautiful sunny day again so we went for a walk down to see the sea. Blue skies and sea are always good in my book. This seagul knew which way to go for his dinner.

And this guy I think has waited long enough for someone to rescue. David hassolfoff eat your heart out.

I walked right to the far end of the marina to see if any surfers were catching any waves. There were a few in, the surf was rubbish, just some wind swell, but when you live and work in Brighton it’s all you’ve got so you make the most of what’s on offer. The fishing boats were all in the marina waiting for the wind to pass before they ventured back out again.

Yesterday we went to Worthing to see my dad and Jane. Always good to catch up with them. On the menu this time was a Thai meal in a restaurant about 15 minutes walk away. Again we don’t go out much so to go out with them was really nice. I even put trousers on for the evening but you will have to believe me as no photos were taken. I did feel overdressed though. The meal was fantastic and the loverly waitress looked beautiful in traditional Thai dress. We left Worthing this morning to come back to Brighton and back to our camper.

So that’s our week in Brighton nearly over. Tomorrow is our last day here before hitching up and starting our journey northwards. Next stop Henley on Thames again to visit more friends and family. The search for another car is still ongoing but I have narrowed it down to six models now and of course we still need to sell our little tow car. We only have another five weeks of freedom left before we start back at work.

We have been back in Devon now for just over two weeks making sure Nikki’s mum is ok. It’s been a tough two weeks because both me and Nikki also came down with bugs, properly caught from the hospital. Mine was worse than Nikki’s of course as it left me aching all over so much so that even my beard ached, that’s how bad it was. So the whole two weeks has been spent driving backwards and forwards to the hospital. We have had no time to see friends while being down here. We have not even been out for a beer. That proves how mad it’s been.

Then the good news Mi Mi was coming home, although we were not convinced she was ready for that just yet. Our thought were proven right as on the first night home she slipped off the bed and could not get back up, so at 11pm we got a call from her neighbour saying she can not get her up. A dash through the night to her flat and to pick her up from the floor. We then stayed the night sleeping on the floor to make sure she was ok. We did manage to get up off the floor in the morning. Carers are now coming in four times a day so she is in good hands. She still has a way to go but is heading in the right direction. (Be strong MiMi).

Another thing we have been thinking is we need a bigger car. Doing the job we do we have so much more stuff to carry about with us and we are really not set up for this. Our little tow car has been great, it’s tows great and is nice to have when we get somewhere so we can get about easier for shopping etc. It’s not really a long distance car and my surfboard and mountain bike are impossible to carry on it, making it a real pain. But changing the car brings its own problems. It means when we travel to the next site we will be in separate vehicles. Not really a problem as this will only happen at the start of the season and at the end of season. Some of the boxes can travel in the car, because we are carrying to much weight in the camper. Having the small car limits us so much.

When we travel like this and get somewhere I have to take all this out to get my bike out, go for a bike ride then pack it all in again, it’s like a military operation. And if it’s raining it’s a pain.

At least the weather has been great this last week, really frosty mornings but nice clear blue sky’s in the day. The car may be frosty but inside the camper is toastie.

The sunrise this morning was fantastic. I don’t mind these sort of days and if we got them all the time we would spend more time in the uk in the winter. Well maybe.

So tomorrow we head out on the road again. We have to move on and MiMi is in good hands, although it is still hard to leave. We are heading for Dorset tomorrow and then on to Brighton before we start heading north to start work. We have to head north from Brighton obviously as we will be on the south coast there. My calendar looks a right mess because we had all the sites and dates planned before we had to come back to Devon. One of the reasons i don’t like planning to much, because you never know what’s round the corner. And all the best layed plans can be changed so quickly. Just hope the weather stays good.

We left Pembrey in glorious sunshine but with a cloud over us wondering how Mi Mi (Nikki’s mum) was going to be. She got her name MiMi because every time she rings up she says it’s Me, so we started calling her MiMi a long time ago and still do. The journey is virtually all motorway but it’s a long one, from Pembrey you go towards Bristol via the severn bridge and then head south on the M5 to Junction 27 Tiverton and then on the A361. It’s the Bristol Chanel that gets in the way. I suppose I could have got my surfboard out and paddled across the Chanel.

After getting to south molton where the campsite is I set everything up and Nikki went off to see her mum. MiMi had taken a fall and now has an infection on her lungs etc. She has good days and bad days. We are seeing her every day but it’s so sad to see her so weak and frail. Get well soon MI Mi.

While on the campsite I have been up the woods for walks and by the small river that runs through the site looking for photo opportunities The flowing river with a long exposure, almost looks like ice.

Yesterday I left Nikki up the hospital on her own while I went out and did a few things I had to do. Chores done I headed for the beach at Woolacombe for my lunch. Not in a pub, or a cafe, or some friends house. I had the best seat in the house as they say. Sat on this bench in the sunshine with my little packed lunch I had made earlier. Cheese and ham sandwich and a pork pie if your interested and water to wash it down with. Not as good as a nice big steak and a pint of Guinness but the location is good. I have sat on this bench many times gazing out to see, checking the surf out, thinking about life. What’s happened, what’s going to happen. The waves keep rolling in regardless of what’s happening, which is how life is I think. You have to just get on with life regardless of what’s going on. There will be hurdles along the way but you have to get over them.

The weather has been pretty kind to us at Pembrey and the time we have had here is not enough. I could easily spend a month here. I went out on my bike a couple of days ago, leaving Nikki still recovering from her fall at home. I went all along the coast path to Llanelli and beyond. About 16 miles in total. The only reason I never stayed out longer was it was colder than I thought when I set off being next to the sea, and my muscles were getting cold. Maybe I should put some long trousers on.

There’s light At the end of the tunnel.

The next day was rest day and Nikki wanted to go into Llanelli to have a mooch about. For such a big town I was surprised how run down it was. Most shops Nikki goes in I stand out side watching the world go by and looking around, above shopfront height, the paint was peeling, green alge streaks, running down the walls, and the gutters were growing their own roof gardens. The indoor market was nice but a lot of stalls closed up. By lunch time we had seen enough the rain was starting.

Looks like reindeer.

So tomorrow we set off again, this time heading for North Devon which is an about turn, we were supposed to be heading for Henley on Thames. But how things change. Nikki’s mum was taken into hospital last night after a fall. (Get well Mi Mi) so we are going to Devon to see her and make sure she is ok to go home etc. Hopefully she will be home soon and our uk tour will be back on track , it just means we will be going a different way and have to change all the dates of seeing friends and family.

Today has been a sunny day and very mild. Had time to wash the bike off and pack everything up ready for travel tomorrow. And of course one last walk down the beach to smell, listen and watch the sea.

Some fungi in the forest.