While at Hollywood, or close to it the word was out there was a storm brewing and heading right across the uk. Storm Ciara was coming for us, batten down the hatches, don’t go out your front door, call the cat in, are sure you have enough food and water in the house for at least a month. I sat looking out the camper window at the trees and thought, could that one hit us, what if that branch fell off, shall I move pitch. We had some spindly trees directly behind us but I decided what ever pitch we were on there were trees around so it was going to be a case of hope for the best.

Storm Ciara came and went, yes it was windy and it did rain, a couple of little twigs fell of the tree behind us. No damage to the camper though. I know right across the country there was some damage but we were lucky. All we had was about an inch of flood water on some of our pitch. Well it’s not really flood water, it’s a puddle. It made a nice picture though.

The next day we had arranged to go and see our friends Jo and Tony, meet up for lunch and a catch up. They were are wardens at Cirencester last year. They live about 45 minutes away from the site we were on. So Nikki was doing the organising with Jo. All arranged Nikki said, great said I which pub we going to I will have a look at the menu on line. This is something I always seem to do when I know were going out. We’re meeting them tomorrow at 11am about twenty minutes away in a garden centre. A WHAT……..did you say a garden centre, yes that’s right a garden centre. We don’t even have a garden. A bloody garden centre. Is that so I feel like I am back at work surrounded by trees and bushes, plants and lawn mowers. I am only joking of course. We had a really nice time with them, catching up and a nice lunch. I know Jo follows my blog and knows my sense of humour. Next time we meet up jo, me and Tony decide the location.

Now we are at Chester after leaving Hollywood. Another motorway drive but it was another nice sunny day, dry roads etc. Got to site and checked in. While we were being checked in the sky went black and it started to rain and even a bit of snow. Got pitched up and checking the internet about the weather there had been a lot of snow in Wales. In fact the road that we will be taking to get to our workplace this year was blocked with snow and abandoned cars. Good job we weren’t going there that day.

Yesterday (Thursday) were due to get our levelling jacks refurbed. The company have to branches, one in Liphook in Hampshire and the other in the Wirral about half an hour from where we are now. We were originally going to get them done at Liphook I November but they messed me about so I rebooked for getting them done while up this way. You know when you get a feeling things are not right. I emailed them three days ago just to make sure we were still ok to come over and got a email back saying yes all ok but if the job runs over can you stay overnight in our yard. The job they are doing can easily be done in a day. I would have been there for 8.30 when they open and they don’t close until 5.30. Nikki never slept on Wednesday evening with worry about it and what’s going on with her mum etc. I was concerned about it so I emailed them back and said forget it. We will now get them done some other time with someone reliable. I will not be recommending that company to anyone.

If you follow this blog you will know we have decided to change the car for something more practical for us. Now when I get a bee in my bonnet I do a lot of research so I know exactly what I want and I go for it. Over the last twenty years Nikki has raised her eyebrows on more than one occasion to this but is glad with the outcome. The choice of car was going to be an estate which would give us plenty of room to put some of the stuff we carry about, could transport my surfboard and when fitted with a tow bar and tow bar mounted bike rack would mean we could get to places to go off cycling. Also a better car for long drives. I was on the internet everyday looking for either, a VW Passat my first choice being a Volkswagen lover. I also looked at Audi, Mercedes, Skoda, and a Volvo X60. I found a Volvo, on budget everything about it was good. Made an enquiry about it, they deliver the car to you but only to your home address. Not much good to us when we are 300 miles away from home. So that was crossed of the list. Second choice, found a VW passat estate, fell in love with it, on budget etc etc, only half hours drive from where we are now in Chester. I looked at that car on line every morning, lunchtime and evening just hoping it would still be there when we got to Chester. We were in Brighton at the time. The price dropped, it was still there. We left Brighton to go to Henley, it was still there. We left Henley to go to Hollywood, it was still there. We left Hollywood to go to Chester two day earlier than we had planned, it was still there. Due to arrive in Chester on the Monday I said to Nikki we will go and look at that car on the Tuesday. Looked on Sunday evening. SOLD I could have cried. I never, well I might have a little bit but I did do a lot of stomping around and shouting to myself. I was gutted. I know this may seem weird to most peaple but I am very passionate about my cars and you must know the feeling when your really excited about something then it just doesn’t happen.

Back on the internet the next morning I find another VW Passat estate. Well I found lots really but most were to high mileage or too far away etc. Only 45 minutes drive away from Chester and a much better specked car. The excitement starts again. Monday evening I have an online chat with a receptionist about the car and she says she will get someone to ring me the following morning. Tuesday morning I keep shaking my phone to make sure it’s still working, no call. Nikki points out it is only 7am. 8am passes, 9 am passes, 10 am passes. I can’t wait anymore I ring them and make an appointment to go and look at the car the nest day at 11am.They also put it it on hold for you for 48 hours so no one else can buy it, giving me first choice. So at least I knew I would have first choice on this one.

The rest of the day I continue to look at it every ten minutes and read all the specifications and show the picture of it to Nikki at least every half an hour. Wednesday morning arrives, I am up at 5am, showered and ready to go. Nikki is not. She is very excited about the car but not in the same way. It’s a man thing. The car was located in what they call a car supermarket in Trafford Manchester. About 1800 cars to choice from but I only wanted to look at one. Into reception, get given the keys and told where to find the car. You can get in it, start it but please don’t move it. If you want a test drive let us know. We went and found it.WOW it was better than expected, even the colour seemed different. Even Nikki said WOW but maybe not as many times as me. So third time lucky we have found our new to us car. Over budget yes, but we are buying it as a keeper so wanted it all to be right. We pick it up on Monday at 11am. Will I sleep Sunday night, properly not but I will have sweet dreams.