OneGuyFromBarlick

The baby snakes are just as deadly. They all make me cringe. But yes, an unsuspecting child would want to pet it. Especially if it is in your lunchbox!

Still a week to go until our next adventure, but hubby announced, quite out of the blue this morning, that he intended to pack a jacket for our trip. I replied that I was astounded he had thought about things this far in advance, but that it was a good thing he was getting prepared ( given his track record for forgetting things).
"Oh" he said " I didn't say I had actually packed a jacket, I've just thought about packing a jacket. So you will have to remind me that I've decided to pack a jacket...just before we leave."

It's a good job he has a partner who understands him......
His brain is evidently fully occupied doing 'man things'.

I've got to admit that I, too, use my wife as an aide memoire. `Remind me to...' is a common phrase. But when it comes to packing I'm OCD. I have a printed list which is updated when required and is consulted throughout the day before we leave. But I still manage to forget things...

I once saw a man get off a long haul flight carrying a sleeping bag and a book and thought "Well he's certainly cracked the art of packing!".

We washed and polished the chariot today, and buffed all the bumper bars and trims. It is already spotless inside, but we like to drive off looking ship-shape. Tyre pressures/fuel/water tank all checked. I shall make the beds up tomorrow... But won't pack everything else until Friday. We are required to vote on Saturday ( it's compulsory) so will hit the highway straight afterward.

That'll trigger Ian off!

I'm with Ian, let's have compulsory voting in Britain. I doubt it will happen, though. There are strong vested interests in allowing a large segment of the population to not use their vote.

Indeed it's called the Tory party.

Funny that it was Maz who introduced politics to this topic. Go steady lads!
I too agree with Ian......

Away for 4 nights in the van...the first trip after Winter. We haven't gone far! Just 40 mins down the coast! But it is a good little break to get to know our van again. We are warm enough to wear shorts and T-shirts, though it was extremely windy today. It seems to be settling at dusk. So it hasn't been a good day for photos. We had a microwave meal for tea ( not great, but filled a hole, as it wasn't pleasant to eat or sit outside. The local church apparently puts on a BBQ meal once a month, and tonight is the night ( all invited) but ( thanks, but no thanks). I did have to venture to the camp kitchen to refill my water bottle and they seem a nice bunch. Usually we have loads of drinking water in our van, but hubby was too busy the last few days to flush and refill the tank...and I'm happy to wash up in what has been sitting in the tank all Winter, but I'm NOT DRINKING IT.
Looks to be a much nicer day tomorrow, so we should enjoy ourselves.
( news just on says 96km winds today....no wonder we are sat inside and had to have a microwaved Salmon Pasta!)
Parked fairly close to the loos, so no danger of being blown into the sea when having to make the treck after dark...

The wine is going down nicely of course! Half a glass left, then I switch back to Water...

Sounds good Maz.

Well one needs to be able to make it to the conveniences without visibly taking one step forward and two steps back, Wendy. (Which is hard enough in this strong wind).
In fact, wine may be an asset.
Gosh the BBQ did smell good. Hubby asked if I could run over and get him a sausage, but I refused. Good people, but we share different beliefs. If he wanted a sausage he had to get it himself! And likely he would have to say Grace for it.

You're sensible to park well back, Maz. A lady died here in the recent storms when her caravan was blown off a sea cliff.

Sorry to the lady who went over the cliff, but in my head I suddenly had the last scene of the movie Waking Ned Divine where the nasty old woman goes over the edge in her wheelchair. I always cheer at that bit. Very good movie.

Lovely posts....Nice to know you and Dave are out and about Maz.

We have had a fabulous few days. Heading home tomorrow I think. I've sent 3 pics to Stanley to insert on here. The one of our BBQ looks like we have a huge number of sausages for 2 people (!) so I need to explain that I asked the butcher for 6 sausages. He gave me 8, though I didn't know this until I unwrapped them. We always split our sausages down the middle and cook the cut sides too, as we like our sausages crunchy. They were delicious.
We walked the weekend markets and shops, walked to the river and the town wharf. Found some good/cheap books at the op shop and have had my nose in them at various times. Hubby has still been working every day on his computer as the work comes in, so I need to amuse myself at times.
We made pizza and cooked it in the camp pizza oven ( over cooked it slightly actually, but we like our pizza well done).
I've quite shocked myself at how many twenty minute snoozes I can fit into a few days away! I seem to be able to drift off at the drop of a hat. Must be all this fresh air. Both sleeping like tops at night too. Mind you, we have done a lot of walking. We didn't bring our bikes this trip.
I'm looking forward to another trip away.

Lovely! Is it a gas bbq?

No...that is an electric one we plug into the side of the van outside, when the weather is nice. I have a 2 burner gas hob inside the van ( with an overhead light/extractor fan). We also have the toaster oven which is electric and can be used inside or outside. It really depends on the weather and what we are cooking. Lots of choices. I also have a small electric fry pan for inside or outside.
I get a bit annoyed by groups ( one particular group actually) that book en mass into caravan parks. I'm not sure I should name them, but we have encountered them many times in our travels. They are folk who have plenty of money, a social conscience and like to raise money for good deeds for the less fortunate ( nothing wrong with that...but I find them quite snobby). They pull up in their massive vans ( no doubt with gourmet kitchens!) but take over the camp kitchens and BBQ's for their nightly functions. They monopolise these areas and there is no room for the humble camper to even put a sausage on the BBQ.
They have monopolised the camp kitchen for several nights. Tonight, I headed over at 4.15pm, hoping to pre-heat the camp kitchen oven for our Quiche and Chips. Despite my pronounced trot, a woman came from my left, 10 paces ahead of me. She beat me to the oven, with two massive boxes of pies and sausage rolls. No room for my Quiche and Chips.
I did them in our toaster oven instead, but it was just another example of this group squashing out the little guy. We cast our frowns to the camp kitchen, where we see them beautifully dressed, sipping Champagne, and dripping with gold.
( social conscience indeed...I class them as snobs -full of hot air!)

Sounds horrendous! I couldn't spend ten minutes in such close proximity to other folk never mind the noisy and wealthy brigade!

You say they have a social conscience... it evidently doesn't extend to consideration of others. Awful behaviour and I can well understand why they have upset you. I hope you can escape their malign influence.

You meet some of the most delightful people in camp kitchens! People with wonderful stories to tell as they cook their dinner. Some travel with tents, so have little choice but to use camp kitchens.
But camp kitchens are for the humble traveller, folk with kids etc. if you don't have any other choice but the camp kitchen, then this particular group could see you going without your dinner, or eating very late. Not always an option for folk with little kids...
( yes...they truly annoy me. I bet they have never used the ( no doubt magnificent) kitchens in their own vans)

Maz sent this....