Adventures with my Airstream

Rockhill Rendezvous

2011-10-26T20:23:00.003+01:00

One reason that I love my Airstream is that it embraces everything that is good about caravanning, only it is a little bit different.

The same can be said for Airstreamers, my fellow fans of American Aluminium. Or Aluminum if I want to be truly authentic.

Dear friends Pete and Tracey are so passionate about Airstreams, that they set up UKAirstreamers, an informal organisation to promote the Airstream community in the UK. It doesn't matter if your Airstream is the oldest classic, or the newest and most recent Series 2 to leave the UK depot, if you have an Airstream or you hanker after investing in one, then you're welcome to join the forum.

However, the tremendously stonking gatherings that Pete and Tracey organise are reserved for owners only.

Fellow Airstreamers Carl and Gaynor own a farm in Shropshire, and last year offered to host a UKAirstreamers Gathering on their land. If you scroll back a year in this blog, you can see what fun we had.

But Pete was determined that the 2011 event would be bigger and even better. Rockhill Rendezvous was born.

Even Airstream Gatherings have cool names.

So from the Lawns, I made my way across the country and made sure I was the first to arrive. Well, I had an important job to do as I'd offered to be the Meeter & Greeter. The trouble is, as my rig lie abandoned across the field as emotional reunions took place on the field, another three rigs arrived directly behind me. This was no time for catching up, Pete and I had work to do. Off we set, marking out the field with dinky little markers that Tracey and Gaynor had lovingly made.

Rather than bore you with all the gory details, take a look at the video which gives you a feel for the event:

Including the 'Airstream Stage', there was a grand total, I think, of 39 Airstreams in the field on Saturday night. What an incredible achievement.

Purely by accident, I ended up siting the oldest Airstream from 1952 next to a brand spanking new 2012 Series 2 684 - 60 years of Airstream!

Tanya and Dave brought along their fabulous classic which they are in the process of meticulously renovating… you could call it a work in progress!

On the Friday we were treated to some top folk music from our very own talented Airstreamers Tony & Elaine:

And on the Saturday night, the brilliant band Babajack entertained:

We even had our very own beauty parlour on site. How fabulous is that?

All topped off on Sunday morning with a 'Euro v Vintage' softball match. Apparently the Vintage lot won. Well, they won't next year! ;)

And no UKAirstreamers event would be complete without 'Unhitch and Stitch', where the craftier members of the gang get together and enjoy some time together:

Despite a shower now and again, and some pretty strong winds, the weather was generally kind. And a fantastic time was had by all!

What an absolutely BRILLIANT weekend. Roll on the next one.

Between Scotlands

2011-10-26T19:32:00.001+01:00

In the same way that the dash to the Hebrides made no logical sense, it also seemed a little OTT to head all the way back home to Kent for a week and then bounce straight back up to Scotland. But after examining all the options involving trains, caravan storage, and nights in hotels, the simplest solution was to tow the Airstream all the way down, and all the way back up again, So that's what I ended up doing.

So, back to the stunning Caravan Club Site at Bunree... Wandering around in the morning, I spotted this little gem, complete with original awning:

Heading South, I enjoyed a pleasant and easy tow. Weather was pretty much perfect for the trip - cloudy, windless, and dry.

It just so happened that my chum Gary was staying at a CL near Barnards Castle off the A66 at this time, so it made for a nice break in the day to join him for a few hours, grab a nap, share dinner, avoid the rush hour, and continue the journey in the evening.

Gary has owned his Classic 1988 Sprite XL Musketeer since new. The 'XL' is actually representative of the 40th Anniversary of the Sprite in '88… it's 40 in Roman Numerals. Gary reminds me of this often. 'And not a lot of people know that!' he adds.

Come midnight I once again availed myself of a Caravan Club Late Night Arrivals Area, this time chez Auntie Lynn at Ferry Meadows in Peterborough. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I do so very much appreciate these safe havens that the Club provides for the weary caravanner on the move. As more people chose to avoid the traffic during the day, these facilities become ever more invaluable.

Once my business back home was taken care of, just a few days later I was heading back up the A1(M), this time to the Lawns show at Hull. It was lovely to catch up with industry friends and see the new launches that I had not yet caught. I have to admit, it was on the Coachman stand where I found myself uttering the word 'Wow!' on a frequent and involuntary basis. What stunning tourers they have produced for 2012.

From there, it was across the country to Ludlow in Shropshire, where something very special was about to take place.

Caravanning in the Outer Hebrides

2011-10-24T22:18:00.003+01:00

As a break from regular blogging, here's an entry that's a little different - A practical guide rather than a diary-type entry.

I thought that, after four trips to these magical islands with my Airstream, I should share a few details for those wishing to plan their own caravanning trip.

Situated off the North West coast of Scotland sit the remote and beautiful isles of the Outer Hebrides, or the Western Isles to give them their correct name.

If your perfect holiday encompasses wild, rugged, remote outdoors, then the Outer Hebrides will be Paradise on Earth. If you prefer shopping, clubbing, and amusements, then this is not the place for you.

There are many, many islands in the Outer Hebrides, but of the populated islands there are three main groups, starting with the largest in the North and ending with the smallest in the South:

Lewis & Harris
Technically one island, but these two lands have a totally different feel. Stornoway, the largest town in the Hebrides, is in Lewis.

The Uists
Seven islands for seven days, all interlinked by toll-free causeways. The three major islands are North Uist, Benbecula, and South Uist, while the four smaller islands are Berneray, Baleshare, Grimsay, and Eriskay.

Barra
Known as 'The Hebrides in miniature', this compact island offers all terrains in one handy package.

The Inner Hebridean island of Tiree also gets a mention as it is on the route of the Oban - Barra ferry (summer Thursdays) making for a further possibility.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU GOT?

For many people, it's a long slog to get there, so it's worth investing at least a week, but preferably three or four, in your stay. Suggested for different lengths of stay are:

LESS THAN A WEEK

Barra. You can taste it all without travelling about too much. Possibly do four or five days on Barra and three or four days on Tiree.

TWO TO THREE WEEKS
Lewis, Harris, and the Uists.

THREE TO FOUR WEEKS +
Lewis, Harris, the Uists, Barra, and Tiree

GETTING THERE

Caledonian MacBrayne is the only ferry operator serving the islands, offering a fixed price tariff. The price remains the same whether you book a year in advance or 5 minutes before the ferry leaves. Prices are therefore a little higher than you may expect against some of the Bargain Basement 'Buy-three-years-in-advance-and-travel-at-3am-on-a-Tuesday-in-February' type prices that you can get on international routes, but the upside is that you can buy single tickets along the way as you decide your itinerary, In other words, you have flexibility and freedom.

If you do book in advance and your plans change, you may change your reservation with no fee.

The only thing that does go up and down is the availability on ferries. If your time is short and dates are fixed, book as far in advance as you can. If your plans are fluid and your itinerary flexible, there is less need to book.

Bear in mind that if you want to travel between Tiree and Barra, there is only one ferry a week on a Thursday and this can get booked up months in advance.

From the mainland, you can travel from the following ports:

Ullapool, the Northernmost port, for Stornoway on Lewis

Uig, on the Isle of Skye (linked by the A87 Skye Bridge) for Tarbet in Harris, and for Lochmaddy in North Uist.

Oban, the nearest port to Glasgow and the South, for Tiree, Barra, and Lochboisdale on South Uist.

A HOPSCOTCH ticket allows you to take in a variety of islands on one ticket at a cheaper price than buying singles along the way. You only have to reserve your first outward crossing when you buy it, then you can reserve the rest along the way. In 2009, I took a Hopscotch from Ullapool to Stornoway (Lewis), drove to Harris, then got a ferry to the Uists, visited the islands there, then a ferry to Barra, then a ferry to Tiree, then a ferry to Oban. The total cost with the Airstream was about £400. Steep, but for the amount of ferry travel involved actually quite good value.

The CHEAPEST routes are from Uig on Skye. You can get a return for two passengers and an Airstream rig for just £133 to either the Uists or to Harris and Lewis. In other words, link the two with a mini-Hopscotch and you can take in nine islands for under £200. Not bad, huh? Plus the fact, the A87 road between Fort William and Uig is absolutely stunning. Drive it during daylight hours and don't rush.

The QUICKEST routes (for us Southerners) are from Oban. Granted, it's a five hour ferry crossing to Barra and South Uist, but you'll save the additional overnight stop involved in driving up to Uig from the South.

GETTING AROUND

The biggest concern of most Airstreamers, especially those with larger rigs, is getting around on the single track roads. In fact, it is as easy as pie. Personally I find the Outer Hebrides one of the easiest places in the country to tow, mainly because there is so little traffic on the road.

Many major routes have been or are being upgraded to two-way. Of the single track road remaining, there are passing places every few yards. In areas where forward vision is restricted (eg around a corner), the road will always be two-way.

Passing places are there to let traffic pass in both directions, so if you see anyone behind you, pull over and keep indicating (if there is no oncoming traffic) until the car(s) behind have passed. This is good for the locals who need to get about, good for leisure vehicle PR, good for your karma, and good for your blood pressure. You can continue at a relaxed pace and admire the scenery.

If someone coming the other way has pulled over to allow you to pass (they will indicate as a sign), KEEP GOING and don't think you're being polite by then stopping before passing them and waving them on. This is confusing, frustrating, and can be dangerous if there's someone behind you.

Don't forget to wave as thank you. In fact, just wave at everyone. Most people do. Even cars going the other way on a two-way road. Just wave. It's just what people do in the Hebrides and it's lovely.

Most of the causeways in the Uists are now wide and two-way. The major exception is Baleshare. This old causeway is quite narrow. I can tow my 7ft 6 wide trailer along it at about 25-30mph, but were I towing an 8ft wide trailer I would be crawling as there are jagged walls both sides. If I had a wide one, I would go solo first and take a look at it.

WHERE TO STAY

Hebrides is wild camping heaven, yes?

Er, no, it isn't.

In 2009, CalMac introduced 'Road Equivalent Tariff' pricing on many routes. In other words, it lowered the prices substantially. As a result, camper vans (which travel for the same price as a car) invaded in their droves.

This is not the place to get political about anything or point any fingers, as there are good and bad eggs in every basket. But when I visited in 2009, a story about a family in their camper van was spreading around the islands like wildfire. This family had boasted to some islanders that they had spent the grand total of £2 in their entire week on the islands. Meanwhile, certain beauty spots had been turned into eyesore car-parks of white aluminium and plastic. People weren't applying common sense, and erosion of the delicate machair was taking place. This wasn't 'light' free camping as envisaged by the Scottish Parliament when they passed the Freedom of Access laws. This was nothing more than people parking up for a free holiday and take, take, taking. It had to stop.

Wild camping with a vehicle has now been effectively banned on Tiree and on Barra. In fact, to even get a ferry ticket to Tiree, you will need to show proof of a reservation on a campsite or a camping croft.

Camping arrangements for the islands are as follows:

Lewis

Laxdale Holiday Park, near Stornoway
Laxdaleholidaypark.com. A great full-facility site making the perfect place to begin or end your Hebridean Odyssey. It can get very busy so booking is recommended, especially if you have a large rig as pitches can be quite small.

Eilean Fraoich, Campsite, Shawbost
Eileanfraoich.co.uk. I've not stayed there but it looks really nice. On the North West Coast of Lewis and handy for the Callanish Stones and the Arnol Blackhouse

Cnip
Much touted by Cool Camping and other guides, this site enjoys amazing views, but sadly the scattering of empty seasonal vans makes it less attractive than it could be otherwise

Harris

Minch View
Super little site, just like a certificated site on the mainland. Clean and simple facilities. The downside? While some may disagree, I personally would not take a twin-axle caravan there, the entrance is simply too tight

Horgabost
Once a wild camping spot, but has now become 'official'. No hook-up, and facilities in converted lorry containers. But a stunning, stunning location on a stunning beach. £10 per night per rig in 2009. Honesty box in operation.

There is another campsite on Harris made famous by a hairdresser in a TV documentary, but this one is unsuitable for trailer caravans.

The Uists

Moorcroft Holidays
Situated on the South West tip of North Uist, this recently-opened full-facility site has been getting rave reviews on the forums. Mind you, if they are charging up to £20 per night including EHU, it should be good! Website currently down.

Shell Bay, Liniclate, Benbecula
Not the prettiest of sites and not the prettiest of islands in the Uist chain, but a superb, central location and an ideal base. A couple of minutes walk to the beach. Facilities are adequate and EHUs available. £7 per adult (2010) plus EHU.

There is a hostel on South Uist that has started to advertise a couple of pitches for caravans. I have not been there but the reviews on the forums have been very poor - cramped pitches and facilities not great.

Barra

A whole host of crofts now offer a camping spot or two. For an up-to-date list, see isleofbarra.com Be warned that many of them charge £10 per rig in exchange for nothing more than a fresh water supply.

Tiree

Just one campsite, and that is Balinoe Campsite.
EHUs are actually 13amp sockets in the barn, so take a 13amp 3-pin plug adaptor and an extension lead if you can. Facilities are OK, if a little scarce. During my visit in 2009, a new shed was about to be erected with further WCs and showers.
A nice touch is the kitchen and sitting room with free wifi, so even if you opt to go without EHU you can still plug in your phones and laptop to charge.

Otherwise, there are plenty of crofts that offer camping just like in Barra. For an up-to-date list see isleoftiree.com

There are still one or two places where low-impact wild camping is tolerated on some islands. Your best bet is to begin your stay at a proper site, and drive around and seek out these places solo. Do bear in mind if you choose to wild camp:

-Seek the landowner's permission
-Leave no trace
-Preferably just one, but maximum of three nights
-If the spot is starting to get busy, find another place
-Spend what you would otherwise spend on site fees in the local community. And tell people what you are doing to try and right the wrongs of the past.

Elsan waste must not be emptied into public WCs. The Barra and Tiree websites (see above) offer advice for these islands. For the Uists, there is Elsan disposal and a fresh water supply at the Berneray CalMac ferry pier, and at the Eriskay CalMac ferry pier.

If you do find 'The Perfect Spot', please do us all a favour and don't put it on the internet. If you do, there is the chance that irresponsible people may read it, invade, and spoil it for everyone.

Hopefully this little guide will help you decide whether or not the Outer Hebrides is for you. If it sounds like your kind of place, then go and enjoy. Just be warned... like many people you may leave your heart there. It means you have to return year after year to go looking for it.

Perfection. Utter Perfection.

2011-10-24T22:05:00.004+01:00

Exactly 24 hours to the minute after leaving the Tesco car park in Milton Keynes, I was parked up and chilled out in the Outer Hebrides enjoying this view:

I spoke with Frank, the owner of the land where I was pitched up, who happily shared his space in exchange for some hints and tips on marketing his holiday home in the islands.

The feeling of relief, calm, and peacefulness was almost overwhelming.

Next day, the wind had dropped and the midges were out in force. I was almost held prisoner in the Airstream by the marauding millions. I'd never experienced that before, but thereagain this was my first visit in August.

Still, I consoled myself with a nice lunch. And the view wasn't too shabby:

I spent the next couple of days walking and enjoying the food in the local pub. Soon it was time to move on, and en route I stopped off at the Kildonan Museum on South Uist:

It made for a fascinating visit. I love learning about the history of the islands, and how the islanders lived in relatively recent times. Well worth a visit. Topped off, of course, with a trip to the brilliant cafe and afternoon tea.

My destination from here remains a bit of a secret. Why? Because it's my favourite camping spot IN THE WORLD and I'm a bit wary about sharing it.

What makes it so special? Well, take a look at the snaps:

Ah yes, the kitesurfing. Imagine having three miles of white sandy beach and clear turquoise sea all to yourself, bar for the occasional walker enjoying the light, space, and clean air. The wind picked up and I had a couple of stonking sessions. These were interspersed with lunch and cake at the Kirkibost Centre and evenings flaked out enjoying the sunsets as the fire flickered away in the fire basket. Perfect, perfect, perfect.

Here I spent three nights, the maximum tolerable when wild camping, so off I toddled to another island, where I spent nights at different spots, each again simply beautiful.

All too soon it was time to head to Lochmaddy and the ferry home.

As I collected my ticket at the port, the friendly agent mentioned that he'd seen me a few days previous while he was doing beach patrol. He even remembered that I'd visited the previous year and had gone on to Barra. I love this place, I really do.

Waiting for the ferry, I went to have lunch in the local arts centre and bought myself a CD of Ceilidh music for the journey home.

All too soon, the mv Hebrides appeared over the horizon:

After a smooth and enjoyable crossing to Skye, off I headed along the A87 towards Fort William.

Now, if you have never driven the A87, then you must stop reading this immediately, drop everything, and GO drive it. It remains my favourite road trip, again IN THE WORLD. The scenery is stunning. Absolutely stunning. As the mountains towered moodily either side of the road, the Ceilidh music played in the car, the Airstream followed obligingly, and the sun set casting a golden glow over the dramatic scenery, it was hard to see to drive through the tears that kept welling up in my eyes. Utterly, utterly beautiful.

However, all good things come to an end and darkness robbed me of the fantastic views. At this precise point, Bunree Caravan Club Site appeared with its welcoming Late Night Arrival Area. I could pull over and spend a restful night plugged into the mains, in total security, and sleep well. Which is exactly what I did. Thank goodness for the Caravan Club and its culture of providing the weary caravanner with somewhere to stop even after hours. And, as if to sweeten the bitter pill of the holiday coming to an end, look at the view that I woke up to the following morning:

You know, life really doesn't get much better than this, does it?

Naturally, there is a video of the trip for you to enjoy:

Airstream Hebrides 2011

Enjoy.

It just felt right.

2011-10-19T20:24:00.005+01:00

It wasn't my intention to take a holiday at the end of August to coincide with my birthday, but it kind of just happened that way. I found myself with almost two weeks off work, with no touring features and no caravan reviews scheduled. After an emotionally draining year (mainly family admin), a holiday seemed to be the way forward. My batteries weren't just drained, they were on the last red reserves and in danger of shutting down. I needed desperately to recharge.

And I knew just the place.

Normally I would go to the Outer Hebrides in the early summer, but the Euro Airstream meeting put the kibosh on that this year. Originally I planned to go there at the end of September after doing a job in Scotland, and it would make no logical sense to hoon up there and come all the way back just for a week away. And I would be spending my birthday all on my own in a remote place.

But while it made no logical sense to make the 1200 mile round trip for a week's zoning out, it simply FELT like the right thing to do. And I have been travelling long enough to know that you follow your instinct, despite the logic. Or lack of.

I booked the late morning ferry from Oban for the Tuesday. Sunday night was spent at the topping Camping and Caravanning Site at Gullivers in MK. Definitely one to go back to when I have the kids in tow:

You know how, when you're trying to get away, and emails keep dripping in that need attention, and you never seem to get clear? Well, that was the kind of day that I was having that Monday. I spent most of the day tearing around Milton Keynes preparing for my trip and tidying up all the loose ends. Tesco car park became my office for the afternoon, and by the time I had filled up with diesel (for the truck), LPG (for the Airstream), and petrol (for the generator), it was 7.30pm when I finally hit the M1 on my journey North.

Pumping the co-ordinates for Oban ferry terminal into the SatNav, it came back with '468 miles, 05:45'.

The fact that it was a six hour journey cheered me. I'd be at Loch Lomond just after midnight to get my head down!

But half an hour later, the SatNav still said 05:45. With a crushing wave of disappointment, I realised that 05:45 was not the duration of the journey. It was the ETA. I was scheduled to do a Roy Orbison, and Drive All Night.

Fuelled by coffee, fresh air, and some good radio, I rolled into a lay-by at Loch Lomond at 5AM, where I caught a 3 hour nap.

It's not big, it's not clever, and it's not recommended to make such a trip in such a timescale. But adrenalin charged by an intense purpose of destination kept me alert.

I got to Oban with an hour to spare, and brewed some coffee in the queue for the ferry. Only once I had driven my rig onto the CalMac ferry mv Lord of the Isles, taken my position on the open deck, and looked out to the town of Oban as we dropped ropes and set sail, did it finally sink in.

I was going back to the Outer Hebrides.

As the adrenaline started to wear off and the experience of the moment finally started to sink in, my Island Journey became truly real and not an imaginary event in the future. In time-honoured tradition, I did what I always do at this point. I stood on the deck and blubbed.

The five hour ferry ride flew by. I hardly touched the magazines I had bought to read on the trip.

On the open deck I made a new friend, Dougal, who was off on his holidays to Barra.

Before too long, the dark peaks of South Uist rose out of the inky black sea.

At this point, there was no doubt in my mind that this reckless, crazy, irresponsible journey was totally and utterly the right thing to do. Sometimes, you do have to cast reason aside and listen to your instinct.

The Summer of Content

2011-09-30T21:56:00.002+01:00

After the brilliant and moving stay in Ieper, I was half hoping to get to Brittany for a week, but family admin got in the way so I ended up on P&O's super Spirit of Britain heading back to the UK. Mind you, I was well chuffed to spot a 1969 Bailey Maru and a dinky little T@b in the queue for the ferry.

Back in Blighty, I ended up frequenting my usual CL and CS haunts in the South East while doing family stuff and going to work at the day job.

One caravanning task while back was to review the Mitsubishi Outlander and the new Swift Challenger Sport for the magazine, both of which are now published so I can blog about them.

For the exterior pix I decided to try out the 85mm 'prime' lens for my camera, a Canon EOS 5D MkII. The results were utterly amazing. It looked almost as if the outfit was superimposed on a background:

Absolutely stunning quality. I felt that I'd been driving a Porsche at 60mph and for the first time had opened it up on the open road. Trouble is of course, now I want to upgrade the rest of my lenses…

August saw me back at the Caravan Club Site in Alderstead Heath:

Of course, that meant a cream tea at Fanny's Farm Shop, a Surrey institution:

After that, a trip to the Caravan Club Site at Crystal Palace.

Now, you may recall in the entry about Ieper that sometimes I end up going to places that I'm not really excited about, only to find out that they are brilliant when I get there. Crystal Palace is another case in point.

I didn't fancy towing the Airstream around the South Circular through Catford, but it was no bother. And I fell in love with the Crystal Palace site! Not just because it is handy for London, but it is right next to a lovely park, and there are some superb independent shops and cafes in the area. I really, really enjoyed my stay and it's now on the list of places to return to.

After my week in London, I had 10 days off. The intention was to go to Brittany as planned in July. But the cost of the direct ferries was prohibitive, so it was to be DFDS via Dunkerque or nothing. And to go from London to Quimper via Dunkerque was 460 miles. The same distance would also get me to Oban and a ferry to the Outer Hebrides.

I umm'ed and ah'ed, but deep down I knew what the 'right' decision was going to be….

Remembrance

2011-09-27T15:02:00.003+01:00

One thing I never lose sight of is how very lucky and privileged I am to have somehow managed to wangle the lifestyle that I have ended up with.

One of the things I do is write touring articles for magazines. As I often say to people, it's not a holiday, but it sure beats working for a living.

In other words I get to go to all these lovely places, but rather than relax and unwind I'm dashing about with my camera, researching stuff, interviewing people, and charging about from here to there like a madman.

And I absolutely love it.

One of the interesting aspects of such a task is that I end up 'having to' visit places and do things that I would otherwise not normally choose to do of my own free will.

Such an 'imposed' task was the town of Ieper in Belgium. It's better known by its French name of Ypres, or even the English slang 'Wipers'.

I'm not really into battlefields, military history, and all that. So I went along to Ieper to do my job, do my research, take my snaps, and head home. It was a pleasant-ish task that I had to do.

The reality?

It was anything but a task. It was one of the most deeply moving and humbling experiences that I have ever had the privilege to encounter.

As I learned more and more about the hardships and the sacrifices made during World War 1, it was very hard at times not to be moved to tears.

The municipal museum in the town is a great place to start, and thereafter head off on your own to some of the military graveyards. Big ones such as Tyne Cot are immensely moving by the sheer number of graves and some indication of the scale of the monstrosities. But these big name places naturally attract the tour groups, so it's hard to take a moment to yourself. My tip? Get off the beaten track, go to one of the smaller, less popular graveyards, and use that time to reflect. And believe me, there is so much to take in that you do need to just sit and reflect for a few hours. Deeply, deeply moving stuff.

On the practicality front, the municipal site in Ieper is in a great location, about a 10 minute walk through a nature reserve to the town. And great value at €14 (2011) for a fully-serviced pitch. This site was a great find using my free Alan Rogers iPhone app.

The town itself has been carefully reconstructed since its total decimation in World War 1, and very smart it is too.

Every evening at 8pm, 365 days a year, the Last Post is sounded at Menin Gate as a mark of respect to those who have fallen. I ended up going every evening, it was such a beautiful ceremony. It takes on different styles every time as different guests speak and perform. Highlight during my visit was some beautiful singing by a school choir from near Edinburgh, followed by a very brave lone piper who was but 12 years old. Utterly, utterly wonderful.

After one of the most humbling and moving weekends of my life, it was time to head home. What an incredible few weeks I'd had!

Germany & The Netherlands

2011-09-27T14:53:00.002+01:00

After the exertions of the Euro Gathering, it was time for a bit of R&R. A days driving North took me to the German city of Oldenburg. I parked up at the municipal site and spent an entire week catching up with my very dear old friend Peter.

Peter is the perfect host. For every meal we sat down to, there was enough to feed an army.

This was a typical light breakfast:

Or possibly a little pizza for dinner:

We spent the entire week just faffing about, mainly taking his beautiful Great Dane Anne for long walks in the Upper Saxony countryside:

And a daytrip to the lovely city of Bremen:

And dinner in funky restaurants in Oldenburg:

Waiting for the level crossing, I spotted this novel idea of a moveable living space using recycled containers - looks cool!

It was a fantastic week.

From there, I headed to the North German coastal town of Norddeich, just North of Norden near the border with the Netherlands. I was hoping to get a little kitesurfing in.

The site was pleasant enough, but… well, let's just say that it didn't FEEL right. You know what I mean. The coastline in the area is hugely overrated. There is grass verge, and at low tide there is mud. It's not pretty. The site was OK, but the very expensive wifi system did not cover every pitch and I had to use the laptop outside in the children's play area… and I 'lost' a whole day trying to do my laundry, the machine breaking, and the reception being closed till 3pm.

Oh yes, arrivals were only accepted between 3pm and 6pm. And to stay on after the midday check-out until 2pm (even though arrivals were not accepted till 3pm) would incur a whole extra night's fee. All this was carried off with an air of superiority and smugness like you wouldn't believe. And it got hot. Really hot. Here's a pic of the Alde control in the Airstream. This is reading 34 degrees inside, and 30 degrees outside.

As you can tell, this is not a place I will be coming back to. Ever.

I guess what made it even worse was that I knew that my Airstreaming friends were having a jolly good time parked up in the yard of our Dutch friends Axel and Annieta.

So, there was only one thing left to do, and that was to join them.

What a FANTASTIC weekend!

In addition to Axel, Annieta, and their family, there ended up with three UK Airstreams and two NL Airstreams in their 'yard' enjoying an impromptu gathering. And I found the North East corner of the Netherlands to be a lovely, lovely, place.

We had A LOT of fun:

Sadly though I had to leave after the weekend. I had a 'job' to do in Belgium. And that's another story…

The Big One!

2011-08-11T21:15:00.003+01:00

You know how it can happen when, at a social function when you're lubricated with a glass or six of vino de plonk, and someone comes up with an idea to which you pledge your wholehearted support? Then, weeks later when you're sober and pray that everyone's forgotten what you said, someone reminds you of your promise in front of a hundred people and there is no way of wriggling out of it?

Well, that kind of sums up how I ended up co-ordinating a caravan (convoy) of UK Airstreamers from the UK to a big Euro Gathering in the Netherlands.

If you flick back a year or so in the blog, you'll see how about eight or nine of us got together in Yorkshire joining two Dutch Airstreamers. There, we mooted the idea of doing it again in 2011 in the Netherlands. We reckoned that we would have about 5 or 6 Airstreams heading over from the UK, and the sum total of the Gathering would be about 12-15 rigs.

As it happened, I ended up leading 15 Airstreams from Gent to Venlo, where we made a Grand Total of about 35 rigs. EEK!

The first wave of UK Airstreamers all met up at Daleacres Caravan Club Site in Hythe, where we made an impressive sight as we lined up to leave:

All our travel arrangements, the ferry and the Red Pennant Insurance, were arranged by the Caravan Club. Organising the event was difficult enough, so I was so grateful for the Club taking care of the important stuff in such a hassle-free and efficient manner. Absolutely brilliant service. And cheaper ferry fares than booking direct.

The convoy of nine trailers to Dover held together well, but sadly we were split up (despite promises to the contrary) in the port. In fact, after arrival in Calais and I was almost the last one off the ferry (me, the lead vehicle), it seemed that the crew were doing their upmost to be as difficult as possible.

Fortunately we all managed to reassemble and pick up a tenth member as arranged just outside Calais.

First call was back to Gent, to Blaarmeersen. Now it all becomes clear why I went there two entries ago.

In addition to organising stuff and looking after myself, I had also taken on the task of making a TV programme about our adventure. As I tried, and generally failed, to do the work of three people on my own, I reflected that maybe this wasn't such a good call.

The atmosphere was jovial but a little quiet. I think that it was all just a little bit overwhelming, and we were trying to cram a lot of fun into a short space of time. And for many of us, this was just the first of many weeks abroad, so it had been preceded with some seriously mad rushing around making sure that everything was in order back in the UK before heading off.

On the last evening, in true tradition, we sat around the fire pit and I was presented with a little token a and card for my efforts, which was a really touching gesture.

But the next morning was the biggie - heading up 15 rigs from Gent to Venlo. Three of the rigs were joining us en route, of which one was even going to 'slot in' on the move.

Everything went swimmingly, although we will never forget the horrendous nightmare that is the Antwerp Ring. And people moan about the M25? It's a picnic compared with Antwerp!

The weekend itself was brilliant. The atmosphere was just amazing. People from all walks of life from completely different backgrounds and different cultures and countries all getting together, enjoying a common bond, and having a wonderful time.

Naturally, there is a video for you to watch. In fact, there is not one but three different videos!

Three very different interpretations of the same event seen through English, Belgian, and German eyes.

First off, my British video which visualises what you've just read:

Then there is Aline from Belgium's video:

And finally, Armin from Germany's video:

Altogether a truly memorable weekend.

Roll on the next one!

2011-07-26T13:58:00.003+01:00

Unlike the last time I was at Commons Wood, where I went with a friend to see Kylie's amazing show at the O2, this time I was there and heading off to a concert of a completely different kind: Pete Yorn concert in the King's College Student Union Bar. A bit of a difference. But I was right at the front and made a couple of good snaps, including this one:

I have to say, I do rather like these intimate venues where the music is raw and the Jack Daniels is cheap.

My weekend continued in this happy manner at the UKAirstreamers/MyCoolCaravan Gathering in Leicestershire. It was the first time that the Cool Caravanners combined with the Airstreamers, and I for one really loved it. I like classic caravans anyway. If I had the time and means and premises…

Anyway, here are just a few snaps from a stonking weekend:

No video this time, as I was saving myself for something rather big a couple of weeks down the line.

But before that, I headed up to the Wirral, to Wirral Country Park Caravan Club Site.

Now, no disrespect to Wirralers, or whatever the people who live there are called. It's a fine place and the scenery is lovely. But don't go there looking for windsurfing or kitesurfing. Sand buggying maybe, but when the tide goes out… it really goes out. And all that's left is acres of wet sand and mud. Camber Sands it most definitely is NOT.

But I was there to work anyway, and spent a great day with the folks from Hometyre Group who were fitting me up with Tyron Safety bands and a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System that I have been putting through its paces for them. Next day took me to the lovely folks at Witter Towbars near Chester to be kitted out for further equipment trials. It's all very nice trying out this stuff, but the cabin in my Nissan is now a tangled mess of wires and random screens.

Move on to a place near Rhyl, North Wales. I found myself a lovely CL with an impossibly narrow entrance. I thought these were meant to be highlighted somewhere? Anyway, luckily I got the Airstream in and out OK. I was there to go and see the charming folks at Fifth Wheel Company and their latest product. Beautiful it is. Lightweight it ain't.

From there, it was on to the next site, Cae Mawr Caravan Club Site on the Isle of Angelsey. Cae Mawr, like Gwern y Bwlch in Wales, is my kind of site. No loo block certainly makes for a far more relaxed and chilled ambience than other sites. The wardens there were absolutely lovely. Nothing was too much trouble.

While there, one of my pet rats, Mr Pinky, sadly passed away. He was more than ready to go, bless him.

But of course, that left me with the small problem of a corpse to dispose of.

And so it was that I approached the warden with a question that I was very confident that he had not yet had in all his years in the job:

'Excuse me, is there any chance I could borrow a spade? And could you show me an appropriate spot to bury a deceased pet rat?'

Yes, this was a first for him. But he was very sympathetic and showed me a place in the adjoining woodland where Mr Pinky could be laid to rest.

But there was fun to be had on my visit, too. Rhosneigr on Anglesey is one of the premier windsurfing and kitesurfing spots in the UK.

Here I digress a little.

Camber, where I normally sail, is as South East as you can get. Lots of Londoners come down, and on a busy day the sea is crammed with kiters and windsurfers. But no matter what your discipline, everyone (well, most people) respects each other and helps each other out. I've had windsurfers rescue my board and help launch my kite. I've seen kitesurfers tow windsurfers with equipment failure back to safety.

And they say that people in the South aren't friendly.

So imagine my surprise at Rhosneigr. The wind was blowing an absolute hooley. Even the seagulls had given up. But I thought I'd give it a go… up went my kite, but even fully depowered I could barely resist the pull of it as I staggered painfully slowly towards the sea. One failed waterstart later, I was heading straight for the rocks. Deciding to chose the sensible option, I gathered my board and staggered out of the sea back to the beach. Throwing my whole body to the sand, I teetered on the edge of control as the angry kite pulled relentlessly.

I got to the kite down to a couple of feet from the ground, which in beach circles makes it blatantly obvious that you would like someone to catch it. You CAN release it and hold it on the safety line, but on a day like that you run the risk of major damage to the kite.

Imagine my surprise as three people in wetsuits totally ignored my situation. I was dumbfounded. And still staggering about the beach on my knees. Eventually, after what was probably two minutes but felt like twenty, a young lad sprung over the wall and helped me land my kite. Voicing my gratitude, I told him about the three who had ignored me. 'Oh yeah, well they're windsurfers' he replied, as if that suddenly made it all better and acceptable. Certainly doesn't in my book. Respect is a two-way street.

Fortunately, the wind subsided and a couple of days later I enjoyed one of the best kitesurf sessions in my life, ever. The waves at Rhosneigr really are awesome.

(no, that's not me, I'm the photographer...)

From Anglesey I drove down the A5 to Henley-on-Thames, and the Caravan Club's Four Oaks Site. Two very dear friends of mine, Terry and Wenda, are the wardens there, so it made sense to go and visit them (and of course, be fed) while attending a nearby car launch.

Four Oaks is a great site. OK, it's right next to a busy road, but what I love about it is that you can walk into Henley in about 10 minutes. And Henley is a very nice town crammed with cafes, restaurants, and independent shops. Yes, it's a bit posh I suppose. But when you're caravanning, you're on holiday, so treat yourself,

It's a shame Four Oaks closes in the autumn, as it would make the most perfect Christmas Shopping and New Year Site. Maybe we will have to start a petition.

So, from Henley, it was back up the M40 to Broadway to cross the Ts and dot the Is of the feature I started in February. I was meant to be going back there with the family in the Bailey Pegasus, but life threw other stuff at us which meant I had to go back without them.

May was rounded off paying a visit to Airstream Europe's new Southern Base near Cheltenham to admire the new Series 2 684. Ooh I say, tasty!

From there I continued back to the South East. I had over six month's worth of planning to bring to fruition. An exciting trip lie ahead.

2011-07-16T21:40:00.002+01:00

Welcome back after the break.

Right now I'm in the Airstream having just enjoyed an awesome kitesurf session at Camber Sands. I'm on a Caravan Club site ready to do a review of a yet-to-be released tourer that is embargoed for another two weeks. So I have to try and prevent the other 150 or so other carvanners on site photographing said tourer over four days. Meanwhile, one of my delightful pet rats, Chalkie Le Blanc, is busy pulling the throws off the seats.

But I digress.

So, April, and my summer of living in the Airstream had begun.

Commons Wood Caravan Club Site in Welwyn Garden City made an excellent place to kick off. It's only a five minute cycle ride to Hatfield station from where it takes about 20 minutes to reach King's Cross by train.

After my date with Her Most Loveliness Dame Kylie of Minogue at the O2, it was time to get back to work and take a close look at a Stealth Caravan.

People disbelieve that either Stealth or Airstream caravans even exist as they never see them on site. So imagine people's surprise if they saw this sight - both brands side-by-side!

And, like number 10 buses, a silver-nosed Stealth pulled out of storage while I was there.

After that, it was time to haul the Airstream to Newark showground for a task of a very different kind. I was one of four driving judges putting over 50 motorhomes through their paces for the Caravan Club Design and Drive Competition. It was a demanding, but fun, week. And I started to 'get' motorhomes. I mean, maybe I could tow the Airstream with a silver camper van where I can fold up the bed and bring the motorbike… then I would have a day van too. Hmmm…..

The competition ran into Easter weekend, so off I toddled down the road to Ferry Meadows Caravan Club Site. Remember the weather at Easter? It was amazing. Sunny, warm… The atmosphere on site was heavenly. Children were playing, families were laughing, and everyone was enjoying themselves. It was utterly perfect.

From there, it was time for an altogether different camping experience at Dunn St Farm Camping and Caravanning Club Certificated Site, near Ashford in Kent. I took the field where access was… interesting. Thank goodness I had the mover to unhitch and get the trailer in. But once settled, it was fantastic. Children bottle-fed the orphaned lambs, trees were in full blossom, and there was a 'proper' country pub serving good food and real ale just five minutes walk away.

While I was there I took the opportunity to try out my new Nordic Outdoors folding fire box that I bought at the NEC:

Verdict? Not so good I'm afraid. It's impossible to get it elevated enough so that it doesn't burn the grass underneath. But the holes in the base do make for a roaring fire!

After a wonderfully relaxing week (apart from having to do the day job, but we try not to think about that) May was upon us and it was time to hitch up and head off.

Cue the next video:

The weather was still incredibly kind. First stop was Gent, a wonderfully majestic Flemish city. Camping Blaarmeersen, a most pleasant full-facility municipal site, is a mere 15 minutes cycle ride from the town. Next stop was the coastal resort of De Haan. De Haan is, in my opinion anyway, the nicest town on the Belgian Riviera. It suffers none of the over-development of other Belgian coastal towns, and none of the airs-and-graces of others. Camping Ter Duinen is highly recommend. Lawrence, the owner, loves Airstreams. But more importantly, the campsite is clean and tidy, and a mere 400yd walk through pine forest to a wonderful sandy beach:

That could only mean one thing. Kitesurfing!

And afterwards? CAKE!

Altogether a brilliant short break, and in true tradition was nowhere near long enough. But it was time to head back to the UK and to Bearsted Caravan Club Site. I had a caravan waiting for me.

Having enjoyed the original incarnation of the Bailey Pegasus (remember Switzerland?) I was more than ready to take away the new Pegasus 2 for a week. And it didn't disappoint.

Destination was Kingsdown International Camping Centre near Deal. Formerly a scout camp, facilities are… well, 'rustic' is a good term. But they are clean, free hot showers, and painted in funky colours. And, when you're paying just £6 per night, who's complaining? Especially when this is the view.

My family and I very much enjoyed our time together in the Bailey, but it was nice to get back to 'Auntie Sue's' gaff (aka Bearsted) and move my goods and chattels back in to my usual home.

From Auntie Sue's I headed to my 'hideout' CL which I'm afraid remains secret. It's £4.50 per night, I can use my fire pit, and there is always space even during busy periods. I *might* reveal it at the end of the season…

I went home for a couple of days, did the washing, did the admin (or at least the bare minimum I had to do without getting anything cut off or being sent to jail) and then it was time to once again head off and away.

First stop, just like last time, Commons Wood….

Winterisation

2011-07-06T11:50:00.005+01:00

You may or may not have noticed that once again I lagged WAY behind in keeping the blog up-to-date. Possibly a sign of taking a little too much on at one point. Then of course, the further it gets behind, the greater the task to restart.

'Just say that lots happened and restart it' advised friends. So this is that entry.

Lots happened.

But I can't just leave it there of course. While it may not be very detailed, here's a brief recount of the bits between then (September 2010) and now (July 2011).

So we were at Ludlow for the fourth UK Airstreamers Gathering. What a top bash.

From there, I headed on to Gwern-Y-Bwlch Caravan Club Site near Machynlleth to do a feature for the Caravan Club. Gwern-Y-Bwlch is my favourite kind of site: Quiet, green, lush, and remote.

My friend Mat joined me and took some brilliant photos of me kitesurfing on a pretty wild day on Yns-las Estuary.

From there it was an 'accidental' overnight at my favourite mountain bike centre, Nant Bwlch Yr Arian. It was accidental as - ahem - someone hadn't thought to fill up with diesel, and the filling stations in remote West Wales were all closed by the time I realised...

From there, on to the fab CCC Site at Kingsbury Water Park to review a rather lovely Lunar, and do the last couple of Milenco vids.

After that, I had to put the Airstream away for a couple of weeks as I was hopping on a plane to Chicago. My destination? Well, guess…

I spent a fantastic week in the company of the good folks at Airstream. I lived the life for a week, getting up at 6, being on the factory floor by 7.30, going back to my motel at 3, editing and writing, meeting up with the gang for food and beers in the evening, and falling into bed far too late every night. I loved it. I really loved it.

The actual visit warrants an entry in itself. Maybe in the future…

Come the end of October, it was time to head back up to Wales and to Coed Helen Caravan Club Site. It's one of my favourites since visiting last year, mainly due to its proximity to Caernarfon. Mind you, it looks like it may soon close (rotten land owners want to put statics on the site instead as there obviously aren't already enough in Wales) so go visit quick!

My task while there was to climb Snowdon. I had wanted to last year, but the weather wasn't amenable. This time, my friend Miguel and his dogs came along for moral support, and despite the awful weather we did it!

At the summit, the weather was so bad that they closed the shelter just as we got there. Read that again. Then go figure.

November, and after a way-too-brief visit to Cherry Hinton Cambridge (Adria Altea) and to Clumber Park (Coachman Amara), I was back in my Airstream joining friends for a weekend in the New Forest. The autumn sunshine shone as I enjoyed the walks and the company. A brilliant end to the touring season.

December was quiet on the Airstreaming front, for two main reasons. The first was a rather nasty bout of Bronchitis. We're talking cant-even-get-out-of-bed bronchitis. As soon as I was approaching fit, it was time to shoot off on a big project for Bailey Caravans, trialling the new Orion which at the time was still top secret.

My friend Steve from Seattle joined me for the trip to Barcelona via the French Alps, and once there fellow Airstreamer Tracey joined me as Steve tried, and mainly failed, to get home by plane. Remember the snow paralysing the UK Airports? Steve does. Sadly, I had family drama to attend to as well so the trip back was a little more intense than we would otherwise have hoped. Witnessing a car hit the central reservation, flip over repeatedly, then children crawl out of the wreckage, was further drama we could have done without. At least they all seemed to be OK; a testament to modern car design.

Have a look at the video you have a spare 10 minutes:

Very little caravanning was done in January. Many days were spent working for colleagues, something that I would reap the benefit from when they work back for me during the summer. I DID have a very lovely Range Rover Sport for a week which was nice. And only an all-too-brief trip to Alderstead Heath in the Airstream. At the end of the month I took off to Gran Canaria for a week of kitesurfing. Sometimes, it makes a change to be herded onto a SleazyJet plane and put the brain into neutral for a week.

February, and on a very sunny week I enjoyed the brilliant little Elddis Xplore at Alderstead Heath:

Of course, February also means NEC. And what a busy, busy, busy week that was. Judging every day, and a dot attend every evening. It was hectic but a massive amount of fun. Highlight for me was tea and biscuits on the Coachman stand with Christine, a very lovely woman that I met on the Isle of Barra who makes the caravanning pilgrimage back there every year.

Immediately after the NEC week I took a few days to chill out at the Broadway Caravan Club Site. JUST what the doctor ordered! A lovely site, and Broadway itself is, if I dare say, a more enjoyable place in the winter than it is in the summer when the hoards arrive.

March, and a full-on week at Ferry Meadows doing a Swift Challenger, Lunar Delta, and a Roma. Add the Airstream, and I had four caravans on site that week. Now you see why I often have to work off peak.

April saw me back on a plane, but to Seattle this time to visit my best friend Steve, and see one of my favourite singers, Pete Yorn, in concert. Steve followed me back to the UK and the following week we went to a concert of a very different kind - Kylie at the O2! She was amazing.

This period also marked the beginning of my summer living in the Airstream. I decided that going home for four days every three weeks is way too much hassle. Now I go back for odd days here and there, just to do admin. I don't sleep there any more.

This makes a good break to close one entry and open another. Go on, put the kettle on. Milk and no sugar for me please.

On a trip...

2011-05-15T08:55:00.002+01:00

I'm still enjoying my trips in the Airstream. But I'm on a trip of a different kind right now.

A guilt trip.

I enjoy so many blogs and social websites on the net, but haven't been contributing in a while. There are some good reasons for that, which will become clear in later posts.

But as I look forward to the UKAirstreamers Spring 2011 Gathering next weekend, my mind is set to get this blog back up to what it used to be. There's so much good stuff to share when enjoying this lifestyle. To keep it to yourself is almost criminal.

Fourth UKAirstreamers Gathering, Ludlow

2010-12-03T19:36:00.002Z

Wow, what a weekend!

Pete and Tracey of UKAirstreamers spent their summer organising the biggest event on any UK Airstreamers calendar, and that was the 'big' Autumn gathering. And at an impressive 30 trailers and motorhomes, it was certainly the largest collection EVER of Airstreams in the UK, at least to anyone's knowledge.

Friday saw eight of us meet up at Whitchurch to travel down in convoy. And what an impressive sight we made:

There followed the most fantastic weekend ever. Our hosts Carl and Gaynor, together with Pete and Tracey, were the perfect swans; calm and serene on the surface yet paddling like mad behind the scenes to make sure everything went smoothly. Fabulous people, and a fabulous time. Let the pictures do the talking:

As Airstreamers, we are used to people coming over to have a look. But on the Monday we were packing up, we had the drop-in to end all drop-ins. The RAF (possibly the RN, I'm no expert) flew overhead. The next thing we knew, the helicopters re-appeared and came down to say hi! WOW!!!

Finally, a video of the weekend (but sadly not the helicopters) is available to view here:

Enjoy!

A big thank-you to Pete and Tracey, and Carl, Gaynor and the boys.

"There's always Alderstead..."

2010-12-02T18:42:00.005Z

I don't know whether it's to do with the slightly complicated approach route or the fact that you really need to use the car when going off site, or possibly because it is a site of gargantuan proportions, but you'll normally find a pitch at Alderstead Heath, no matter how busy the season. "There's always Alderstead...' is an oft-used phrase when my caravanning chums and I are planning a get-away.

And so it was, August bank holiday...

There's always Alderstead. And thank goodness. It is SUCH a lovely site, so green, so peaceful, and Carol and John the wardens never fail to have a warm and welcoming smile plastered over their faces every time I see them. They even know which pitch I like... oh dear, is that the sign of liking one particular site a little TOO much?

This pitch, for your info, is not numbered. It is simply 'Andrew's Pitch' so if you ever visit and it's free, don't even THINK about parking there... ;)

Of course, work needed to be done, and Alderstead made the perfect setting for a couple more accessory videos. You may hear if you choose to watch the second, that all the fun and antics of a busy summer caught up with me, and a summer cold took hold. But not for long.

I had a very, very important date with another 29 Airstreamers the following week, and being poorly wasn't an option.

Rock and roll!

Peterborough, utopia central

2010-12-02T18:32:00.004Z

Peterborough.

Or Peter Bog Horror as sometimes it is unkindly called.

Generally, it isn't up there with Cornwall, Scotland, or the Lake District when it comes to choosing a destination for your summer holidays.

Except, that is, if you are a caravanner.

I've heard it on the grapevine that Ferry Meadows Caravan Club Site in Peterborough is one of the busiest, if not THE busiest, sites on the network. But don't quote me on that.

You only need visit to see why. Set in an extensive country park, you don't need to wander far at all to find everything from a steam railway to windsurfing. It's close to the A1, and being near a city means that everything is to hand from a multiplex cinema to a decent Indian restaurant that will deliver to site.

Top that with the cherry on the cake which is the warden team led by Ken and Lynn and you have Family Caravanning Utopia.

Seriously, I think the council should let the Club have the site rent-free, seeing as how much Tourist Pound emulates from that area.

Any excuse, and I'll stop off there.

To add to the excuses, it was my first opportunity to try the Caravan Club's new wi-fi system, £5 for five hours valid for six months. Blooming marvellous!

And a stunning pink sunset just to top it all off:

Ode to Beamish

2010-12-02T17:46:00.005Z

August was *supposed* to be a quiet month.

But life is what happens when you've made other plans.

Up popped a job in Durham.

I had only been to Durham for one night as a guest of the lovely people at Elddis Caravans, and thanks to their traditional North Eastern hospitality, I don't remember too much about it. But I DO remember making a mental note that this was a lovely city and I wanted to come back and 'do it' properly.

And it was the Airstream Summer Euro-meet on the way.

So what was not to like?

First port of call was Old Hartley Caravan Club Site at Whitley Bay, where I enjoyed a stunning view from the window of the Airstream:

An enjoyable morning was spent cycling into Whitley Bay, having breakfast at Costa, then doing some snaps of the lighthouse on the way back:

Next port of call was The Grange Caravan Club Site just off the A1 near Durham:

My friend Steve was over from Seattle, so it was nice to have company for a couple of days. The summer was also spent making accessory videos for Milenco, and for the 'action' shots of the towing mirrors it was also rather useful to have a cameraman while I did the driving!

Being in Durham, it would have been rude not to see a caravan from nearby Elddis of Consett, so they brought along one of their brand spanking new 2011 Avantes. The nice thing about taking so long to blog about it is that the review has now been published so I can mention it.

Like many UK manufacturers, Elddis has really raised the bar when it comes to the interior design... very 'Boutique Hotel' methinks!

As part of a touring feature, I toddled off to Beamish Museum. Which, I must add, has a really good PR department staffed by real, warm, friendly, efficient human beings and not vacuous PR corporates. Maybe because it's not in London?

Best make it clear right now that I am not a museum person. Not in the slightest. But I DO have a weak spot for living museums, and museums of modern history. Something that I can relate to, even if it is to understand how my Nan used to live.

Beamish didn't meet my expectations. It surpassed them in every way. I was first in and last out. I had the most FANTASTIC day. Brilliant, simply brilliant. It really made for the high point of my whole trip. So much to do, so much to see, and everything is brought to life with real characters doing real things... Hopefully the pictures will give some idea as to what this place is like:

The whole day was rounded off by a brass band playing in the bandstand on the village green. How absolutely blooming perfect is that?

There was a lot of work to catch up on after that, so after a few days shut away in the Airstream I took myself off to Newcastle. I love that city:

To refresh the grey matter and for a bit of stimulation I went to the Baltic Mill Gallery that you can see in the picture behind the Gateshead Millenium Bridge.

I'm no artist I admit, or maybe I caught it on a bad day, but I wasn't overly moved by any of the exhibits with the honourable exception of a faithfully recreated spider's web. And the cake in the cafe wasn't great! But hey, the whole Newcastle/Gateshead quayside is a lovely place to spend a sunny afternoon.

Cambridge - a total surprise

2010-12-02T17:10:00.002Z

Late July/early August saw me heading to Ashridge Farm Caravan Club Site in Baldock, which is kind of on the A1 between Stevenage and Peterborough.

It's a wonderfully quiet and relaxing site, almost like being in someone's back garden. Plenty of good walks too, although my favourite aspect was being able to wander into the pretty village of Ashwell.

From there, after a weekend chez Keith and Anne at Commons Wood (out of course, but everywhere else was booked and it's always nice to visit a site where the wardens are so welcoming) it was time to head to Cherry Hinton Caravan Club Site in Cambridge. This site had only just re-opened after some extensive work, and very smart it all looked too.

Cambridge really took me by surprise. Granted, I had a local guide in the form of my friend Mr Perks, but I was taken aback by how agreeable a place I found it.

One of the things that I loved the most about the city and about the site is how accessible everything is by pushbike. I didn't use my car the whole time I was there.

On the first evening, I cycled into town with Mr P to visit some of the traditional and friendly hostelries which was a real treat in itself. Also time for a little night photography:

Another time Mr Perks and his good missus put their kids in their respective trailers and tag-alongs and we all cycled out to The Orchard tearoom at Grantchester to have a cream tea in the dappled shade of the apple trees... a quintessentially English summer's afternoon, and as perfect as it sounds.

Interestingly, my experience of the tourist information people in Cambridge wasn't altogether positive. In fact, it was downright appalling. This is one thing that I find in this job. If you want help and resources on somewhere really popular like Cambridge, forget it. But go somewhere a little quirky like East Lincolnshire or Swanage, and the tourist people will bend over backwards to help and facilitate your trip.

But you only need to step out of the tourist office and into the city to instantly forget a bad experience and not let it put you off such a wonderful, wonderful city. I really, really like it.

Blogger's Block

2010-12-02T15:35:00.003Z

Blogger's Block... any blogger can tell you about it. It's nothing like writer's block where the author doesn't know what to say. Blogger's Block is where the author has left it for so long that he or she doesn't know where, or how, to pick up again. And the longer you leave it, the worse it becomes. And the more time you need to spend to try and claw your way back to the present day.

Add to that the added complication that sometimes my adventures are in connection with features that are going to appear in magazines months later, so by the time it's published, the timeline has gone haywire and it's hard to go back.

But anyway...

Right now I should be on a plane to Boston to go see some friends including my Airstream chum Sue.

Instead, I'm sat at home with bronchitis and 12" of snow on the balcony.

So this is indeed a perfect time to make a start and get rid of that Blogger's Block.

EU Airtreamers Summer Gathering

2010-08-10T18:45:00.003+01:00

Earlier in the year, a couple of Dutch Airstreaming families mentioned to their English Airstreaming friends that they were coming to the UK for their holidays in August.

John and Carole decided to meet up with them, and publicised the fact on the UKAirstreamers Forum.

In short, a grand total of EIGHT Airstreams descended at Masons Campsite in the Yorkshire Dales.

As I wended my way to the site, I was blown away by the beauty of the area. Why had I never been here before?

As I skirted the opposite side of the valley to the campsite, I looked below me and saw Airstreams glinting in the distance in the evening sun.

The eight Airstreams on site were: two from the Netherlands, and six from the UK. There were three modern European Airstreams, three polished 'vintage' Airstreams, and two clearcoated US Airstreams.

Pitched in a circle, what a lovely sight we made:

That first evening was spent chilling out around fire pits and barbecues. Ian and Robina, whom I had met last year in Skegness by pure chance, invited me to join them and what a lovely evening we had.

The next day, weather was a mixed bag of sunshine and showers. But that didn't stop Carole and John laying on a fabulous cream tea for everyone. Carole's scones, I am pleased to say, were of her usual VERY high standard! Light, fluffy, and melt-in-the-mouth with lashings of clotted cream and jam.

For our Dutch friends, it was their first cream tea and first experience of clotted cream. And very impressed they were too!

The rest of the day was spent enjoying the day and enjoying each other's company:

Axel and Anieta had the longest Airstream I have ever seen in real life... it just went on and on and on!

Piet and Kai's amazing rig was a real head-turner and I couldn't stop taking snaps of it:

Of the three European models on site, the 532s were in the majority and the 684 in the minority... the first time I have ever known that!

And I fell in love with Harry.

Harry and his sister Meg brought their gorgeous little Bambi:

Harry stood guard, threatening anyone who came within 2 yards with a lashing from his wagging tail and a thorough licking around the chops:

Meanwhile, Meg sat inside on her throne, and put on her 'happy' face for the camera:

As they were feeling particularly benevolent this weekend, they allowed their staff, Jim and Kathy, to join them:

And Kathy might be new to Airstreaming, but she obviously 'gets it' already:

Another 'new' family joining us for the first time were Neil and Jo with children Ruby, Jack, and Freddy. They found out about the gathering purely by chance, having stayed at Mason's in their 'new' 1965 Overlander a couple of weeks previous. The kids in particularly liked the riverside location of the site:

And the last night was spent, of course, gathered around the fire pit. A torrential downpour failed to dampen the spirits as we merely covered the fire with Neil's gazebo. That evening many people discovered that the Dutch and the English have a similar sense of humour.

Particularly touching was a little parting gift made by Sven and Lynn, Axel and Anieta's children.

Neil and I left in convoy, with Bill going on ahead to make sure the narrow section of the road was clear before we left.

What a BRILLIANT time we all had! Big thanks to John and Carole for making it happen.

New Look!

2010-08-02T23:48:00.002+01:00

You can always tell when I have work to do.

I update the blog.

And when I have LOADS of work to do...

I spend my time redesigning the blog instead.

It's called 'Writing Copy Avoidance'.

But with a fresh new look, at least there is more width so I can add slightly larger photos. Hurrah!

To be in England in the Summertime...

2010-08-02T22:33:00.002+01:00

Since Devon, life's been good if not all that exciting... just attending to everyday stuff and of course having to go to work (EEK!) so the Airstream has been little more than my sanctuary in the evenings.

Best then go back to the trip home from Scotland at the end of June.

My friend Gary has always been on at me to visit his home county of Northumberland, so I did just that. Gary rocked up in his classic CI Sprite.

We stayed at a very nice CCC site, the name of which now escapes me. Friendly staff. And only about £7 a night for a single person without a mains hook-up, so a bargain to boot.

Gary suggested a few days out, and it was the Garden at Alnwick that particularly tickled my fancy. Like all good gardens, it's a work in progress and far from finished. But it's actually quite refreshing that the Duchess of Northumberland has 'vision' for the future, as opposed to the current trend of the 'Instant Garden'.

A lovely day was had.

The next day we went up the coast to Bamburgh. We took lunch in the garden of a lovely little tea-room, and a coach party of 'game' pensioners arrived. As we listened to the wit and wisdom of the old dears, Gary and I were in fits of laughter. We weren't laughing AT the people, we were laughing with them. Quote: 'What? They come and take the order at the table? Ooh, you don't get that in Rugby!' and so on. It was like a real life version of a Victoria Wood sketch and after an hour we were almost crying. It was so lovely, so English, and the subtle but hilarious humour that only a true Brit would understand.

We had a pleasant, sun-scorched afternoon:

However, after a couple of nights it was time to head South and start work.

As I headed down the A1 back to reality, there was time to pull over for just one last photo with the Airstream, to 'sign off' an amazing few weeks.

Devon Sent

2010-07-23T15:43:00.002+01:00

Apologies for the long pause. Too much Airstreaming fun, not enough time to blog it…

The journey back from the Hebrides was sweetened by a couple of days at the lovely CCC site in Sandringham. Not only did this provide a great opportunity to collect some pine cones for the woodgas stove (they make great firelighters when dried out!) but the wind blew a hooley that weekend providing some fabulous kitesurfing sessions in Hunstanton. Sunday's session was cruelly cut short by the '12 o'clock rule' despite the 100-odd empty pitches, but I'm not bitter and I think that's important.

After a few days at home worshipping my washing machine it was time to head off for the next holiday. Sorry, that should read 'assignment'. I would hate anybody to think that I have fun for a living.

I was excited to be heading for North Devon as it's a county I do not know at all. Destinations were three sites grouped around Ilfracombe and Woolacombe. Trying to make efficient use of my time, I also trialled a couple of cars at this time, and down fell my plan.

It is a known issue that the electronics in some swanky cars have 'bulb failure' systems so that when plugged in to a trailer, the car sends pulses of electricity around the trailer to keep checking the status of the lights. The trouble is, when the trailer lights are cool LEDs, the car doesn't detect them and sends the whole trailer into a mobile version of the Caribbean Disco Show. Brand spanking new cars like the Land Rover Disco 4 have software upgrades to prevent this, but older technology as we discovered in the Volvo XC60 and a three year old VW Taureg do the disco-lights thing. Thankfully, European Airstreams may be specified with 'normal' road lights in case this happens, but I like the LEDs. And so does my Nissan Navara.

With no known software fix to the car, there was nothing else for it but to strap a trailer board to the back of my Airstream. It didn't look pretty, but we were legal.

First site was Damage Barton Caravan Club Affiliated Site. This is a great site. Very Airstream-friendly with spacious pitches, each offering a panoramic sea view:

It takes about 30 minutes to walk to the beach from the site. Naturally, it's very popular with families and it's the kind of place where you discover caravanners who have been returning there every summer for over 30 years. I really really liked the site's feeling of space, the views, and the friendly staff, but be aware that the payback for those views is the exposed location.

For a more sheltered experience, the all-singing all-dancing Caravan Club Site at Willingcott is down the road:

It was at Willingcott I had a welcome that I will never forget. The warden's welcoming smile wasn't just bright. If she went outside on a rainy day and smiled she would bathe the entire site in sunshine.

With all the great beaches in the area, ideal for surfing or bodyboarding, the sight of wetsuits hanging up to dry outside caravans is quite common:

Next stop was the chilled, relaxed, facility-free Caravan Club Site at Brook Lea:

Really nice. I particularly like the way that at this site, the neat and tidy pitches comfortably roll into the more natural landscape.

Naturally, being so close to the beach meant that I had to go and partake of a little bit of kitesurfing. Woolacombe beach is very neat but there's not lot to the area itself. I much preferred the large, extensive beach at Saunton:

All that space on offer meant that there was a reserved area for kitesurfers away from the paddling families and surfers, meaning that everyone could enjoy the water. I LOVED jumping the Atlantic swell and riding the waves. It was fantastic.

It was so good that I got up at 6am, yes, 0600 in the morning on a Sunday, to go and make the most of it before the wind dropped.

Nearby is the charming little town of Ilfracombe. Despite a few negative comments I had previously heard, I really really liked Ilfracombe. It's a fairly unspoiled Victorian seaside town with a scenic little harbour:

Interestingly, there is very little beach there as there are hills and rocks in the way, so a hundred years ago tunnels were dug through and pools created for the Victorian bathers. 'Tunnels Beaches' is an interesting place, and under the English summer sun took on the air of an Italian lido. Lovely!

A little less lovely was the neighbouring Cafe Blue. It was one of those cafe bars with stylish decor and a decent coffee machine that looks really nice - and it is - but at 2pm most of the menu was 'off' and I was left sitting over 30 minutes for a cheese sandwich when it wasn't that busy. The manager spent most of his time looking trendy on his Mac rather than sorting out the fiasco in the kitchen and the staff were unapologetic. Definitely one to miss.

But of course, being in Devon means that a cream tea is an absolute must. Opportunities present themselves on every corner to indulge, but a stone's throw from the harbour is where the locals and the fishermen go. Adeles Cafe (www.adelescafeilfracombe.co.uk) is well worth sniffing out for the fabulous service and the wonderful home-made cakes:

All in all a great time was had, and I wish I could have stayed longer and enjoyed the area in a bit more detail.

Bit it was time to roll and head to Baltic Wharf CC Site in Bristol. This year the site has had a change of wardens, and the new couple Mick and Lynn are absolutely lovely. Baltic Wharf is fabulous - great little site in a great location, and the flower display that Mick and Lynn have done is stunning… a kind of Bristolian version of the hanging gardens of Babylon.

I was there to do a 'pre-launch' job, so the caravan has been blacked out to honour embargoes.

From there it was time to head back home for a few days, and once again become at one with the washing machine.

Laundry done, we're back on the road for another six weeks. Aye, Life is Good!

Do I blog it?

2010-06-25T21:06:00.004+01:00

I've just enjoyed a three-week, non-commissioned HOLIDAY.

But the question remains, do I blog about it?

Rather than go into the tenuous detail, it's probably best to watch the video (bandwidth permitting) which you may see here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vIJmWAyol0

Very deliberately, the beauty spots that I discovered in the vid are not named.

So why the reticence to blog?

Things were very different this year to last.

The attraction of this magical corner of the country is its isolation and wild, laid-back feel. Before, it was possible to camp near much anywhere as long as the country code and common sense were employed.

The trouble is, too many people have got wind of it. One or two camper vans and a little caravan anyone can overlook for a couple of nights. But lots and lots of overcab motorhomes, tents, and sometimes caravans would turn up, plonk themselves in a beauty spot, and stay put on a 'free' holiday for weeks at a time. Some of the campers didn't care. There was evidence of fires being lit on the ground in some places, and at two wild camping spots I spent the first half hour with a plastic sack cleaning up rubbish. If I didn't do it, the locals would see it, and another area would ban wild camping.

And so it is that in two areas, wild camping has now been as good as banned. Caravans and motorhomes have to pay £10 per night to stay on a croft with running cold water and no other facilities. On one island you must drive your loo waste a few miles to be rid of it. On another island, your stay is limited by your loo capacity because all chemical toilet waste must be removed from the island.

Basically, the magic is going. I still had the most amazing time, but the days of wild camping in Scotland are numbered.

When I returned to the mainland, I stumbled upon what I believe to be the cause.

There is a forum-style website dedicated to camping in the UK for free. On it, people share information about wild camping spots. And here I think lies the problem.

Put anything on the internet, and you have no control over who sees it and who acts upon it. It's a lot different to meeting a nice couple on your travels who lead a respectable life and use a respectable outfit, and then sharing any information with them on a personal basis.

Numpties have been publicising the wild camping spots to everyone. Absolutely everyone. Including the irresponsible.

As these places get saturated with blaggers and freebie-searchers (as opposed to those who wish to camp freely and responsibly and spend the money they save in the local economy), wild camping gets banned.

I can see that as wild camping becomes banned in more places, the 'takers' will spread like a fungus to the places where it is still allowed, where their numbers and behaviour will lead to further bans until there is nowhere left to go other than a croft or a site.

The internet is a wonderful tool if used correctly. It is also highly destructive if used without care. I can see that the wild camping forum will kill the golden goose for all of us.

It's very sad. Enjoy camping freedom while it lasts. It may not last much longer thanks to the well-meaning folk who have not thought through the consequences of their good intentions.

A lesson learned

2010-06-15T19:28:00.003+01:00

When I was about 19, I ran my first caravan rally, for the Thomson Owners Club. Most rallies were around the Midlands which was always a schlep for me, so I ran my own rally in Kent over the Whitsun week to make people's journeys worthwhile. Loads of people said they would come, so I counted on about 12-15 vans.

After a raft of non-bookings and cancellations, I think we ended up with about 5 vans. I was so disappointed, but mainly because people had indicated that they were coming, even when they had no intention of doing so.

And so it was that I committed to a rally with a 'new' (to me) club in May, and duly booked my place. My first rally! How exciting.

But then the Airstream Gathering came along on exactly the same weekend. Dash and blast it! Mindful of the fact that I would not cancel my outstanding commitment despite a better offer coming along, off I toddled to my booked rally. I was a bit nervous to be honest.

I was booked on the rally field, but had received no pre-arrival letter or email telling me where to go, so I went to the site office. There, the warden was confused too. Half of the 'ralliers' were on site, and half were on the 'rally field', which turned out to be a car park as the rally field had been double-booked with a music festival.

There was no meet & greet from the organiser, no central meeting point, no nothing. So I booked myself in on the site and went off to find a pitch. Thankfully I had a friend already on site.

As I drove around looking for a pitch, there were lots of little groups of ralliers all pointing and staring, but none actually saying Hello. My friend R helped me to pitch, and two guys flew over and spoke to him, not me, saying how I should pitch my trailer. Eventually I introduced myself because I could bear it no longer. One guy gave his name in return, but the other just said 'hello', followed by a long period of silence.

Chatty guy then realises who I am, and rather than make me feel welcome on my first rally decides to have a pop that my life is '…one long holiday'.

Timing here was pretty poor. I had just finished a week of getting up early, doing a car and caravan test, driving to Stafford more times than I would care to remember, and having to share a car with a driver with limited social skills and BO that could kill flies within a 10 metre radius. So I wasn't really in the mood to be told that I don't actually work for a living.

The evening's social was held inside under fluorescent lights as established groups sat around tables. Myself and R just stood there. The hosts at last introduced themselves, telling me off because I hadn't parked on the rally field as arranged. I retorted about the lack of pre-arrival info. To which I was snorted at that I should have seen the signs. This is of course on top of towing an Airstream in a busy town, obeying the road signs, watching the traffic, checking the SatNav, and following directions in the Sites Directory.

Later, a past chairman is sent over to talk AT me for an hour about how hard it is for the club to get publicity in magazines.

Next morning, I fled. Yes, there were some nice people there. But I knew what I was missing with the Airstreamers.

Pre-arrival info, hugs on arrival, a completely chilled ambience, lovely people who didn't talk about my job, and the evening social was a shared barbecue and sitting outside around the blazing fire pit chatting until 2am.

What a difference.

High Onn Life!

2010-06-15T19:22:00.001+01:00

After a few days at home in May doing admin, it was time to set off for the summer. First port of call was High Onn Caravan Club Site in Staffordshire to do a caravan review. By design, Airstreaming friends John and Carole were on site.

Wine-fuelled evenings followed, and John was highly impressed with my new wood gas stove.

Carole had even got wind of my cream tea weakness and laid on fantastic home-made scones.

It was so lovely indeed to have friends next door to enjoy the down time at the end of a working day.

Woodgas Stove

2010-06-01T22:32:00.000+01:00

Mindful of the fact that I had run out of LPG in the Hebrides last year, I took delivery of a wood gas stove upon the recommendation of my dear friend and neighbour Mike.

It is ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT!

Mike also made me a froe and a mallet, and I bought a bowsaw, so I can chop up wood to use as fuel. It also uses things like pine cones, twigs, grass etc. In the Hebrides I may even try it on peat.

It works by a little fan in the underside that circulates the air and makes the most of the gas that the wood gives off, making for a very hot and smoke-free fire.

I got the XL model which is best for Airstreamers. Beats a gas barbie any day!

Purbeck Dreams

2010-06-01T22:19:00.002+01:00

Since the last entry, so much Airstreaming has been done there just hasn't been the time to sit and write about it!

So let's try and catch up by heading back to Dorset, at the beginning of May. A lovely week was spent on the Isle of Purbeck, which isn't really an island at all.

My favourite site in the area was the Caravan Club affiliated site at Smedmore House, which resembles a large CL. Great views, and great walks down to the beach.

On my way to the beach, I stopped and acquainted myself with my new neighbours:

Nearby is the 'Lost Village' of Tyneham. Evacuated in 1943, the residents were promised by the British Government that they would return when hostilities ceased. The Government broke their promise. The villagers have never been allowed to go back.

From my second site, another Club Site, I took the Swanage Railway and was hauled behind the steam locomotive 'Manston'. A lovely nostalgic trip:

Destination of the day was Corfe Castle itself. Highlight of the day was the cream tea taken in the NT's very own sunny tea room garden, enjoying uninterrupted views of the castle:

Later in the day, I headed off to meet a friend for dinner in Poole. Rather than drive direct I went to see Studland Bay at sunset, and take the chain ferry over to Sandbanks. A bit expensive for a 3 minute ride, but it certainly added to the sense of travel and occasion.

All in all, a lovely break indeed.

Back on the road again :-)

2010-05-02T23:05:00.002+01:00

First of all, an apology. You know that Icelandic volcano? It was my fault. Yup, all mine.

Thanks to the amazing weather we had after Easter, I washed and waxed the Airstream. And then the volcano blew, sending ash to the UK to do its best to dirty my efforts. Oh, and affect a few hundred thousand stranded air travellers.

After a quiet period in Kent, it was time to go further afield, and an important stop in the itinerary was to hook up with fellow Airstreamers Pete and Tracey, who are fulltiming in their 684.

I went over to their trailer about three times a day, and every time they just happened to be cooking... breakfast, brunch, afternoon tea... my timing was impeccable. I was fed for three days.

One evening I returned the favour with a curry at mine. It was lovely to spend a couple of days relaxing and unwinding with good friends.

And now the proper touring season commences. HURRAH!

Ensconsed

2010-04-01T23:42:00.004+01:00

Thanks for the well-wishes. My telephone persistence paid off and I managed to get a cancellation on a CC Site... and in the nick of time, too, as another local CC site has had to close due to flooding. I think there will be a lot of disappointed caravanners this weekend. A bottle of vino for the nice warden I think.

Luckily I'm not one of the disappointed ones. Chilling around the firepit in the countryside may have to wait a few more weeks, but right now I am simply enjoying being in my Airstream and all is well with the world...

Homeless but hopeful

2010-03-31T14:02:00.003+01:00

Plans for an Airstreaming Easter at a secluded CL have just been dashed. The owner has phoned me and cancelled my booking because the ground is too wet... as it is in all the CLs in the area.

So here I am, 24 hours to go until the big Easter exodus hits the roads, and I have nowhere to park my Airstream in the locality that I need to be in. All the sites with hardstandings are fully booked, so all I do now is sit and spend all day on the phone hoping that someone, somewhere, cancels their booking...

The Airstream Song

2010-03-22T14:43:00.003Z

Easter can't come soon enough. Despite having heaps to do, I keep rattling around the house, staring out of the window, and dreaming... on the road to the next adventure with my Airstream in tow... kitesurfing on a remote beach... sitting around the fire pit outside the Airstream sharing a bottle of wine with friends as the sun goes down... Bring it on!

In the meantime I've found the Airstream song on YouTube.

The Airstream Song

Live the dream! :-)

Oh, blast and botheration!

2010-03-18T17:27:00.003Z

This time last year I took the plunge and bought my dream truck, a 2007 Nissan Navara Outlaw. In silver, naturally. It had 14,000 miles on the clock and I got it for a good price.

It's a fab car and I really like it. But I kind of now wish I'd gone for the Aventura with the leather seats and SatNav and a decent stereo.

But. Those horrid people at Nissan have just announced a facelifted Navara with a 3.0 v6 engine, delivering 238bhp compared to the weedy 175 I get from my Nav. AND it manages lower emissions.

Slight technical problem is that I can't afford it.

But I NEED it! :-)

Challenge Pegasus

2010-03-13T11:26:00.003Z

OK, it's not an Airstream. But it's a fun adventure had in a trailer, so it almost counts.

In December, Bailey Caravans asked me to take one of their Pegasus caravans to the coldest site I could manage. The Pegasus has Grade 3 insulation (superior to most other) so I took both it and my parents to Camping Gravas in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, which is a campsite at an altitude of 5000ft.

You can see the video about it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXRE6rkt1MQ

Itchy tyres

2010-03-13T11:13:00.002Z

I've been without my Airstream for a while, having agreed to allow it to be shown at the NEC show in February. Any excuse for a valet...

Keeping the trailer as light as possible is a priority for me, and because I move on so much I like to be as unencumbered as possible. As such, my large cupboard in the buffet is normally empty.

Over the summer, my wonderful neighbours, who own a woodland, gave me some wood for the fire pit. Where did I store it? Yup, in the empty cupboard. It made a great log store and kept the wood dry.

Boy oh boy did I get a 'telling off' from the guys at Airstream Europe! ;-) MH was horrified that I had abused my trailer so, and politely suggested that maybe I should use a proper receptacle to hold the wood.

Suitably ashamed, and keen to keep the newly-scrubbed cupboards looking at their best, I bought some of that rubbery liner stuff, and upon getting my trailer back spent a while lining everything before re-packing.

It was so lovely to move back into my trailer. But I'm away working now doing live-in reviews for the magazine, so the Airstream awaits Easter and the beginning of another six months on the road.

I seriously can't wait!

Spring is in the air!

2010-02-17T22:39:00.002Z

Despite the fact that if you look hard enough there is still snow on the ground, spring is definitely in the air. The sun is that bit higher in the sky, the evenings are drawing in just that little bit later, and the bulb shoots are starting to push their way through.

Today I have been doing one of my favourite low-season activities: Looking at the calendar and planning. Not planning as in booking sites, but planning as in starting to decide where I would like to go. I have eased my workload for 2010 and am looking forward to a lot more Airstreaming over the coming year.

I am very, very excited!

Silver Season's Greetings!

2009-12-26T22:05:00.002Z

In order to get away from the stresses and strains of the pre-Christmas madness, I took a sanity break in my Airstream.

It was just what the doctor ordered. WAY too short, but far better than no break at all.

Merry Christmas one and all.

Lifted

2009-11-11T22:31:00.003Z

I don't mind admitting that after looking forward to going home at the end of summer, I got a little bit down in the dumps. Nothing major, just boring stuff.

Having towed the Airstream for three hours on Monday to a site, I spent yesterday driving a total of five hours to do a job near Manchester. As the miles passed and Radio 2 entertained, I felt calm, peaceful, happy, and hopeful. Being on the road makes me feel good.

My life has wheels.

Reunited

2009-11-09T21:55:00.006Z

It's that time of year again. Hibernation time. Well, a lot of us would hibernate if we could, but we can't. So we make do with long evenings snuggled up on the sofa.

But a man has to work for a living.

I had to get off my sofa, collect my trailer, and get back to work.

It was a struggle to leave home. But as I clapped eyes on my bright and shiny Airstream glinting in the strong winter sunlight, my spirits lifted beyond measure. Motorway miles were passed with one eye trained on the object of my desire in the rear view mirror, my tired brain finding somewhere the seeds of ideas for exciting new trips next year.

You don't get this kind of lift, motivation, inspiration, and energy with something that is simply functional. This is why I love my Airstream.

NEC Meltdown

2009-10-20T23:33:00.003+01:00

Last week was the big Caravan Show at Birmingham's NEC.

Airstream Europe was there, as was Sam & Hazel's Vintage Airstreams.

It was HEAVING!

The world and his wife have decided that Leisure Vehicles are the way forward.

By the end of the show everybody looked knackered and deleriously happy. One of the guys at Airstream was smiling so much that if he had two mouths his head would have fallen off.

Meanwhile Sam and Hazel have a veritable procession of interested parties arranging a visit.

One manufacturer alone generated £12million worth of sales.

This truly is a golden time for the caravan industry and it's great to be part of it!

Wales take 2!

2009-10-12T22:07:00.004+01:00

After dropping off my Airstream, I overnighted in a press caravan before picking up my home for the following week. For a start, can you imagine exactly what planning has to go in to taking everything you need for a week (including bedding, crocks and cutlery) but not too much so it doesn't fit into the car? It's a headache to say the least.

Anyhow, soon I was at Nottingham picking up my next van, a Dethleffs Campy:

It's a fab little tourer! Only 12ft long yet packs in a fixed bed, dinette, wardrobe, garage space, washroom, kitchen and a wardrobe. It's a bit basic with no hot water or shower, but its low price and low weight reflect that. Best of all I had a 2.0 142bhp VW Golf - in red - to tow it with all week. Fabulous!

First stop was Shaftesbury to do a review. Then it was back to Wales to Aberaeron where I enjoyed doing the touristy stuff.

Leaving there, I headed to Nant-Yr-Arian forest to do some mountain biking on my favourite trail, the Pendam trail. It's only 10k and is challenging enough to be great fun without being too much or too long.

Next stop was a campsite called Tyllwyd in Cwmystwyth, inland from Aberystwyth and Devil's Bridge. I have to say that it is my favourite campsite ever. I went there with the Airstream in August and loved it then, apart from being eaten alive by midges. This time I had the whole site to myself and had AMAZING weather... and no midges.

That night I went out to the car just after midnight and noticed that the moonlight was illuminating the entire valley. I had to grab my camera and tripod...

Amazing. The next couple of days were spent doing research and photos before hooning back to Nottingham, dropping off the car and the Campy, then hooning up to Tebay to collect the Airstream.

It was bliss to be back in my trailer and have all my goods and chattels in one place. After overnighting at the depot, it was a LONG 11 hour trip (including breaks) for a brief weekend at home to de-summer the trailer (remove outdoor furniture, second battery etc) and change the clothing and bedding to winter stuff.

And now we're back on the road for the last working trip of the 'summer' season. But there will be plenty of trips over the winter too :-)

Wales, take 1!

2009-10-12T21:43:00.007+01:00

Lucky me, I went to Wales not once but twice in September.

Trip number one took me to Snowdonia. Despite having charged through a few times, it was the first time I stayed there for a week and my head soon spun at just how much there is to do in the area.

It was nice to meet up with a prospective Airstreamer, Greg, who was renting a cottage nearby. He came over for dinner a few times and we did a daytrip or two.

One of our trips was to the Centre for Alternative Technology in Machynlleth. It makes for an interesting day out, and one of the nice things is that some of the ideas presented range from what you can implement that very evening at home to how you can completely replan your life. The nice PR lady explained that they are now suffering a bit of a dilemma. What was ground-breaking environmental technology 5 years ago is commonplace today. So some of the exhibits show what everyone now does rather than what we could be doing. It's good in a way, but of course renewing stuff for the sake of it isn't really green.

Next morning I headed to Coed-y-Brenin which is one of the premier Mountain Bike Centres in the UK. I had a great ride on one of the trails, and as I was there at 7am I had the place to myself.

I also had an interesting visit to a slate mine museum which provided a fascinating insight into the roots of modern Welsh culture. I would loved to have done some more trips like ride the steam railways, but I was 'working' and had to press on to my next site at Caernarfon.

I really liked Caernarfon. Of course, it's always a bonus when the town is a 10 minute stroll from the site. A beautiful little harbour guarded by a majestic castle that commanded fabulous views of Snowdon.

I wanted to climb that hill, but sadly the day after I snapped this pic the clouds rolled in and it didn't seem sensible to do the ascent on my own, and I didn't fancy the £25 on taking a diesel train up there just to stand in cloud. So 'Climbing Snowdon' is now on my to-do list.

From there it was a mad dash to Tebay to drop off the Airstream for its annual service. My next trip to Wales was going to have a different flavour...

Sno.Mobi

2009-09-21T22:29:00.005+01:00

Apologies about the inconsistent timeline...

After the Isle of Wight, but before the Airstream rally, I nipped up to Alderstead Heath Caravan Club Site. 'Oh, we've got another one of those on site' said the warden, gesticulating at my Airstream. So. much to the assistant warden's surprise, I passed on my favourite pitch in order to set up opposite the other trailer...

This 1966 Overlander has been shipped over and worked upon by its owner Richard. Together with his gorgeous family, Richard was en route to France and Switzerland to promote his super website sno.mobi. It's a website all about ski resorts especially suited to mobile phones and it's pretty stonking.

Naturally, there was a wine-fuelled Airstreaming Evening involved... :-)

Airstream Meet, Forest of Dean, Sept 2009

2009-09-17T22:52:00.011+01:00

After a quick job that involved staying at Bath (at a site where your caravan is valet parked!) it was time to head to the Forest of Dean for the Autumn 09 Airstream meet.

13 units attended in total, including some fabulous old classics.

It was lovely to catch up with friends old and new

The weather was very, very kind

But all too soon Sunday came and it was time for the farewells to begin... at least until next year!

All in all a fabulous weekend. Thank you Pete and Tracey!

Osborne House, Isle of Wight

2009-09-17T22:35:00.006+01:00

My last full day on the Isle of Wight, and on the spur of the moment I decided to pay a visit to Osborne House, the holiday home of Queen Victoria.

For some reason I had a very strong urge to go.

Why?

After all, I'm not overstruck on Stately Piles and not a fan of Victoriana in the slightest.

But I ended up having a fantastic day. I felt very happy and comfortable there... not at all as I imagined I'd find it. Very strange.

I loved the gardens.

Down by the Swiss Cottage were the gardens where the young royalty were taught real life skills.

Such a pretty yet productive garden made me miss a garden of my own.

The curators throughout were all very helpful and knowledgeable.

I was one of the last to leave.

A wonderful day. I would definitely go again.

Wight Trash

2009-09-15T16:56:00.010+01:00

WARNING: This posting contains graphic images of a cream tea. Continue at your peril.

Early this month it was time to head to the Isle of Wight..

So last week I arrived in Portsmouth to get the ferry to Fishbourne. As the ferry drew up, I set up the camera to get a possible stock shot of a caravan disembarking, but instead this was the feast for my senses:

What fun!

Boarding was effortless and drama-free (CalMac take note) and as the ferry pulled out of Pompey I was impressed with what I saw of the Waterfront. It certainly looks an awful lot better than the 60s monstrosity of a city centre that I remember from my last visit.

The weather was glorious and due to break that night, so time was very short to get decent snaps in. What didn't help was getting lost on the way to the site and the SatNav trying to take me down roads with a 6ft 6in width restriction. It wasn't a great introduction to the island. And the signage here is APPALLING! The other day I was following signs to Yarmouth, then suddenly just for a laugh they changed to Totland (where?), then back to Yarmouth...

Anyhow, once set up I went out to snap the site and came across this scene which made me titter (check the car registration):

It was then time to rush off to the last couple of hours of the steam fair.

I managed to set up a feature on a couple the following day, and as the show was finishing one young couple and their baby headed off with their engine and caravan:

It was SO sweet. Lovely young couple, little baby, steam engine, and a 'pig pen' caravan in tow. Just so adorable. Obviously the guy loved his engine, and his partner shared his enthusiasm. Hey ho, moving on...

From there I went to The Needles, an interesting rock formation that leads into the sea off the West Coast of the Island.

As it was nearly 9pm before getting back to the Airstream, I used a little iPhone magic to find and order a curry from the nearest Tandoori. It was, without a doubt, the second worst curry I have ever tasted. The worst was at Ellesmere Port in March. The Dansak was sickly sugary sweet, and the Naan bread like crispy overcooked rubber. The sag aloo and rice were OK though, but I didn't bother saving any for the next day. Ugh, it was horrible.

The next day was less sunny but it was windy! Hurrah! After working most of the day I went to a place called Yaverland, North of Sandown on the East Coast to kitesurf, and it was OK. The beach was nice but the wind had massive holes in it so I was either bobbing up and down in the water or completely and utterly overpowered on my 12m. I came in just before a squall, and as I sat in my truck with the rain lashing down reflected on the the session: 'Well, it's alright, but it's not a patch on the Hebrides...'

So on Wednesday after doing some work I headed for a beach on the SW side of the island hoping the wind would be cleaner. The rain was lashing down and I was suffering with severe motivation issues when I arrived, but some local guys were out and they were very friendly and chatty, so with my confidence boosted I went out on my 12m.

OH MY FLIBBERTYGIBBERTED GOODNESS!

It was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!

Being slightly overpowered, but not too much so, I did some HE-YOOGE jumps and landed them OK. The waves were fabulous and there was just ramp after ramp of the good stuff. I was, as they say, stoked.

I went back and made my own curry which was stonkingly delicious. What a great day!

Thursday I wanted more of same but had some stuf to do first. When I got to the beach it was deserted but I set up anyway. But then a squall came through and I ended up sheltering under the kite like a tent, lying in the damp black sand in my wetsuit with the rain hammering down. It was quite cosy actually...

Eventually I got out and had yet another amazing session. It was absolutely brilliant and eventually came in as everything started to ache, and at this point all the locals arrived after work:

Friday was an assignment I was looking forward to: To find the Ultimate Island Cream Tea. All in the name of research, you understand! And by gum did I find it:

Naturally, I only bought it to photograph it, but once the snaps were done it would have been a shame to waste it...

From there it was back to Brook Chine and again I was the only one out, but it was another great session.

Saturday was the 'Panic' day when I had to go out and do heaps and heaps of research, but sadly for personal reasons my head wasn't in a great place to deal with such banalities. I dreared around nice places like the Ventnor Botanical Gardens whereas usually I'd enjoy such a trip immensely. By the time I got to the beach the tide was so low that rocks were exposed all over the shop. I just went home and wrote copy.

Sunday and it was time to move on to the next site....

To be continued...

Fantastic weekend!

2009-09-14T15:38:00.002+01:00

Still waiting for that elusive 3G hook-up, but in the meantime a taster of the fantastic weekend that the UK Airstreamers enjoyed in the Forest of Dean.

Almost the Airstream weekend!

2009-09-10T22:26:00.004+01:00

I'm terribly excited. I'm on my way to the second UK Airstream gathering that takes place this coming weekend in the Forest of Dean.

*VERY* excited!

Mobile internet. Ugh!

2009-09-10T22:21:00.002+01:00

I've got so much to upload and report about a fabulous trip to the Isle of Wight. But I can't ever seem to get a decent 3G internet connection, and life is WAY too short to try and upload images on 2G. It will just have to wait. This is the problem with mobile internet... 3G is generally only available in densely populated areas, in other words the kind of areas where you won't find a caravan site!

Welcome!

2009-09-10T21:29:00.000+01:00

Welcome to my all new and shiny blog about my Adventures with my Airstream. I've decided to dedicate a blog to my Airstreaming life and keep my other one personal. It transpires that a lot of people are interested in the lifestyle (and who can blame them?) and this is one way to keep followers up-to-date without having to trawl through a load of irrelevant tosh.

For reasons of security, postings may be a few weeks 'old' before going live, as I will always have moved on before saying where I was. I'm sure that's understandable.

If I get time, I'll go back some day and link to older blog postings about my travels, but for now this will be the default Airstream Adventures channel.

It's a great life. And it's a pleasure to have your company.