On April 16th 2021, we have our first trip out with Lulu this year- and BREATHE!
After the first quarter we’ve had this year we can’t wait to get back out and about, away from work, away from home, away from incessantly ringing phones.
We head for The Brecon Beacons, (there are currently still some restrictions in place in Wales, and it’s less than an hour for our front door to the site).
Unusually for us, we are pretty organised! The cupboards are stocked with food and goodies, we have just the right amount of clothes (not our usual going for two nights let’s pack for eight!), fuel tank is full, and Marley can’t wait to get in the van, I think he’s missed Lulu as much as we have. Just time to fill the fridge and the water tank and we’re off!
DISASTER!?
Everything is great! The sun is shining, Marley is snoring, the traffic is light, and then…
“Oh my God! The temperature gauge just went through the roof!” “What do you mean!?” “The engine temperature! Look at the gauge, it’s all the way up!” and 19 minutes into a 47 minute journey we pull into a layby to see what the ‘eck is going on.
Any time the van stops the dog has to wee, so I’m doing turns around the layby with him, while Kev gets the bonnet open on Lulu. “I don’t see how it can be overheating, we haven’t driven far enough” says I with, all my years working as a mechanic behind me (NOT!) “I know, but look at it!”. As soon as we restart the engine the temperature returns to “molten lava”. “We’ll give it a few minutes and see what happens”. Nothing in the engine seems to be amiss, it’s not hot, the expansion tank is so cool we can touch it, there is no steam or smoke, all the hoses look intact, there are no drips or leaks.
Closing the bonnet we decide to carry on, whilst keeping a close eye on the rogue gauge etc. The temperature starts off fine, shoots back up to magma, hovers between balmy and earths core for a while, then settles on normal for the final 28 minutes of the drive. Go figure!
PHEW! AND BREATHE!
Arriving on site at around 7:30, we call the number on the closed reception door and are met by a member of the C&MC team. After choosing our pitch, we make our way around the site and get set up on pitch 79, which is almost dead flat. Lulu is safely installed, the kettle is on, Marley has assumed his favourite position, nose out of the open van door, and peace descends like a comforting, sunny blanket. Phew, and breathe!
I get dinner on, while Kev takes Marley out for his pre-dinner walk, and we settle in with veggie hot dogs and a couple of beers, and catch up with some of our favourite youtubers.
IT’S A COLD ONE!
It’s an interesting night!
Marley gets me up at 1:30, then again at 3:30 and it’s COLD! I always take my trusty Croc flip flops for out night forays, their easy to slip on and I don’t mind if I get wet feet, it’s better that wet shoes, but by the end of our second walk I can’t feel my toes! I creep back into bed, only for Kev’s regular Saturday morning work alarm to go off at 5:30 AAARGH! Back to sleep again, only for Marley to get me back up at 6:30!
Now fully light, it’s a bright, crisp April morning. As we reach the dog walk, me in my fleecy PJ bottoms, tee shirt, sweatshirt, padded jacket, and flipflops, we meet another dog walker dressed only in shorts, a tee shirt, and flip flops! I feel a little overdressed, if I’m honest, but it turns out the overnight low was -6, so maybe not! No wonder my feet were cold!
It’s a beautiful day, and we’re in no hurry. We have our usual breakfast of bacon rolls, followed by a second breakfast of pain au chocolat and good, strong coffee, (because why not!?), and get ready for a stroll into town.
BRECON
After a slightly hair raising dash across the A40 (yikes!) we reach the Brecon & Monmouth canal path. It is an easy pleasant walk into Brecon along the path, the route is lovely and, obviously, flat, and busy this morning with cyclists and walkers, couples and families, and something about it all just makes it feel as if the world has slowed down, calm and peaceful.
Reaching the centre of town, it all suddenly becomes quite peopley! Thinking about it I realise that we probably haven’t been in a busy town since our Yorkshire adventure last year. Before Christmas last year we went into Carmarthen (our closest large town) to do some shopping, but had to cut it short to get something over to the guys servicing Lulus Webasto heater, so we didn’t really see it at it’s busiest. I’m not sure I like it!
There is a bit of a scary moment when Marley gets one of his back feet stuck in a storm drain without Kev noticing. Luckily I’m behind him, and stopped them before they went any further, or it could have been awful.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH
Having decided that’s more than enough excitement for one day, we make our way to The Hours bookshop, on Ship Street, our favourite café in town and grab a couple of take away coffees to drink on the canal side. When we got there we spotted the Moon & Back coffee truck. Apologising for having bought our coffee elsewhere, we opt instead for a couple of her cappuccino brownies (YUMMY!), and a pack of ground coffee for the van, and sit for a while, watching the boats and ducks meandering up and down the water. Bliss!
With an equally relaxing stroll back, meting most of the same people we’d passed on the way in, we make our way back to the site and settle in for the rest of the day.
By the time we get back to Lulu the temperature has risen enough for us to sit outside. Awning out, Marley tethered on the grass, and a couple of cold ones, and life really can’t get much better. Marley is getting a little hot and fractious, so we pop him back in the van, where he happily sits watching the world go by, unit the evening cools and we return to the comfort of the van, and settle in for dinner.
With the veggie fajitas scoffed, we have another quiet evening, and an earlyish night, following the disturbances the night before. Marley, shattered from his walk, sleeps through until 7:30, a first I think!
LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT ONE
All in all this was a close to the perfect weekend as we’ve had so far and, to top it off the WAVING!! We had more waves in a two night stay, less than an hour from home, than in most of our 10 day, 600 mile trip last year. One van even waved at us first! I will continue to wave at all and sundry, motorhomes, horse boxes, delivery vans, you name it I’ve waved at it, and it still makes me childishly happy when they wave back.
Our next trip is two weeks from now, over the Mayday bank holiday. Still close to home, but three nights with a (hopefully) open pub or three in easy walking distance!
Until then, thank you for sticking with us, and safe happy travels to you all!
Love Mags, Kev, and Marley X