My first away days

I bought Leftie from a couple in their eighties who live in Scotland. I travelled up by train and met them at Perth. I went to fill the fuel tank only to discover the lock on the tank wouldn't open. Mr Wallis suggested we try some WD 30. I suggested we pushed the boat out and buy some WD 40. Being a canny Scott he stood back whilst I went and bought it!! The WD 40 worked it’s magic. It is said the whole World runs on two things, Gaffer tape & WD 40. If it doesn't move & should, use WD 40, If it moves & should't use Gaffer tape. This was despite the fact I’d just handed over just almost £16,000. Hey Ho. My first drive was a little unnerving as I have never driven a left hand drive vehicle or anything that big! The roads ( Motorway ) was quite busy, and it began raining heavily. There seemed no point booking onto a site as I had no equipment. I decided instead to overnight at a motorway service station near Preston. As things worked out I have a good friend living not 10 miles from Preston and so spent my fist night in Leftie wild camping on the Promenade in Fleetwood having borrowed a sleeping bag & a whisky glass, I was lulled to sleep to the sound of seagulls and the effects of a large small whisky. The journey home the next day was thankfully uneventful.

               I decided for first short outing I would book a site close by in the village of Holmfirth, a place I lived in for over 30 years. My thinking was if anything went wrong I was amongst friends. The truth is my first trip away wasn’t a great success, it was early January and it was cold and very wet the whole three days I was there. No matter it gave me the chance to try things out and find what worked and what didn't.

                My second foray was a trip to Leisure Power near Warrington to have a satellite dome fitted. As I was by now a member of the Caravan & Camping club, enabling me to book on one of their sites ( Laylands farm campsite in Kenyon). I have a Tom Tom sat nav but realised when I went to connect it I had left the lead from the sat nav to the 12volt socket on the dashboard at home. Unfortunately I chose a particularly wet and windy week to be off motor homing. I arrived at the said site to find I was on a grass pitch which after days of rain was in fact a mud pitch, undaunted I set about settling down for the night. I pugged my electric  cable into the supply only to find it didn't work! Was it me or the box? It was now dark and I couldn't raise anyone at reception. Oh well I thought I have my battery for lights etcetera and could manage without radio, fan heater or TV for one night. On to making an evening meal ( Chicken Casserole )  off I went to turn on the gas. Success I'm cooking on gas, but unfortunately,only for about 20 mins, then the flame died and left me with an uncooked meal. It was by now raining heavily so I went to the gas locker to investigate as there where two bottles, alas both empty! Thank you Mr Wallis. That was nearly the last straw, no electric, no gas. No evening meal, could things get worse? Oh yes they could, as I was closing the gas locker door is slipped out of my hand and on its way down knocked off my glasses which I then stood on and broke whilst trying to find them in the dark (Torch is top of the shopping list, after gas that is) now I know all you seasoned campers will be shaking your heads. How can anyone be so ill prepared for a trip away. My only excuse is I'm on a very steep learning curve. It was by now almost 9 pm. Good night all. Please let tomorrow be a better day.