9th March 2011 Poole, Dorset – Van Service

The annual pilgrimage to Essanjay (Fiat Professionals who specialise in Motorhomes) was undertaken yesterday and we’re now sat in a pub writing up this blog, while HMS Robyn is being serviced, mechanically speaking!

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March started on a positive note as the weather is improving and we’re on the final leg of our Oxford contract – never again will we work the winter, ‘nuff said!

I (Angela) have been able to see my wonderful brother quite a few times and it’s been great just spending time with him, talking about nothing.  I visited London last week and had lunch with him, and he came up to Oxford to visit mum and do a few odd jobs for her so we were able to see him yesterday too. When we’re in Hereford hopefully we’ll be able to get the train down to London a few times to see him, maybe Heike his wife will be in the country too…

We’ve also managed to go and see Bill and Marion at their home, Angela’s aunt and uncle who made the effort to come and see us when we were in Inverewe.  They both looked great and are still the same lovely couple I’ve loved since I was a child.  You always receive such a warm welcome when you visit and we always turn up unannounced!

Last Sunday we borrowed John & Manda’s car (Ruby) to take a load of stuff home…and bring our camping gear back. We plan to go away on the motorbike in Hereford and camp overnight in wonderful countryside so we needed the blow up beds, tent and gas stove. Dean had to come and collect me from work and then we went for dinner at theirs for around 5pm.  Dean’s mum was in attendance, starving as she got the times wrong and thought dinner was earlier.

Later that evening we tried (and failed) to Skype Hollie and Tom who have just moved to Caister in Norfolk.  We don’t think Broadband has reached the East Coast yet, or maybe they just weren’t peddling hard enough… ;-)  They are a wonderful couple and we hope their life is filled with happy experiences. 

They’ve had the courage to make the change for a better life and we’re so proud of them, as we are of ‘Little Dean’ who will also be setting out on life’s big adventure in November, to travel the world starting in Thailand.

About Dean

Angela and I decided that there was more to life than working hard to keep up the payments on the mortgage, to pay the gas, electric, phone bills etc. etc. SO............ In 2008 we sold our house, I initially took a year off (Unpaid) and Angela handed in her notice! We bought a motorhome and set off for a year of travelling! This was the best thing we had done in our lives (Apart from getting married) and we have no regrets. During the year I managed to secure a redundancy package which felt very strange. Almost sad as I had worked for the same company for 19 years (BT). It was always our plan to have a whole year off before thinking about the 'W' word. We began applying to the Camping and Caravanning Club (CCC) for the position of Holiday site assistants in August 2009. After the interview, work experience and induction we were finally given a contract at the CCC site in Inverewe (Scotland). Our plan is to work through the summer in the UK then head to Europe to overwinter before coming back to work the following summer season. Hopefully these few words and our blog will inspire others to get off the hamsters wheel and see that there is more to live than having a house and material things. A cliche I know but this is not a rehearsal, life is too short!!! Since our first contract in Scotland we have worked a winter contract in Oxford (never again!) not Oxford but a winter contract. Hereford for two years, living in a yurt for one! And Cornwall. In between our working we have also travelled a bit. Hopefully this website will give you an insight into our alternative lifestyle. Get out there and live the dream!
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One Response to 9th March 2011 Poole, Dorset – Van Service

  1. paul & ffiona says:

    Hiya Guys 🙂
    Curious to know why you wouldn’t want to work winter again?
    Our plan is to work summer and hit Spain for the winter, BUT, we might not be able to afford to do that every year and might need to do winter work to make the budget stretch.
    Whats the problem?

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