Camping..ish !

The word, or should I say words, 'motor home', can, for most ( me included ) conjure up nightmarish thoughts of engine failure, leaks on rainy afternoons, sleeping conditions similar to that of a squirrel and of course major toilet disasters. All those thoughts have been banished after a weekend spent in said vehicle.
Jason and Sarah arrived in our 'home' for the next few days, we bid the children ( not happy children ! ) farewell and shot off, guilt ridden, destined for Newquay.
The hats were donned, captains and co-captains, and we were soon trundling down the highway. Then disaster struck, after no more than 25 minutes the passengers needed a refreshment break, we had to pull in to a lay-by and pour several large G and T's ( very good for travel sickness ! ).
Eventually we arrived at our site, it took a lot longer than it should have because the 'Sat-Nav lady' with the heavy American accent decided to say left every time we needed to turn right!. Once there we hooked up the 'lecky', set up the BBQ, and started to enjoy camping life - although, judging by the looks we got from several people struggling with there tents, our luxury Motorhome complete with flat screen TV and lounging area was really cheating the 'camping experience'.
Oh well!, the decision was made to take it 'easy' on the first night and so we dug in, threw the Tesco Finest 'sausers' on, tossed the salad, cooked the pork to perfection, gave the chicken an extra boost in our on board 'power oven', and finally took in the liquid refreshments.
It was a good laugh sat outside, and when, eventually, we decided to go indoors it was reassuring to turn on 'Johnny Ross' just to have on in the background!!!!. A full play through of both couples i-pods rounded off the night before it was time to head to bed. Jas and Sarah slept in the top double bunk for the first night whilst 'the wife' and I chose our bunks at the other end.
Shutting yourself away in these dens for a good nights sleep is the way forward!!. It wasn't to be though, as Jas decided that we should all get up at 7.30 because he was hot!!. He had been up since five fidgeting whilst we were dead to the world in our 'den's'
A full fry-up followed, then it was time to 'do' Newquay. It was here that the first major setback occurred. No one would go in the sea !!. It was left to me, board in hand and obligatory wetsuit undone half way, to toddle off down to the waters edge and then fight the waves, fall off a lot and drink gallons of sea water - I did it well and thanks again Jas for abandoning me at the last hurdle ( What rhymes with lickin, lays oval objects and has feathers ?).
On my return, two hours later, we jumped on the 'tuk tuk' which dropped us back in to town, where a spot of lunch and a few well deserved 'Reds' eased the pain. Next stop, whether it was this alcoholic boost that helped or not, Sarah decided to get a new tattoo.
We entered the parlour and before you could say "a tattoo is for life, not just for Christmas" Sarah had braved the needle and Fiona's 'supportive' banter and was the proud recipient of a new 'stars' design tattoo on her foot. It looked great, although Jas couldn't help but look resentful as he wanted a 'full sleeve' doing - we would have still been there now I think!.
I then realised the guy at the surf shop had kept my card, did a two mile doggy, and had another blast in the Tuk Tuk, before we all returned home, back to base.
A quick shower and we headed back to town for a night out ( a traumatic journey on a bus with a stalker sat next to Fiona ) . Anyway, in no particular order, four bars, four clubs, some 90's house music, lot's of 'shots', a bizarre but successful quiz machine interval, a midnight Indian, more 'shots', champers in a bistro, and some epic dance moves then followed. We got back to base, revisited the i-pods, and then crashed into our respective beds for some mush needed sleep.
Early start again as, no names mentioned, someone had a 'movement', Sarah !!.
We then unhooked the 'lecky' and drove to a nice spot for another full 'brekkie', before heading home. The combination of drinking, and having two fry-ups and an Indian the night before meant that the on board members felt like they were licking salt on the return journey but, all in all, it had been a top trip.
Apart from the 'major' after effects of Jas having had an Indian and a chilli in the same day, and the lack of a surf buddy, it was a brilliant laugh.
With that in mind, the warmth, the TV, the beds, the fridge, the lounge, the shower, the toilet, the oven, what have we decided to do as a family in around a week.....yes you have guessed it, we are going camping with a tent!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
Fiona will pack the GHD's, the duvets, lots of food, a few bottles of plonk, and of course the tent, and, while me and the children zip up the tent at night, she will be rolling back the covers and relaxing with hello magazine in one hand and a 'Kir royal' in the other at the nearest decent hotel!!!!.

P.S Pics to follow tomorrow


CH