roemin around

Pleasant sunny morning as we left for home at about 11.00. We stopped on the M5 for a quick lunch and we continued home arriving just as it was getting dark. Unloaded the presents from Jean together with all the motor homing essentials and drained the tanks. This was the last trip of the season - mission accomplished.    

must be the market square We went back to Jeans and Alan drove us into Carmarthen for a few hours shopping and a look round Camarthen. The nice smart shopping centre has been finished since we were there last year. shop till you drop Bought some presents for Jean, Alan and Adam, mostly clothes, then we had some lunch in the market before returning in time for Adam to get home from school. Introduced to 'Cawl' a sort of Welsh soup with lamb and vegetables  ( recipe here ) . Rosemary and Jean cooked a Thai curry between them for supper and we retreated to the peace and quiet of the caravan site.

After a frosty night we planned to make an early start, but we had a visit from a university student doing research into caravanning for her thesis. Needless to say Rosemary had plenty to tell her (!) so we were a bit late leaving. It was a very blustery drive westward along the M4 with near gale force gusts. I stopped at the outlet centre near Bridgend for a coffee - Rosemary stopped to look for bargains. I think I was more successful. We arrived mid afternoon at Pembrey CC site which also had only six 'happy' campers. The wind had dropped, but heavy rain was forecast, so we found an open pitch and then went straight off to see Jean.      

one of the few Last outing of the year was to deliver the Christmas presents to Jean and family in Wales. We stopped about half way at the CC site near Cardiff (Trevanaugh House). There were only four motorhomes and two caravans on site. The wardens had never known it to be so quiet at this time of the year, as it is usually busy with Christmas shoppers who come from all over Wales.  We were even allowed to use the disabled pitches near the facilities block.

After a cold starry night we woke up with a slight frost on the ground. Compared to last year, when there was snow on the ground and we had to wait half an hour for my windscreen wiper motor to thaw out, this was a minor inconvenience. In fact we had dry sunny weather for the whole stay, amazing considering its the end of November. (PS As I write this blog it is now pouring with rain and blowing a gale outside)  Farmers market at visitor centre We went back to the visitor centre and picked up a few things for Christmas presents and some Cox's apples from the Sandringham estate before setting off for home.  With a little time to spare we detoured thru Kings Lynn, which turned out to be a bit of a non-event, so we shopped at Sainsburys near Peterborough before arriving home around 4 o'clock. More photos here  in WebAlbum

A view point on the scenic drive Mike and Margaret were leaving on Sunday so we helped them pack up and get away before the 12 noon deadline and then we walked up to the Sandringham House visitor centre. The path goes up past the C&CC site which is closed at this time of the year and joins the road for the last mile. The scenic drive was closed to traffic but open to pedestrians so we detoured around 'the scenery' which must be really nice when the Rhododendrons are out in spring. Rosemary spotted a few reasons why we needed to return to the visitor centre shop on our way home, so we just had a toasted beef and horseradish sandwich and coffee for lunch. Fungi in the woods We returned the more direct way along Queens drive and back through the woods spotting fungi. Two young deer leaped across our path but they were too quick for my camera (or me) needless to say. Arrived back on site, after a nice 5 miles walk, just as the sun was disappearing beh...

Quayside with tree and sea We scanned the local papers for somewhere to go on Saturday and found that Santa was arriving by boat to switch on the Christmas lights at Wells next the Sea, so off we went to witness the event. Unfortunately Santa had to wait for the high tide, which was not until well after dark and we could not hang around all that time. However it was nice to wander up the high street and absorb some of the festive village atmosphere (and mulled wine!) and have a fish and chip lunch from the Sea View Cafe over looking the harbour. Santa meets the wandering Elfs It was also good to see and photograph a real fishing harbour again as most of our holidays this year have been spent inland. The Fakenham brass band were playing carols in the street and the children were arriving in numbers as we left - all very festive and very English. Mike drove back along the coast by which time it was cold and dark and we retreated into the warmth of the vans until ...