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 Post subject: Travels with Edna
PostPosted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 8:53 am 
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Hawleytastic!

Joined: Tue Jan 26, 2010 10:56 am
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Location: London
In the spring, we bought a camper van, a Hymer S550 for any anoraks out there. It is a 22-year-old, left-hand drive automatic imported from Germany where it was made.
I’ve always wanted a camper – my dad borrowed a VW from a bloke he knew when we were kids. Our whole family – mum, dad and four kids – squeezed in and spent a week in the rain in Wales. But it was probably the best holiday we ever had.
We bought ours from an older couple, ex-bikers whose arthritis was limiting their wanderlust. They called her Edna, because that’s on the number plate and were happy their much-loved bus had gone to a family who much-wanted her.
We have two boys, 10 and 5, who love to be in a field, up a tree, on a beach or in a stream but we live in London where all the above are a bit limited. So buying Edna has been really good for us – it’s staved off any mid-life crisis we might have had and given our boys the freedom they need.
Anyway, we’re getting out in her as much as we can and I thought that, I might ask forumers if they have any good tips of lovely places to go in an 18ft Mercedes bus, that doesn’t do more than 55mph, with no power steering.
Look forward to any suggestions. x


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PostPosted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 12:16 pm 
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Hawleytastic!
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Location: Cheshire
I'd love one of them - saw one the other day driving toward North Wales - and was a teeny bit jealous...

As your down south I'd take the tunnel and get to the beaches of Northern France - I would recommend Northumbria / Scotland but a 55 mph thats one hell of a drive.

Met a mate at a gig in Monmouth last year - he had driven down from Glasgow in a VW Transporter - got there a day early and was still knackered when the gig took place - having said that the tiredness may have been due to the booze :roll:


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 Post subject: Re: Travels with Edna
PostPosted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 2:21 pm 
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I.....Need.....A.....Life
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helenwatson wrote:
, a Hymer S550 for any anoraks out there. It is a 22-year-old, left-hand drive automatic imported from Germany where it was made.



Cor...nice.

Bring your German beast to west Cornwall..
.lots of scope for dossing.
Water is really warm..there's even basking sharks at the minute.....nice to eat on the beach at night...a little fire...maybe a little 'smoke'......


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PostPosted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 10:00 am 
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Hawleytastic!

Joined: Tue Jan 26, 2010 10:56 am
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Location: London
Yeah, the van is beautiful. I would truly recommend it for those with a wanderlust.
We're off for our summer hols in two weeks and we're going to Charmouth, then Llangennith, then Pembrokeshire (if anyone's got a good tip for there I would be interested) Was going to get the ferry to Ireland then and do Bantry Bay etc but I think I've run out of weeks!
Planning to go to Gwithian in Cornwall in the autumn which is truly beautiful. Do you live there Beeshette? If so, you're one lucky monkey.
And will definitely do France – want to do the Atlantic coast, around Archachon cos that is lovely but the van is full of switches and buttons so I sort of want to get used to it before I venture abroad.
Thanks for your comments, am going to do a list of the lovely and hit the road. x


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PostPosted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 12:56 pm 
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Lots of neat harbours along the North Coast of Pembroke this one is Porthgain about 6 miles from St Davids - gets busy at weekends and during the Summer Hols tho' - oneof those white buildings on the left is a PUB :D

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PostPosted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 6:37 pm 
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helenwatson wrote:
you're one lucky monkey.



Cheers !!


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PostPosted: Wed Jul 07, 2010 11:40 am 
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helenwatson wrote:

And will definitely do France – want to do the Atlantic coast, around Archachon


I spent two consecutive summers there working in a colonie des vacances many years ago when I was 16/17
Wonderful part of the world. Would love to go back with my kids, remember skidding down the Dune du Pilat (biggest sand dune in Europe) and eating oysters straight from the sea. Got a taste for red wine from Bordeaux while I was there too which has never left me!


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PostPosted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 8:23 am 
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We last went a couple of years back and it is still as beautiful. My kids spend their time skidding down the dune and surfing in the sea. Am going to head back next year when I work out what all the knobs do on me van.

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PostPosted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 8:59 am 
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looks amazing helen i would love to experience that,my mate Liam did a similar thing a few years ago,he bought a VW camper van,piled the family into it whilst the kids were still really little and just pelted round europe for a year it sounds ace

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PostPosted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 9:04 am 
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Yeah. And it's not one of these places that when you get there, it's nothing like the pictures. It really does look like that.
And I really am enjoying the camper. Kids are a bit old for just sodding off for a year (more's the pity) – we have SATs and all that shit to look forward to next year – but am hitting the road in a few weeks.
And you going on about Charmouth on the forum recently gave me a yearning for a bit of a fossil hunt so we're heading there first. Kids want to find a whole T-Rex so wish me luck!


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PostPosted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 9:15 am 
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i don't think you need it love but good luck,i really enjoyed my holiday there,it did my soul a lot of good.I loved getting up and walking the dog on the beach,just losing myself for an hour in the sand and seashore,i found loads of fossils in the morning cos the tide had washed them up over night.It was usually empty of people,maybe just a couple of other dog walkers politely nodding and smiling in that"fellow dog owner kind of way"or a lone early morning dad with a couple of kids with buckets and spades....i called at the bakery on the way home a couple of times.....just ace,my mind is wandering back there as i type...........oo i drifted there......anyway happy camper vanning :albino:

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PostPosted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 10:02 am 
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Hawleytastic!

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Will have a pie from the bakers in your honour. x


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PostPosted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 11:21 am 
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ooo their pie's are awesome the sausage rolls are ace too

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 Post subject: Re: Travels with Edna
PostPosted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 12:21 pm 
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Hawleytastic!
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helenwatson wrote:
In the spring, we bought a camper van, a Hymer S550 for any anoraks out there. It is a 22-year-old, left-hand drive automatic imported from Germany where it was made.
I’ve always wanted a camper – my dad borrowed a VW from a bloke he knew when we were kids. Our whole family – mum, dad and four kids – squeezed in and spent a week in the rain in Wales. But it was probably the best holiday we ever had.
We bought ours from an older couple, ex-bikers whose arthritis was limiting their wanderlust. They called her Edna, because that’s on the number plate and were happy their much-loved bus had gone to a family who much-wanted her.
We have two boys, 10 and 5, who love to be in a field, up a tree, on a beach or in a stream but we live in London where all the above are a bit limited. So buying Edna has been really good for us – it’s staved off any mid-life crisis we might have had and given our boys the freedom they need.,
Anyway, we’re getting out in her as much as we can and I thought that, I might ask forumers if they have any good tips of lovely places to go in an 18ft Mercedes bus, that doesn’t do more than 55mph, with no power steering.
Look forward to any suggestions. x


So jealous! me & Mrs L have always fancied getting a VW camper i think it's cos i spent my youthful hols going down to newquay & me & mrs had our first hols down there too., got no garage though and i wouldn't dare park it on our road! would be great to have one though and bugger off on hols round the country.
enjoy your van & travels!

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 2:25 pm 
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Hawleytastic!

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Location: sunny sunny manchester
solva in pembrokeshire, like poppy dog says there's a lot of ace little haarbours along there. went there when my kids were v.little and it rained. a lot.

Image

and whitesands bay near st davids head. it still rained but very bracing

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