So today I undertook a 40 mile journey from North Cambridge to Barrow in Suffolk where on Tuesday I will commence work on a small (40 pitches) family run campsite.
Today has been a loooooong day! Up at 7am to pack down the van, take the gazebo down after removing the ground sheet and flooring tiles. Pile things into Star, load the motorcycle onto the trailer and then drive the 40 miles. The first 3 miles were travelled on what have to be the worst roads I’ve travelled on so far anywhere in the UK. I was waiting for the trailer to decide to unhitch itself and tear off into one of the fields alongside the road.
I’m told that Barrow is located on a hill so when there is wind, it gets REALLY windy on the site. Which is a little concerning given I have purchased a gazebo to use as my outdoor living space, kitchen etc. I’m now wondering if its going to withstand the winds I’ve been warned of!? It is height adjustable so I’m thinking when there are strong winds forecast, I will lower it to its lowest setting and hope for the best. I’ve used screw in pegs (much like those screw in tethers for dogs) and 4 ratchet straps so I’ve got everything crossed its going to stay standing for the next 4 months!
The site seems very interesting indeed. There is a full gym onsite, which is open to the public not just to the campers. There is a 12 hole crazy golf course, archery and air rifle range and 3 different escape rooms!
The owner and her hubby seem like lovely people. I was invited to join them for dinner where I was provided with a sour dough pizza cooked in the onsite cafe. I will apparently be undertaking cooking duties which will be interesting but I’m always up for variety. The menu is pretty simplistic which is just as well as I’m a simple guy.
Shaka
It seems that Shaka may be developing a dislike of travelling. During our hour long drive today, he got sick (threw up). He did the same when we drove up to Cambridgeshire last weekend!
It does seem that his occasional ‘bad days’ are starting to become a little more regular now which is obviously very concerning and something I’ll be keeping a close eye on.
One of the reasons I took the campsite job in the New Forest was to give him some stability so that we weren’t travelling up and down the country. I think at 14.5 years of age, he tires of new environment every week and a bit of stability will hopefully do him some good 🤞
Its the small things
The highlight of my day was a proper shower! One that actually had some water pressure and I wasn’t needing to stand there rinsing my hair out for about 20 blerry minutes to get the shampoo out!
There are several things I want to fix, upgrade or install in Star over the next 4 months whilst I’m static. One of those things is a new water pump so that I can have a decent shower in the van, but for now I’ll relish in the fact that I have access to a proper shower which I’m going to need now that I’m going to become a gym junkie!
So that’s it for today. Nothing too exciting I’m afraid. And I reckon many of these daily updates are going to be pretty boring in all honesty. But they are mainly for myself, and possibly my kids/grandkids (if my kids decide that’s something they are into) will find some value in in the future when they wish to see what their old man/grand father got up to during his midlife crisis.
Until tomorrow (hopefully) Be Happy, Be Safe and Be kind.
