Brighton – First Trip of 2020

We’ve been home for too long, 5 days is a long time. Trying to get my head round what to pack and my brain is going into meltdown. I’m bound to forget something.

We’ve chucked a couple of bags in the car and still wandering around the house and garage staring blindly at piles of caravan stuff. Stuff that we need for work, but not necessarily for a few nights. Did I bring cups home? Bedding! I must find the bedding. Bag for life full of clothes, still on the bed, back upstairs I go. Couple more bits chucked in the back of the car, I give up. If we’ve forgotten it we’ll manage.

Hitched up and we hit the road not long after lunchtime. Our destination, Brighton CAMC Site, to meet up with friends and a lung full of sea air. The roads are kind to us and The Volvo chugs up to reception in good time. Checked in and we set off to find a pitch, we choose one up the hill with a good few empty pitches around it, facing bushes. I hate not having a view, I love a good nosey, watching the world rotate outside my window. It doesn’t matter, we don’t plan on being in much, I’ll cope.

Setting the caravan back up this time takes a little longer. I’d carefully stored everything away and set the van up in winter mode. Now to find everything I’ll need and put it all back together again, including making the bed.

Unpacking the clothes I realise I’ve not packed knickers. Flipping ‘eck I can manage without most thing but not my knicks. Headlights light the caravan up as a Motorhome heads our way, Motorhome Chit Chat, our neighbours for the weekend. Explanations over hugs about forgotten knickers and a quick trip to Asda, do they want anything whilst we’re there? Of course we don’t mind if they order a takeaway for tea, kebab will be great. Off we go in search of knickers. Cursing that we are heading all of one and a half miles in rush hour, The Volvo sails through every set of lights and we are there in record time. Valuable drinking time and the promise of a kebab means he’s in no mood to browse or choose nice underwear. ‘Grab some of those’ he declares ‘5 pairs for £5’. Cheapskate that he is, I’ll be lucky if they last one wear never mind the washing machine.

All set up on site Vicky and Aaron have walked the dogs and poured the gin, ping goes the phone, your kebab is on it’s way.

A lazy morning getting up, (recovering from a gin and kebab fuelled evening), Vicky and Aaron aren’t feeling too good, man flu has been hanging over him and I think he’s been generous and has shared his germs with Vicky.

Richard, from Legs Down, caravanning blog joins us on site. A cuppa in the germ infested Motorhome whilst Max and Ronnie do their best to ignore their snotty humans, we decide sea air and a run out for the dogs is what’s needed.

A gentle plod down to the front with the dogs stopping at every lamp post and blade of grass makes for a lovely late afternoon walk. Heading back Aaron points out a pub that’s dog friendly, it falls on deaf ears we keep walking. Again, he glances back at the pub, casually mentioning the dog friendly bit, we chuckle, spin on our heels and head for the warmth. Being ever the gentleman, Aaron offers to get this round, we sit down aghast and savour ever drop of our drinks, after Aaron has spoken to his mortgage advisor and applied for a loan for the round, £30 for 5 drinks, but, the pub is dog friendly after all.

Outside the light has faded fast and we are treated to a beautiful, night skyline looking out towards the sea.

Bit of nose bag in the local Spoonies down at the Marina later that evening, 5 burgers and a round or two of drinks for not much more than our afternoon drinks. Included in our cheap and cheerful tea and drinks we are rewarded with the beautifully lit marina, boats bobbing up and down, there is definitely something magical about the sea.

By now the germs are raging, the Chit Chats are feeling poorly, we decide to call it a day not long before last orders. Taxi ordered to get them to their beds and a rushed goodbye to Richard we head back to the site and the warmth of our vans.

Sunday morning comes round too quickly. The site wakens early, lots of departures today, including the Chit Chats. Lots of hustle and bustle around us as our neighbours empty waste and water containers, car doors banging, boots opening and closing, our Sunday morning alarm call, the noise of folk rushing to pack up and get back to real life in readiness for work on Monday morning. We rub the sleep from our eyes whilst the Chit Chats wipe the snot from their noses and cough their way to the showers. One last dog walk, one last cup of tea, one last sit down trying to summon some energy for the drive back. Armed with hand sanitiser we say our goodbyes, they’d best not give us their bugs we are leaving on a jet plane in a couple of weeks and want to stay fit and well.