Flying solo

missrlr · 26 August 2015 at 7:01PM

Hi Robin you are trotting around the UK aren't you! Shame you couldn't try some wild camping in Ashdown Forest?!? Not too far from Surrey (well some bits)

I am really struggling, vertigo attack, violent acid reflux and a permanent headache. If I were a horse I'd be shot! PuppyHound has a vetoed the GP soup concoction so I am resorting to GP wrapped in chicken slices (spoilt dog!) with correspondingly less chicken in the food bowl.

Hope the weather is a bit kinder for your travels.

*Robin* · 27 August 2015 at 4:21PM

Hello Diary and MSEers, :hello:

missrlr wrote: »

you are trotting around the UK aren't you! Shame you couldn't try some wild camping in Ashdown Forest?!? Not too far from Surrey (well some bits)

Suppose I am, Missrlr. Truth is that Black Dog starts snapping at m' heels when I spend too long 'in town'. The combination of DR's negative comments and refusal to help himself, with added grief from other people there I care about, not to mention it being much harder to breathe easily so far from fresh sea or mountain air.. All adds up to stress headaches and frequent ME allergy headaches - around one in four cyclists seem to use Lynx anti-pong; just riding past me wafting that stench is enough to set off a migraine, as is walking near a house where the decorators are using gloss paint, or alongside a road bathed in petrol fumes - it's very frustrating and depressing; am just not cut out to live in a built-up area, it maketh me ill!

Surrey was close to my idea of hell. Little boxes [and not so small] going on for miles and miles, no division between 'villages' or nice places to go dog-walking [ie. woodland consisting of more than five trees and a grassy path at least 50' long] are rare as hen's teeth.
Our hosts couldn't understand why DS and I preferred to stay in the camper-van rather than top-and-tail in their spare double-bed, although eventually they remembered the local rugby club which was actually a lovely place to wild-camp overnight.
Dear People kept trying to feed us before we left:
"You must eat," they said, "or you won't last the journey!"
We laughed. "If we're hungry we'll just pull into the next service station and cook a proper meal!"
..They didn't get it. Which is a shame, because they're actually the kind of folk who would have great fun exploring the country in a motor-home (maybe a posher one than our camper-van): Pretty depressed at the moment about living the grind; so proud because they only have a ninety minute commute into London for work. ..That's three whole hours wasted, sitting on public transport five days a week - no wonder they're looking forward eagerly to retirement, selling their house for a tidy sum and starting again in a cheaper part of the country!
..Can certainly understand why Sparky was so eager to leave London behind!

Ashdown Forest is a bit too far South and East for the current trip, Missrlr. Not that I could find much actual forest on G00gle maps? Suspect we'll have to trundle straight back down the motorway again, in order to get Divo Four back in time for work..

Very sorry to hear you're feeling so unwell, Missrlr.

Do hope life improves soon - have you seen your medico?

Just heard from DS - he's finally got inside the exhibition after queueing for over four hours! ..Not sure I'm going to be successful too; we couldn't go in together because someone has to stay outside with CD.

Spends:
Groceries top-up - £15
'Snappers' for chopping up CD's chicken - £5

*Robin* · 27 August 2015 at 8:35PM

Decided to stay an extra night because I couldn't get a ticket for the exhibition today. Seems stupid to drive away before seeing it, having gone to the effort of getting here.

CD is making friends; as she does.

Now to cook up a gourmet meal then get an early night (after making much of CD, Security Guys advised on the best technique for getting in without queueing for more than four hours

).

Right: Stuffed mushrooms a go-go, petit-pois and guernsey royals with a white wine / cheese sauce, followed by strawberries and cream.
..Roughing it we are not! :rotfl:

missrlr · 27 August 2015 at 9:43PM

Mouth watering menu Robin! And I know what you mean about the pong of cyclists it is a phenomenon to be sure. I can sympathise with surroundings being a trigger. It is a struggle for me with the work situation very easy to permit BD access (and control)

Ashdown forest is not huge but there are some gems to be found there. An OS map helps! Locally lots of people know this though. Surrey for me is a little more Sussex and not quite so Londonised. I enjoy being near the sea too much for too much landlubber malarkey

Glad all well with you and the Divos.

*Robin* · 29 August 2015 at 2:17PM

Hello Diary and Fellow MSEers, :hello:

Yesterday turned out to be a looong day! Security Guy's advice must have been given to too many people, but after seeing the procedure on the previous two days yours truly was well prepared to survive the queue with a good book, brolly, camping chair, and picnic - all of which came in very useful during the six hour wait to get into the exhibition.
It was worth it (DS took lots of 'photos - didn't bother borrowing his camera to duplicate 'em as had enough to carry already).

Divo Four had a one-pot meal ready when I staggered back to the van at closing-time, bless him, and CD gave me a rapturous welcome which was lovely (if a bit worrying - that dog definitely has separation anxiety since losing her sight).
An hour later we were back on the road; M5, M4, M25, M11.. Four hours driving, another one split into three stops to allow CD [and me] short breaks.
Very smooth run except for one major peeve: Why oh why do folk in small under-powered cars insist on flooring the pedal to push past me driving at a steady sixty, only to pull in and immediately reduce their speed to fifty-five? Which either means the van loses momentum as am forced to slow down [increasing fuel use] or I end up tail-gating within seconds. :mad:
Before we reached the M25 I was seriously fed up with such bad drivers so just swung out straight past these idiots to maintain speed and pulled in front of 'em again - camper-van's engine has plenty of oomph - according to the AA inspector it'll do 90mph although I've never pushed it that far; National speed limit is more than fast enough for occasional bursts, thank you!
..On the off-chance that any of the offending drivers are reading and recognise their behaviour - please stop being so stupid! Yes I get that it's not easy to see the road ahead if you're in a little car travelling behind a motor-home or lorry, but you put yourself in much greater danger by trying to get in front if you can't maintain the larger vehicle's cruising speed!
Rant over.

On arrival outside DR's house we finished off Divo Four's stew and let CD sniff about for a few minutes before settling down with a cuppa and the Archers omnibus - Muggins woke up fully dressed with m' tea untouched, to the sound of DS taking his bike off the rack before heading to work this morning. Haven't done much since then except have a wash and move van fifty metres to a sunnier spot because the solar panel started bleeping - it doesn't like being underneath tall trees. The neighbour who usually keeps his camper-van where we're parked now has presumably gone away for the bank holiday weekend. Sensible chap - am already missing the healthy sea air and wishing DS4 didn't have work tomorrow so we could keep driving.. Memories of buying fresh-caught fish at Whitby quay are almost irresistible right now - wonderful invigorating breezes they've got up there!

Missrlr - are OS maps available on-line? Quite agree Mr G00gle's leave something to be desired, but they are easy to access.

Still, have joined a camper-van group who have a meet scheduled somewhere in the South East next month, so will peruse the maps I do have to see if Ashdown Forest is within reach - CD and I really enjoy woodland walks.

Hope you're feeling better today. (((hugs)))

Greyfox - thanks for your pm. I haven't forgotten, but was dismayed to discover that at least three family members have put their 'spare' stuff in m' garage since I went to the Nest - can't even see my boxes behind it all! Will let you know when Divo Four has excavated far enough to extract the info we're both keen to investigate further.

Spends:
Exhibition - £23
Fuel - £40

missrlr · 29 August 2015 at 3:44PM

Robin how very rude of family members I work,d be calling them and saying you have 24 hours to move it otherwise it will be tipped!

Not sure about OS maps being on line I have old fashioned paper copies!

Hope you get the fresh fish soon! Sound delightful. I am having a chilled out weekend with no plans and quite anti social but I feel the need to recharge my batteries (much like your solar system!)

Hope you have a good weekend

*Robin* · 30 August 2015 at 1:50PM

Happy Sunday Everyone! :hello:

Not much to report since last post; managed to get to A!di to buy CD some more chicken dinners plus drinking water for us all, then had to disappoint two would-be visitors because was in bed by eight - MEd-out, thick 'ead and all..

Only to be expected after such a long day on Friday so can't complain.

Divo Four went to an outdoor cinema with Favourite Niece who had good news; she got a First! Well done indeed - let's hope it leads to a decent career (she's still working part-time in a dress shop for now; nothing wrong with that, it's kept her student loan down over the past three years). Hope DS does as well..

missrlr wrote: »

Robin how very rude of family members I work,d be calling them and saying you have 24 hours to move it otherwise it will be tipped!

Par for the course; has saved two of 'em renting storage units for the last couple of years (the other is DS4 who I can hardly object to - his things will be gone soon).

Spends:
Groceries - £30 (although some of that is for DR. One thing am missing is m' huge fridge at the Nest - camper-van's is so small it means frequent shopping trips are essential

).