Let’s define Glamping, shall we?

Let’s define Glamping, shall we?

Hi there!
Thanks for joining us on our adventures this week.
This time last week, I was hanging out in a pretty swanky hotel in New York with Gracie.
Today we set off for Glastonbury in our Festivan!
Spent the morning packing and getting everything loaded in our little Glastowagon. I packed lots of lovely foody treats, and had a lovely meal lined up for this evening for us two little lovebirds: seared salmon and new potatoes under the stars. 
Candles ? Tick. Table cloth? Tick.
Dave had even bought an awning for the charabanc on E bay. 
Mmmm….

The caravan hasn’t been out since its last outing to the mud bath that was Glastonbury last year!
Isn’t that a sad reflection of our über busy lives?
But hey ho! We are doing it again this year – and aren’t we lucky we can?!

We set off early afternoon, and made really good time.
Waved to Stonehenge in the distance, and kept on trucking.
It was 35 ℃ on the M25 !!!
That’s about 95 degrees Fahrenheit!

The games started when we arrived.
12V Battery brown bread. 
Fridge no worky.
Food swimmy in heaty.
The E-bay awning was really cheap according to skip diver Dave.
Wrong one though. About 2 foot too short.
Here we see Dave getting REALLY pissed off trying to make it fit.
Picture the scene. It’s about 7pm.
All the expert campers are sitting outside their caravans sipping rosé and having their supper. Are they watching TV? Why of course not! Watching us two clowns doing battle with this poxy awning must have been much more entertaining!

Suddenly Dave said,
“Right! I think we have had enough of this caper Darling,”
(Actually, that isn’t what he said, but I can’t repeat it,)
“let’s have some supper.”
So I got the blue and pink chairs out – his and hers –  which also haven’t been out of the bag since last year. 
“Dave, you get the pink one,” I said….  

So there we are.
Awning’s back in the boot.
Dave’s swearing at the gas cooker now.
Beginning to wish I hadn’t said I fancied a cuppa.
I think I’ll get the bed ready.
PS. Ask me if it’s hot in this caravan….
Love & hugs,
Barb
xxx

45 thoughts on “Let’s define Glamping, shall we?

  1. We had a big ceiling fan in our last caravan, but it was noisy, and only really usable if we had mains power. I can just imagine how cool you are. Did you get that cuppa? Have a great time. We have got rain forecast for the end of this week. xxx Maggie

  2. I'm sure things will get better always hated the setting up but lived the relaxing time once done such shame awning didn't fit I surpose no electric hook up for awning. Good night sleep and may be able to laugh about it well at some point have a lovely time xxx

  3. Well I just hope the salmon survived the heat after all that mularky. We always had our holidays in a caravan, it belonged to my mum and dad, they used to tow it wherever we wanted to go set it up then leave us to enjoy. After a couple of weeks back they would come and take it home. I never really appreciated properly at the time how much effort they put into that. We just had our girls back then but it was before disposable nappies so I still had to get them washed, not easy on a campsite. Still at least they got a holiday. Hope you got those expensive wellies just seen you might get thunderstorms on Wednesday, Icing on the cake maybe. Anyway enjoy your stay, I bet you do. xx

    1. The efforts of setting up was that decided me to give up my caravan. There was no way I could put an awning up. I am not tall enough, even with the step, and my arms are not long enough. When our children were little, we had a 10 foot caravan, with a toilet tent, no fridge, so the milk went into a bowl of water under the caravan with soaked earthenware coolers over the top to keep them cool. The earwigs etc loved that, and the milk never masterminded than 24 hours. The nappy bucket lived underneath too. Washing them involved a lot of foot pumping get enough water to get them clean. But we had so much fun as a family. xxx Maggie

  4. Packing ours up tomorrow ready for the off on Wednesday. No awning, thank goodness. Takes the first night to iron out the wrinkles but once the routine is established, it's great! Enjoy xx

  5. Sounds like a Frank Spencer sketch…!!! It's a learning day Barb and Dave… And at the end of the day, you are both well, you got there, you have a bed, and a car, and you are going to have a fab time for the rest of the week. Who cares if you have to rough it a bit eh! What I want to know, where's the community/British spirit in the caravanning world, for every single one of them to sit there gawping, and no one come over to give you a hand…
    Love Brenda xx
    Be the reason to make someone smile

  6. It may be hot in the caravan but it's hot everywhere, 25degrees in our bedroom. Might have to sneak into the spare room!
    Enjoy your break, I am sure you will have lots of crafty things to tell us about xx

    1. I think we have the benefit of a slight sea breeze. Anyway I managed to sleep until 6 and got up to give the pots an extra watering, put a chicken in the oven and do a bit of ironing before the sun gets to the kitchen. I thought about putting the fan in the bedroom but it didn't come to that, used to do that when I went through the menopause and had 2 chillows!! xx

  7. Best laid plans etc…! You're there safe and not sweltering stuck in traffic for hours on end which would have been a total nightmare. It was even 31°C up here in the North East today and I spent the morning catching up with the ironing…. madness I know but it had to be done! Anyhow hope you get properly sorted after a nice sleep, things will look better in the morning. Fingers crossed weather is kind this time around xx

  8. Oops but as the say (and isn't there a also a song with that title?) "things can only get better". So start afresh tomorrow and have a super time xx

  9. As I have said before, you should write a book! You have such a wonderful way of telling a story and I knew that this week would be entertaining, as you always seem to see the funny side of things.
    Have a great week and don't forget the sun cream. X

  10. Hello Barb, sorry but this blog post just made me giggle. I can just imagine what Dave said. Thank you for sharing yet another light hearted story with us. Enjoy yourselves, and hope you got all the problems (apart from the awning) resolved. Bx

  11. Hi Barb,
    Oh dear! I know just how you feel! Our first caravan trip was to the Lakes. We were told weed everything we needed including battery etc. Got to campsite and it was lashing down. Put steadies down got the dog into the van and shut the door thinking how lucky we were to not be in a tent. Then the fun started – we had no power! No lights! Didn't have a clue what to do. Eventually Dave trundled up to the owner of the campsite's house in the pouring rain and dark. He came down and checked the electricity – not a happy bunny to be dragged out in the rain. Nothing wrong he said, it must be the van. Well we were not impressed as it was brand new . Went into Keswick to get fish and chips and a torch, got back and couldn't find the dog! She'd got frightened by the thunder and had crawled right under the bed( which we'd made up before we went out! Dave had to crawl under to coax her out. She spent the night sprawled out on thismassive bed with Dave and I squashed up on a tiny little bit. In the morning we were trying to find out what was wrong and some helpful man came over and suggested we plugged the van into the car tow bar ( didn't know you could do that) & hey presto, lights! He then asked us if we'd switched the electric on? No – didn't know you had to do that either!! Well we did laugh and the rest of the holiday was great and the forerunner to many happy holidays – apart from an awning that didn't fit ( next holiday), trauma of the caravan being completely written off in a fire when it was in for a service and the dealership caught fire, and driving away with the steadies down many years later!!! We laugh about it all now and I'm sure you and Dave will too. Not wishing to be funny but did Dave buy a porch awning or a full one? I'm sure you will have a fabulous time and if the thunderstorms that are forecast for later on do develop at least you will both be dry! Thank you for bringing back memories of fabulous holidays with a wonderful dog ( sadly not with us now) love and hugs Alison xxx

  12. Welcome back to Somerset Barbara and Dave. The forecast for this year at Glasto is looking good, much better than last year. Also it should start to cool down a little from today onward so you might get some sleep!!

  13. O Barb, that has brought back memories! On our first caravaning adventure a cupboard came off the wall. My mum had put eggs in it! This was a borrowed van but mum and dad eventually bought their own. On another occasion I was navigating in Scotland and thought we could take a short cut. It turn out to be a very steep hill and the car couldn't cope. Trying to unhook the van, turn the car round and rehook up on a steep hill was horrendous – much cursing and blaming and me in tears. We got over it and had a super holiday followed by many more. I look back and laugh now. Enjoy your break. You deserve it. Xx

  14. The joys of outdoor life! We had our first jolly in our camper van. Out deerhound and Dachsund came with us – good job not many people snout 🤣🤣. Have fun x

  15. Hi Barbara
    You have made me laugh, I can picture the scene. Well you kept everyone entertained I suppose, shame they didn't offer you a helping hand though. I hope you can look at things in a different light this morning, if you didn't cook in the heat. Enjoy your chill out time, a few days peace before the fun begins, you both deserve a rest that's for sure.
    Take care
    Love Diane xxx

  16. Oh dear! But you're there and that's all that matters! You can rough it a bit I'm sure!
    Enjoy your break!
    Love and hugs! Xxxx

  17. All the fun of getting away. Awnings are a Damon nuisance. Pegging down and all that. Get a wind out fitted to van. Dead easy. We are off in our motor home tomorrow to warners motor home show at Stoneleigh. Gonna be a hot one. Grooving always comes along for the ride. Hope you sorted fridge.Enjoy Glastonbury. Xxx

  18. All the fun of getting away. Awnings are a Damon nuisance. Pegging down and all that. Get a wind out fitted to van. Dead easy. We are off in our motor home tomorrow to warners motor home show at Stoneleigh. Gonna be a hot one. Grooving always comes along for the ride. Hope you sorted fridge.Enjoy Glastonbury. Xxx

  19. I'm sorry, I shouldn't laugh! We adore our caravan but I do sympathise really with you! We have all been there when things don't work! I am a real glamper and need all my home luxuries. We now have a blow up awning, so no poles!!! It's fab. Just don't forget your pump lol! I would love to experience Glastonbury. Where do you stay? What campsite? Have fun, and hope you get everything sorted x 😎

  20. Oh dear Barbara, how frustrating but hopefully by today you will be sorted out and hope at least you got your dinner as a full stomach always helps to make things seem better. x

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