The Van

Well it's almost time for Bob and I to be heading off on our three and a half month driving holiday and we are busily getting the van ready. This week has been quite a busy one as he is still working on the Summer house we will be staying in when we return and I have been trying to wade through the British red tape to organise accounts and work and National numbers.

Bob purchased a Campervan just before I arrived from Aberdeen Scotland, and we are making a couple adjustments to it so that it's ready to roll next week. The main thing we are doing is changing oil and batteries and adding a few finishing touches to make organising and storage that little bit easier. We still haven't managed to find a bike for me but I'm sure we will pick one up on the road quite easily.

So I've posted just a few photos of the van - yet to be named although I'm toying "Sam the van" and "Wally the wonky van". I still haven't gotten around to posting about Norwich, at some point I'm sure to get around to it although I'm sure Glastonbury will pip it to be the next post :-)

Definitely a boy van although the name alludes me yet..

Bob's handy work changing the battery. The front chairs also rotate right around too.

Kitchen is awesome for a van, it has an oven a full grill and four burner stove. The fridge apparently has three options, battery, mains and gas and there water for the sink is electric with a back up manual pump.

This is the bathroom slash wet room. Just around the corner is a toilet and I also have a portable shower. Domestic bliss really.

There is heaps of storage so Bob has no reason to worry about how much clothing I bring or the fact that I want to bring more than one pair of shoes ;-) Theres even more storage under all the seats which are yet to be filled.

Where I live at the moment :-)

So I'm currently living in a place called Ringsfield, which is near Beccles. It's a lovely little spot and the hobby farm is teaming with beautiful flower gardens and vegetable gardens. There is even some sheep and pigs.  The main house is apparently 500 years old and was originally three houses. I would imagine that the tenants at that time would have to have been petite though as the rooms are fairly full once four or five people are inside them.

So the photos here are of various things around the property that I thought might be interesting. I haven't taken any photos of the straw cob summer house being built which Bob and I will live in after we return from our driving tour.

As I said earlier there is a huge number of flowers all over the property. Lill absolutely loves flowers and loves having them in vases around the house too. They have only been here two years but the flower gardens they have created are fairly extensive.

Just down the road from here the main town is Beccles. I must have looked quite odd taking photos there but I really thought it to be a beautiful place. The old buildings have so much character and history. I still find it funny that peoples front doors open right on to the minuscule footpath. 

Anyway, I'm off to Norwich again today so I'll post some photos of Norwich in the next few days. Missing home but loving the adventure. Hope you liked the photos :-)

June 11th, 2014

Well it's been almost a week since I arrived and I have been busy on adventure in England. Bob picked me up in 'lovely' Thetford and after trying to order lunch from a lady that couldn't understand an order for a mint tea we drove back to the little country farm his parents own.

I still have to take some photos of where I'll be living but here is a little snippet of my week past.

First off was Symmetry festival the day after I arrived. Symmetry is the brain child of Chez and Louise, a couple of mates of Bob's and is becoming a firm annual fixture on the Norfolk festival scene. This is the third year its run and looks to keep going in the future.

There was quite a number of different stages scattered around someones country estate. This is their 'house'. Hard to believe someone would actually live in it.

A few more photos of the festival for you :-) The first two were the Trance /Psytrance stage and was really popular throughout the festival. It also had the best sound system and decor going, particularly as it got dark.

These flowers were amazing fun. They kept inflating throughout the day and kids ran up and dove into them as soon as they were full. After watching some kids do it for about twenty minutes Bob and I felt it was too good to give a miss, and went and joined them.

The last thing I've done this week past, was to pop down to Cambridge for a day trip. Quite a beautiful place. We only spent the afternoon there but here's a few highlights.

Kings College

Eagle Pub - opened in the 14th century and one of the oldest in Cambridge

The RAF bar inside the Eagle Pub - where Australian soldiers signed their names during WW2

Punting on the Canals

Anyway thanks for reading, I'll be on again in a couple of days with some photos of where I'm living as this place is amazing in itself being a 500 year old house, but i'll save that for the next blog :-)