A new start.....part 2.....The First Trip, maybe last trip.

ok update since my last story.....

Things where going great, still had some depression but things where looking up with a little break away, site all booked, and counting down the days for our first trial weekend in my newly purchased second hand caravan, took a day to go through the caravan and seeing what to buy for our first trip, then things start going wrong, but not too bad to start of with......manage to pull radio out to find writes cut but the wires on radio didn't match up with wires in caravan, so made a connection to find out radio doesn't work anyway, added to shopping list not a major problem, lifted the seating to find the ducting had slits in it and some of it missing and side exterior vent exposed, OK been told why they done it but can't really understand why leave it like that as you don't get proper heating throughout the caravan, something I need to put right, a few other little bits but nothing major, so looked at the positive side and feeling great for our first caravan adventure to the Lake Distric.

Drove to a caravan shop near me to purchase some items and cleaner for caravan so I could give a good clean.......bang......tap....rattle is that my tappets, piston, fuel injectors....after investigating later that day found out it was the flywheel gone, off to Aintree for quote...mmmmm £660 all in clutch, flywheel, bearing and something else, well had no choice but to book the car so now the depression starts coming back as it looks like our trip might be cancelled what with the worry of finding the money just to get the car fixed and not having a break from everything, dropped car off and walked home 1 1/2 hours walking through the rain tried to think of positive things then when car was fixed walked back to pick her up, ok trip is on, don't care about the weather just want to get away, come friday morning I picked up caravan and brought home to load her up and give a good wipe down with Bobby dassler, she looks good, let's hope everything works especially the heater as cold weekend forecast.

Daughter finished school got changed and we was off, about 15:30, didn't catch much traffic on M6 then turned off following sat nav, travelling to coniston park coppice in the Lake District, never took the kayaks as weather didn't look too good, did look at map before I started but the sat nav turn us off a different path, instead of coming up from the bottom up, it took us from the top coming down, if you been you know what I mean, so now it's pitch black, in a country lane I've never been before, raining and very tight in a few places, well thought I would arrive with one side of caravan missing, surprised I got there without a scratch, was feeling very down as seems things where going to go wrong, but finally made it, got a pitch recommended to us as it was the first time but next time I will pick my own, raining and still in darkness manage to set everything up, then I laugh about it and so many others must of made the same mistake, couldn't get the hot water to come on even in gas, so left it until the morning to see why hot water not working......I can hear to say...the exterior cover still on, yep silly me took it off the hot water we have but still only works on gas but not electric so something I need to look into, beds made and sleep took over.

Saturday morning up bright and early, now for the awning....mmmmm no instruction, no diagram after scratching my head for a while figured out how it goes and no the poles where not numbered or colour coded, we all went for a walk around, only the top part was opened but you can still walk down to lake, sunny but cold day and things looked very good, relaxed and chilled even my teenage daughter liked it all even without Wi-Fi.....lol, this is a great park to stay at and would recommend it you can even take you kayak and launch for free here as well, would love to come back here in summer time which hopefully we can but now things start to go bad.

During the night it rained and I mean rained tapping loud on roof.....never park under a tree as the rain drops get bigger, then came morning while in the bathroom noticed water in one corner, not a lot but enough to start me thinking about it, after packing up we headed home, dropped the caravan off at storage with plans to come back when got a couple of days off to check everything, and service fire and fix a few things that previous owner should of done a they where simple jobs.

started from the front, fixed cupboards with correct screws, tighten up in a few places fixed the front window, blinds, fixed bunk bed, stripped fire, cleaned and now fully working as couldn't get to work on gas but now working perfectly, now to check the bathroom, took of wall cabinets only to see mould, took of 1 mirror on rear wall all ok there but then took of side wall mirror with some of the wallpaper to come of, the board was solid but it was soaking, now the depression starts to kick in hard, what have i bought, now with no money, storage 30 min drive away, how do I fix this and hopefully not rotten in the wall, ok planning to have a few days of work so I can go down with ladder, to start to strip things and resell but as I said hopefully it not the rotten inside as the wall and floor is solid but this still needs to be fixed otherwise I've just wasted a lot of money that I can't afford to lose.......this is a lesson, when you purchase a caravan go see it a day after a heavy downfall of rain, as it was dry for a while before I seen it and couldn't find any issue's with damp, the owner must of known this before selling it to me, buying private might save you some money but unlike a dealer I can't now demand it fixed or my money back, I will start to strip the bathroom down then start outside and re-seal as would still love to keep her and spend some very good times in her as its a lift in my spirit, hopefully with my attention to sort this out my depression will take a back seat, but another thing that's puzzle me, I always thought other caravaners where all friendly, as our time at this park I said good morning to everyone I passed and 50% said morning back but the other ignored me and carried on walking, only one person stops to offer a hand with the awning but then again she might of fancied me, as soon as the wife was about she went back to her own caravan....lol, but then again she might of felt I was doing ok without the help, but it was still nice to be offered a hand......hopefully it will be more caravan trips but I fear our trip to Edinburgh on new year is out of the question now after I checked out no room on sites and b&b prices through the roof.......happy Caravanning..........