Man versus Machine
Now here's a tale of woe which is entirely of my own making! My wife treated me to a two-hour session with thirty-six golden retrievers for my birthday. This was near Minehead so we decided to make a week of it. We discussed various sites nearby, including Dulverton, but this bear of little brain convinced himself that we were going to Minehead. Even when my wife gave me the post-code to go into the sat-nav, no alarm bells rang, as both sites were under TA for Taunton. So we set off for Minehead. Having lived in Bridgwater some years ago, I knew my way there very well, but as we left the M5 the sat-nav started complaining bitterly and asking me to turn around. I ignored the silly thing completely, “I know where I’m going” I said defiantly! The first warning should have come when I noticed the distance remaining exceeded the fuel remaining in the tank, so we stopped in Bridgwater to fill up. Even as we approached Minehead the sat-nav (which by now had realised it was in the hands of a total buffoon and had recalibrated the route completely) told me I was still some 16 miles from my destination. I pulled up at the Club Site, by now realising what I’d done, and had a good laugh with the charming warden, who allowed me to use the facilities and turn my outfit in the right direction. We headed back through Minehead to turn right at Dunster and follow what could be described as a somewhat challenging route to Dulverton, let alone with a caravan in tow. It included a very sharp left-turn at Wheddon Cross, which turned out to be completely unnecessary - it was as if the sat-nav did it to spite me!
Now just to get serious for a moment, it would have helped if the final approach in the book gave an alternative (as it usually does) but the only directions given were coming up from Tiverton. Obviously they never expected a total idiot to be coming from the north side. Oh, and the very last direction into the site could have been better, we passed it and ended up in a car-park. Fortunately we met a couple of club members who pointed us in the right direction from there. As for the site, it was charming, as was the village - a lot more peaceful than Minehead!
In conclusion, I make three recommendations, one; if you like dogs, book yourself into Carhampton, two: if you are looking for a quiet, peaceful place to chill, head for Dulverton and three; listen to your wife and don’t ask me to drive you there. I dread to think what might happen when Ai comes in, the sat-nav will probably kick me out of the car and drive itself there!
