On the Road Again!

Well, we have Christened our new caravan! Both figuratively and literally! Read on...

Last week we decided to go to Stellenbosch to a caravan park called Mountain Breeze. Rob had contacted them a month or so ago to make sure that we could take Alfie and they said that as long as they didn't see him then it was ok! Rob explained that he was very very well behaved and that he was a celebrity in his own right. Rob stopped short of telling them that they should be honoured to have Alfie gracing their property, but I think they got the gist!

In the meantime, I had been racking my brain to think of a name that conjured up the van's personality, and finally came up with 'Hyacinth'. Let me explain further. There is a TV sitcom called 'Keeping Up Appearances' that we just loved when we watched it, and the main character is a lady called Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced Bookay). She is large, tries hard to be correct in everything that she does, and is a bit of a snob!! Not that our van is a snob, but she is larger than Gemsquash, and more up-market! She is also blue like a hyacinth, and, wait for it, this is the best part and comes from Rob.......'We had to make the carport higher sinth she wouldn't fit!'. Get it? A play on words there! (Try saying it out loud, lisp and all!)

Basil ready to come too! (Pic thanks to Isabel)

So, over the weekend we packed our things and I found extra stuff to fill the cupboards as there was a lot of cupboard space, and on Monday we loaded Alfie into the car and asked a friend to hang on to Basil who was ready to climb on board as well! We had decided that we would sleep in the bed that was there and leave the eating area set up as it was, the bed looked wider than the one in Gemsquash and so we would be fine. Famous last words! Anyway, we arrived at the park safely and spent a strenuous couple of hours putting the tent up, which we did very easily after dropping a couple of poles to start with! And there were a few people watching us, I knew that there would be! Sipping wine too!

Home sweet Home!

That evening after a lovely braai we headed for bed. Well, we lasted about half an hour before Rob asked me if I was alright. The answer? No. I was squashed against the wall, Alfie was on my legs and my shoulder was pinned down by Rob. So, in 3 minutes we had converted the eating area into another bed and I found a blanket. The next morning we headed off to Somerset Mall to buy a duvet and for the rest of the week I slept as snug as a bug in a rug!

If you look very carefully, you will see the squirrel! On the ground near the white pole!

What a lovely place it is, and we shall be going back again to enjoy the peace and quiet, surrounded by tall whispering pine trees. I must say that the peace was shattered every morning at about 5 by the hahdedah ibis squadron. The leader literally took roll call as every one shouted 'Here' in turn before heading off for the day with more raucous calling. Alfie was fascinated by the squirrels and sat watching them scamper around collecting pine cones and then heading up the trees as fast as lightning.

And as for Hyacinth? I must say that she is as loved now as Gemsquash was! And she has the little family people on the back window. Him, her and Alfie!