Latitude 2015 - our journey begins

Dear Sheddists,

once more our trusty charabanc, Veronica, is loaded to the gills as we depart in search of sun, Sanatogen, loud music and implausibly-priced cider. Yes, we're off to Latitude 2015!

Dear mrs electrofried rides shotgun up-front whilst our youngest daughter teenygoth snuggles up comfortably in the back of the camper-van with her fiancee, young Foxy.  A gruelling cross-country run, guided by a sat-nav that has seemingly hit the festival hooch somewhat prematurely sees us pass an enigmatic AA traffic road-sign that reads, 'Bermuda Triangle'.  Fittingly, it points nowhere.

We arrive on site and by-pass the border guards, smuggling in the customary illicit jar of Waitrose's finest marmalade despite the long-standing 'no-glass' embargo.  The inflatable awning goes up amazingly smoothly once we work out we've packed it inside out.  No such problems with the first hit of cheap and frothy supermarket lager. We've arrived!

The evening passes pleasantly enough.  A welcome trip to the Film Tent for a viewing of 'Yonderland', a hit Sky sci-fi comedy we've not encountered before.  It proves of sterner stuff than the somewhat pretentious opera caterwauled beneath a canopy of trees in the Woodland Arena.  Which sets us up nicely for Steak House Live, featuring a bewildering company of bull dykes and transgendereds who with razor-sharp humour draw us in to their own peculiar and deeply poignant world.

We sleep well...

Travels with Veronica

Back on the road again

Life's a beach

Travels with Zoe

Dear Sheddists,

we're off on our sabbatical travels once more, this time with cousin, Zoe.

She rides shotgun in Veronica the Campervan, accompanied by teenygoth.  The drive to the Flatlands is so peaceful, each mile down the road another becalming moment.

We explore a moated country seat, walk the silver summered dunes of a far-off beach and watch the harvest threshed in.  And we talk of death and life and hope and fears as we watch two deer pick their way through the husks of a low-scudding sky.

It's over all too soon .......

Born to be mild

For many years now I've cherished a dream of heading into the sunset, perched behind the wheel of a battered VW split-screen camper-van with speakers blaring full volume.  A little Steppenwolf or Hendrix, perhaps, to soundtrack the trip.

The reality of the situation is I have as much chance of doing that as Aston Villa winning the Premiership.  I possess no mechanical skills whatsoever. Accordingly, the prospect of setting out in a charabanc older than my good self on any journey longer than a visit to the local off-licence fills me with trepidation.  And then there's the garage bills, the endless battle against demon rust, the acceleration potential of a traumatised sloth .. it just doesn't make sense.

Step forward Camper King. A brief but illuminating telephone conversation a few weeks ago with Managing Director, Spencer Grey finds us on the road later that night to his factory premises deep in the heart of Warwickshire.  We're bowled over - two hours of tea, talk and Transporters and hands have been shaken to conclude the deal.

We return at the weekend to take collection of our sparkly new camper-van.  Dear mrs electrofried has already named her 'Veronica', much to the disgust of our youngest who much prefers the subtle variant, 'Verruca'.  There's just no accounting for taste.

Our all important first journey and mrs electrofried stomps on the gas-pedal to take us unsurprisingly toward that fine emporium of Scandinavian good taste nestled just off the M6. No-one does funky quite like Ikea and my better half has us kitted out in next to no time with throws, duvets, covers, cutlery, cushions, boxes and baubles.  What is it with ladies and the nesting instinct?

Veronica's first outing proper is to Norfolk for a few days break at the legendary Shed of Electrofried.  The journey down is fantastic - my wife drives, I wave regally from my commanding position in the passenger seat to a succession of bemused and gesticulating drivers below.  This is the way to travel!

We enjoy a splendid few days showing Veronica the sights.  She visits the seaside, the pub, Waitrose (I catch mrs electrofried furtively sneaking a copy of VW Camper & Bus magazine into our shopping trolley) and best of all a lovely little nature reserve just a few miles from the Shed that we chance upon quite by accident.  There's something quite delicious about settling down in the car-park with a whistling kettle, some fresh-baked bread, a selection of fine cheeses and this month's edition of Mojo.

All in all a super start to our camper-vanning adventures. Born to be mild, indeed!