Time for an update.

In the summer we decided to it was time to change our car.  My car (an old Mondeo) wasn’t much good for our family as we couldn’t all fit in to it at the same time (only five seats, okay for me and the girls but not much good at other times).  After some discussion we decided the way forward for a family of six who liked to bike and camp (and carry a load of tat around with them!!) was to go for a van – plenty of room for all our junk…..um stuff.  So we have ended up with a Ford Transit crew van (I now officially drive a bus!!) It has two rows of seats in the front & plenty of room in the back!  So when it came to my annual trip to Devon with the girls in the summer we set off on our first road trip adventure.  I loaded the van to bursting with kids, bikes, badminton sets, balls, picnic chairs etc. (travelling light is NEVER an option). As there are two seats up front with the driver there is always a big discussion (also known as a MASSSIVE argument, usually involving tears, sometimes nearly mine!!) as to whose turn it is to sit in the front (and by the way, one LONG journey to Devon counts for a lot more of a ‘go’ than numerous short local journeys and therefore the matching up of what is ‘fair’ is NEVER straight forward!)  Once all discussions (arguments) were sorted it was actually quite exciting, setting off down the motorway in a big blue van brimming with holiday stuff looking forward to exciting times ahead.  Once there I discovered the allure of the ‘front of the van’ seats even extended to my sister’s kids and so started the rota of ‘whose turn is it in the front of the van’. I usually got on okay driving it about and parking it (definitely noticed a difference trying to negotiate it around the narrow Devon lanes) and once or twice opted to choose a slightly wider parking space where possible, but all in all a good experience!! Just need to add a little update - I have now had a 'not so good' experience in the van.  The other day I got stuck in the mud!! I had parked on the edge of a field & when I came to pull away......nothing!! the wheels just spun & into the mud I sank!! I had to get pieces of wood from the back of the van, put them behind the front wheels, then reverse onto them (couldn't reverse very far due the the close proximity of the fence behind!) & then put more wood and a rubber mat in front of the wheels & then I was able to drive forward & I was free!! (admittedly COVERED in mud, but free nevertheless!!) x