Saying goodbye to the van

Robin wanted one last trip in the old camper van. We can't do an overnighter before Friday but it was a beautiful evening, there was plenty of petrol left and so we set off to have a picnic tea at Coaley Peak.

Like all trips in the van, there were highs and lows. When we arrived Toby was asleep, so Robin ran round on the grass and we ate tea. Then we were finally able to set off for a walk and Toby was jiggling round on Martin's shoulders, denying vehemently that he needed the toilet.

Robin loved watching a model glider flying off the peak and as we were walking down the Cotswold Way through the woods I tried to point out to him a bird of prey being hassled by two crows. It was at that point we heard annoyed exclamations from Martin. He'd been carrying Toby on his shoulders when Toby finally gave in to the inevitable. A wet Martin and Toby marched back to the van, Robin and I went on until we hit the road and on the way back waited to watch the model glider crash land. He and I also wandered up to the long barrow for a quick look.

Excited as we are about the new motorhome, we'll all miss the campervan. Martin will miss its scruffiness and the big wide door in the side that meant you could sit in the van with a beer peering out. I'll miss its character, people turning their head to look as we drive past and not being able to miss it at a busy campsite or crowded car park. It still felt like camping too, it wasn't a tent but it didn't have double glazing and a cooker better than our one at home.

Robin had a long list of things he'd miss, but the main one was "making bridges". The boys liked to build bridges between the seats with the cushions for making up the beds. That won't be possible in the new van. Toby hasn't said what he'll miss but I suspect being expected to sleep in his own bunk rather than snuggling up between Martin and I will cause some perturbation to start with.

More pics here.