Friday 31 December 2010

Happy New Year

To all our friends and family, we wish you all a prosperous and Happy New Year filled with good health and happiness.
Happy New Year











We look forward to you travelling along with us and to any comments you wish to make on our adventures and with luck we hope to meet up with some of you in the coming months.
On the Road Soon









Kay and Stuart

Wednesday 29 December 2010

Those three little words......

Not 'I Love you' but, "I WAS WRONG."
You know they are the three little words every woman wants to hear from a man....

We went down this morning to visit the RV, the weather had thawed and at last and we could finally check that all the tanks were OK and that the toilet mechanism worked (as the system had been frozen solid for over a week).
We were in luck, the drain valves opened and what grey or black water was inside quickly drained away and the flush mechanism in the WC worked fine.
After I had fired up the engine and manoeuvred the RV away from a neighbouring caravan we started to transfer items from our old caravan over to the RV.
In need of a wash

It soon became more than obvious that some of the items we planned to store in the RV were going to be in need of another cull.
Kay's been worrying from the beginning that we have far too much stuff and you guessed it 'she was right'. So knuckles in mouth I had to admit that I'd been wrong in my estimation on what room we had for storage. No doubt we will get better at just keeping only the items we really need.

It's been a grey wet and miserable day and soon we were in need of warm food and a dry out, so items got left where they were to be stored tomorrow.
Were both still fighting off this dreaded flu bug so we jumped in the car and drove back to Gav & Kristina's for a hot Irish stew and to complete more paperwork.
We are expecting Gav & Kristina to arrive back from their trip to Scotland today just hope they're not full of flue as well.
dirt stained and sad

I had sent away for some locker catches as one important one that held the cover over the waste hatch had started to split, fortunately they arrived this morning so that's one job now off my list.


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Sunday 26 December 2010

Cough, Sniffle, sneeze and runny noses........

What a Christmas to forget this will be, both Kay and myself are laid low with the dreaded flue bug. Which due to its unpleasant effects means were not really in the Christmas mood or able to get out and about to do anything constructive.



Our youngest daughter is away visiting our Son-in-law Gav's parents in Bonny Scotland so we have the house to ourselves but we did managed to drag our aching limbs down to visit our eldest daughter and grandson (who I swear gave both of us his flu germs as an early Christmas present) on Christmas day to watch him open his presents.
Then we all had an enjoyable Dinner with Kay's mother cooked by Samantha.

Our Flu symptoms soon had us heading back to Little Switzerland (Pontrhydyfen) to cwtch up for the rest of the night (supping mulled wine) and then early to bed dosed up on paracetamol and cough syrup.
If we had been in fine fettle and good spirits no doubt we would have ventured once more up the valley for a good long walk but for the moment that's out of the question.

We would like to wish all of you following our trials and tribulations a Merry Christmas and if you have had the misfortune to have that dreaded flu bug then you have our deepest sympathies.
Keep tuned in with our coming adventure this bug won't keep us down for long and we have lots to do to get ready for the road.

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Tuesday 21 December 2010

When will this winter End!!!!!

Well we've managed to get down to the RV this morning. Its looking a bit sad covered in road salt and dirt spray from the trip, unfortunately we've had no chance to clean it yet as all the water pipes in the buildings are frozen. I did manage to drain out the small amount of water that was in the black tank, though the valve to the grey tank is still frozen but I've wrapped some lagging on it and liberally sprayed both of them with WD 40 to help thaw it out.
I cleaned all the road salt off the chrome locks and clasps on the external lockers and lubricated them with 3 in 1 oil. I've also added a 13w Solar suitcase panel that is connected through the accessories plug on the dash so the vehicle battery will be kept charged, just need to work out a fix to get it charge the leisure battery as well.
All the antifreeze has gone down the plug holes in the sink and toilet so that should help keep those working though the toilet flush is still appears to be frozen solid.
I've started to replace all the habitation light bulbs with Led's I.e. I've done two, another fourteen to go not including three fancy lights in the bathroom, two bed side lights and two units that contain four fluorescent tubes.
God these yanks like to light up their rigs.
The vehicles road lights well that's another matter all together, I hope to replace as many of those with Ultra bright Led's but that's for later.
The down side is that my grandson or his mother decided to pass on their flu bugs so as I type this I'm coughing all over the keys (Man Flue), Kay seems immune for the moment.
I've received the Truckmate Venture s700  sat-nav but I need to get a different dash holder as the one they send with the unit fixes to the windscreen which is miles away from my hands and the small disc Trevor had in place for his sat-nav is too small for mine.
Well its sit tight for the next few days as the Christmas festivities overtake our plans, with all this snow delaying our activities it could put our travel plans back a couple of weeks so it could be mid February now before we hit the road.


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Sunday 19 December 2010

Sod's Law

Isn't it just.
Since I returned with the RV the weather has turned so bad that the compound where the RV is stored has been shut even the site's offices were all closed as none of the staff could get into work and of course because it's the weekend, its been locked up tight.
It's been more than just an inconvenience as we want to get into the RV to empty the black tank and then fill all the tanks with antifreeze (not the poisonous type, this is for fresh water tanks) as I'm worried the freezing weather may damage them and to get some minor jobs done. And also for me to collect my bleeding mobile phone that's locked up inside (trust me to forget the damn thing).
This morning Kay and I decided to get some more exercise with a winter wonderland walk up the Afan trail to the Afan forestry centre and miners museum, roughly a 5k round trip.
We must be mad! togged up in our winter gear we struggled through the snow drifts, slipped down the tracks and  slip-slided up the inclines. There were madder people than us about, who brazened the tracks on their mountain bikes!
Our reward for all this exercise? Two cups of steaming hot tea a bacon butty and hot Welsh cakes in the Forestry centre then the trudge back to burn off those calories.
Aching and feeling proud that we managed to complete the trek we have battened down the hatches until tomorrow when with luck the compound will be open.
We must be Mad
Come on slowcoach












The trees and the snow remind me of  paintings by Bob Ross.

A Bob Ross photo!!!!
Every tree has a friend













The Afan Trail and the Centre look perfect all year round but in winter it has its own special appeal.

The Afan Centre
The Afan Centre











Stu Freezing
And Posing











Atop O'the climb
Nearly there












The climb from the river bed to the trail is a couple of hundred feet of siding and aching legs then its watch you don't get too close to the edge of the trail.
Who threw that?













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Friday 17 December 2010

White out

Boy was I lucky to have travelled back when I did. We awoke this morning to a veritable Christmas scene. Kay and I were to attend a funeral of one of Kay's uncles this morning and a Christmas lunch with the Neath Writers group later, both have had to be cancelled as it is imposable for us to get out from Pontrhydyfen due to heavy snow and the impassable roads. Even with our 4X4 the roads are far too treacherous.
Kay in the village
Aqueduct in the blizzard 














Kay and I went for a short walk (come snowball fight) but she drew the line at doing snow angels in the snow with me.
We spoke to some locals that we met on the old Aqueduct that overlooks the roads climbing in and out of the village, it seems it's a pastime to watch the dopey motorists attempting to drive up into the village and to watch them slide back down getting frustrated and realising their only option is to go back to Cwmavon where they came from which is down along the river to Port Talbot and the sea front.
I was hoping to take some pictures of the RV (Dirty) before I get a chance to clean it, alas the weather has put pay to that.
Anyway enjoy the snow scenes hope to have some more pictures of the RV soon. Luckily I emptied all the portable water from the fresh water tank and water from the heating boiler yesterday, I just wish I'd had time to empty the cleaning fluid from the black tank as well,  still keep my fingers crossed nothing damages it.

Gav Clearing the snow
Back yard












Blizzard in the valley
More Blizzards











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Thursday 16 December 2010

Our new home has arrived at last

Well that was a busy few days, On Tuesday I travelled to London Paddington on a Great Western train (first class) and what a great service, free newspapers and refreshments all the way with posh leather seats arriving dead on time. Now I could get used to this kind of pampering. But then came the big come down, travelling on London's run down and dirty underground across town to Liverpool Street station. I just made it with only three minuets to spare. I boarded a National Express train (which should be renamed to National Disgrace.) This firms1st class was more like a cattle truck, broken and dirty seats no free news papers or refreshments, everything looked shabby and worn out and it ran twenty minutes late to Norwich which caused me to miss my connection to Lowestoft.
The next train was a typical sprinter very basic and packed, Trevor contacted me on my mobile to get off the stop before Lowestoft at Oulton Broad North as the town was very busy and like clockwork he was there to meet me, he then drove me to my hotel for the night the Tramway Hotel.

tramways hotel
tramways hotel

The Tramway Hotel is a typical Pub B&B the room which unfortunately was on the first floor at the front and overlooking to a very busy main road, so traffic noise was a problem. The room although clean was reminiscent of a Bulgarian hotel room that I once visited with worn out and torn carpets, barley enough room to swing a cat and a cheap five channel analogue TV with just as cheap bedroom furniture. The room had its own shower cubicle but the WC was a shared closet on the landing.
That night I decided to have some fish and chips at a locale establishment called 'MR Chips famous fish and chips' just across the road, half the meal went into a bin as I have never eaten fish and chips that you had to chase around your plate through layers of fat and grease, it was appalling.
The saving grace was the Breakfast in the Tramways Hotel the following day which was first class.
Trev met me that morning, me feeling bleary eyed through lack of sleep and in a rush to get the purchase of the RV finalised.
Thankfully the financial side went without a hitch, but we were delayed an hour on our departure which meant it became one mad rush at the very end of our journey to get the RV into the security compound by 6.00 that evening.
Three of us made the journey back to Port Talbot, Trev with his friend Kevin and myself. Trev took the first driving stint and helped me to familiarize myself with the controls and then at Oxford Services I took over and drove through to Monmouth. By then I was getting tired through lack of sleep and Trev took over for the last part into Port Talbot and we made the compound at 6.15 just as they were closing.
Trev and Kev stayed overnight at the Bagel Brook Premier Inn and departed this morning in a small camper that he purchased from a guy he'd contacted in Swansea the previous night.
So our new home is covered from top to toe in grime and road salt and needing a good clean down but we found out during the journey that our Escape pod (as Kay has christened the RV) with it's Chevy V8.1 engine can really motor when it needs to.


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Friday 10 December 2010

Waiting for the weather to ease...

Well one day less day to go and we're still keeping our fingers crossed for next week, that the weather will hold fair, but according to forecasts its due to get cold again Typical!
We managed another walk yesterday this time up the Afan Valley following the Afan trail. It was decidedly dodgy and in places the ice was just sheets of glass stretching right across the walk ways. Descending then climbing back up the valley to the Afan resource centre was extremely testing. I think we should have taken crampons and ice picks
The birds were amazing one Robin even bounced around our feet as though asking to be fed, only the dedicated walkers were out on the trail, as without proper footwear and clothing it could be quite dangerous.
Below are some of the photos we took, a welcome break of warm Welsh-cakes and a cup of tea was our reward for venturing out.

A Long drop
Afan Trail












Deep Frosts

Bridge over the Afan to the Centre


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Wednesday 8 December 2010

Getting Closer

Only one week to go to collect the RV, some things have started to come through that I've ordered like the Big Pitch Guide and awaiting the Snooper Ventura GPS unit designed for motor homes.
More paperwork completed and phone calls made to alter our details, its amazing how many places have to be informed of your change of circumstances.
One person I need to give special thanks to is Gavin our Son-in-law he's been an absolute gem, he helped us move the heavy items out of our home, offered his car when ours was in dock and has even put up with my snoring.
We are now settled in with Gav and Kristina and have met some of the neighbours and we have even had chance to take a few good walks around the village and the valley.
For those who don't know the area I've added some more photos below.
Gav & Kris's house end of terrace
Up the valley to the Aqueduct






Viaduct path
The Viaduct





old railway






End of Path at Efail Fach

Old Chapel
Efail Fach


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Monday 6 December 2010

The borrowers!!!!!!!!

What a weekend that was!
Saturday and Sunday was all rush and panic working from eight in the morning till eight at night and finally cleaning and vacating the house late last night.

We visited our neighbours delivering Christmas cards and saying our farewells in temperatures lower than Greenland. It was tinged with some sadness at saying goodbye to people we have know for thirty two years, but new horizons beckon and we hope that the young couple moving in today will have as many happy years as we've had.
We've cleared the old homestead of all our belongings and sneaked everything into my daughter’s house in Pontrhydyfen, where we have been given our own Granny flat on the bottom floor (hence we’ve now become the borrowers that live down stairs).

Our daughter and son-in-law arrived back home to two very inebriated new lodgers snugly seated in front of the TV stuffing our faces with bacon butty's and an empty bottle of Rioja that was gratefully donated by a neighbour on our departure.
  
We awoke this morning to temperatures as low as -5c, and then defrosted the car to go and hand over the keys to the estate agent, followed by last minuet shopping and hearty full English at a local garden centre. We called in to our civic centre to notify them of our new address to settle up any council Tax and complete the Electoral Roll forms. We then collected more forms to inform other departments of change of details (here we go its form filling time). We walked off the full English this afternoon by taking pictures of our new abode of Pontrhydyfen in all its winter glory.

Now it’s keeping our fingers crossed that the weather starts to get better for when I have to go and collect the RV.


Click on photo for a lager image.....



Our daughters house
The old Aquaduct










On the left above is our daughters house, its seen pine end on, its to the right of the telegraph pole in the photo. On the right is the old Aqueduct from which the next pictures were taken.
Below left: the house on the right hand side middle of picture is the house where Richard Burton was born



Pontrhydyfen

Looking up the Afan Valley












Pontrhydyfen Grave yard
Kay on the Aqueduct













The grave yard is where Elizabeth Taylor wants herself and Richard Burton to be buried on her death that's if Dicky Burton's widow agrees. 





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Wednesday 1 December 2010

House.......GONE

Well we've done it, we've done our last Car boot on Sunday and boy was it cold. What didn't sell went to the heart foundation and the local recycling plant the following day. Monday lunchtime signed the documents transferring ownership of the house over to the new owners.




Tuesday took the caravan into storage then spent the rest of the day sorting out the documentation needed to inform of change of address.
This morning loaded some clothes and things into the car and dropped them off at our daughters, we will probably be doing that a lot up to Friday.
We've arranged to move the big items out this Saturday (local white van man) and Sunday we will do some final tidying up of the house ready for the new owners to move into on Monday the 6th of December.

So all in all things are coming together and we are on the move, we are praying that this weather will break as Little Switzerland as the locals call Pontrhydyfen can be a dicey place to drive in icy conditions.
For those not familiar with this small Welsh village its famous son's and daughters are Richard Burton, Ivor Immanuel, Geraint Griffiths, and Rebecca Evans and of course our daughter Kristina.
(Have to keep her sweet, she's my new landlady for the next two months)

I was asked if we are planning a farewell party for friends and neighbours, (Tho' I've a sneaking suspicion the neighbours have a load of flags ready to hoist in the street the day I leave.)
I've informed that if we do have a fare well party I'll ask that no presents are purchased as we'll have no where to store them, but if they want to contribute to the fuel costs the more they donate the further away they can send us.

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