josh.p's Camping trip, Part One: Packing/1st Night

[josh.p.]

Firstly, I'd best explain why this rather random trip happened... It was one Monday night, Mum, Dad and Jade call me downstairs and tell me we are going camping... this Friday Jade's Friend's Dad lent us his static caravan for the duration, which was here;
The New Pines Caravan Holiday Home and Leisure Park in North Wales

A weekend in Rhyll does not exactly sound luxurious, but we didn't even visit rhyll, we drove through it and it really is a shame to see how it is now It used to be really tacky and garish, which was it's charm really! Now it is practically demolished and it is quite sad to see! Spent most of our time in other parts of northwales, such as Conwy.

Anyway, Friday morning rolls around, get out of bed about 10 and start packing. Even with all the 'non-essentials' I took, I only had two tiny bags.
I walk downstairs to breakfast, to meet this;

This was probably about 1/4 of Niamh's stuff. Her stuff took up ONE car. Seriously, a quite large s-max with the back seats down.
Compared to mine (with my handy apple store bag);


Mum gets in from work at 2 o'clock, and is ready and packed within the hour, so We get our sat-navs set up and get in the car, myself, Jade and Niamh in Jade's car, and Mum and Dad in Dad's car. This is where the fun begins. Dad had obviously set up our satnav wrong as it told us to do a U-Turn right in the middle of the motorway (which we politely declined), in the end after much fiddling I got annoyed and just told Jade to follow Dad's car!!
We arrive at the campsite.... there are BIG huge metal gates and you need a photo-ID card/swipe card to even get in. Thankfully we have Phil's (Jade's Friend's Dad) and we get in. WOW. I think to myself.. "If this is classed as camping, I'd love to see what kind of hotels this company makes!"

After unpacking everything but the kitchen sink, we go upto reception to get our photo ID cards and get some leaflets about local stuff to do.
We are all pretty hungry by this point so it's back in the car (thankfully without Niamh's entourage) to look for a take-away place. Apparently Rhyll must be the capital of take-aways as there are at least 10 to every square foot. I get a veggie burger and chips, Mum, Dad and Jade get fish and chips... not exactly top notch quisine but it will do as we are wasting away. (pfft!)

Once we get back to the caravan and stuffed our faces, it's time to play 'Unfold the camp-bed'- Fun for all... surely?! After we finally get it up, We all go to sleep. Jade on the camp bed, Niamh in her moses basket, Mum and Dad in the big bedroom, and me... in the children's room. The beds are so small and my feet hang off the bottom of them, so I squish them together and lie across them diagonally

Part II coming soon!

[mumof2]

i must admit that though i'm not one for caravan parks, that does look rather tempting!

[foreverducky]

Good idea about the beds.

[Disneybumble]

Josh i can picture you now in the childrens bed. Is Niamh a good sleeper

[josh.p.]

Josh i can picture you now in the childrens bed. Is Niamh a good sleeper

It was hilarious- I was so cramped! Niamh is a great sleeper, sleeps right through until about 7 in the morning, has a bottle, and goes back to sleep until 10, 11 if we let her!

[Tink]

I can't wait to see the photos of the child's room! I do hope you were able to get some sleep, Josh. Sounds like you needed another camping cot.

Pretty looking place though. How far a drive is it from where you live?