28th November on the way home :(

Sadly all too quickly it was time to head home. I think we have a strange sat nav it always gets us there but often in a very round about way and true to form we had a very interesting journey from Amsterdam to Calais, via small towns, bridges and a six kilometer tunnel.

We had read in the camper van blogs that you can park over night for free at the Cite de Europe. We wanted to shop at the huge Carrafour super market for some goodies for Christmas so decided to give the overnight parking a try.

We found the "Camping Car" sign and area very easily, there were two other very large camper vans there and so set up for the night. The torrential rain all night really tested the van roof and we are relieved to say not a drip got through.

The next morning we were entertained by the people in the two white vans moving boxes of "stuff" from one van to the other......

After another cooked breakfast we crossed the car park and went into the shopping centre and stocked up on drink and food stuff.
We caught site of a french newspaper that seems to say that firemen were working in the tunnel and it was still closed!!!! luckily our french isn't that good because on arrival at the tunnel everything was as normal and we checked in to wait for our crossing back.

(devil eyed woman clutching her duty free!)

                          The overnight stop was really good we will definitely do that again.

Camping Zeeburg

21st November we arrived at Camping Zeeburg, we have been there before, but this was the first with our van.

We had a very friendly welcome and were shown our pitch. The bar and restaurant area is being refurbished so this was closed but the shop was still open and as always the toilet and shower blocks were clean and very warm!
We were surprised that there were several people in tents, even this time of year and a few camper vans. 
We parked and set up the awning...

We don't have a photo but there were about 12 chickens roaming the camp site and one managed to find her way under our awning.

Everything worked brilliantly in the Van, especially the heater! We have a few ideas to improve things for next time and definitely do not need to take so much stuff!! 

During our stay in Amsterdam we visited the Heineken Experience ...

The Tropen and Rijks Museum, took a walk to the beach and around the main shopping centre Dam Square

We had a brilliant time and already planning our next trip! 

Our first trip abroad in our Van

November and it's our Summer Holiday! and at last we are really off in the Van. 
Sunday 18th November we set off for Stoke on Trent to see Joan Armatrading.

Following a brilliant concert we set off Tuesday, via Milton Keynes for Harwich to catch the overnight ferry to the Hook of Holland. 
I was a bit worried about sailing in November, but it was a very smooth crossing and after a good nights sleep we disembarked to a glorious sunrise.

The first thing we needed to do was fine somewhere to cook our first breakfast......once we drove out of the built up area we saw a picnic sign and headed for that, we followed a tiny little road that ended up in a lovely wooded area with car park and walks and of course the obligatory cycle paths, so we stopped to cook egg and bacon for breakfast.

This was the sign we followed and later found out it was a naturist park! sadly it was really cold so we didn't see any local sights!!!!