Tuesday 25^th September 2018

After our experience last week in North Wales our next adventure will be to the south coast – a much better chance of some late season sun and warmth.

We got Voyager loaded with all the necessary yesterday, with the last minute stuff this morning. So after attending Slimming World for a quick weighing and chat we set forth at about 1 o’clock.

The weather was glorious – the sun shining so the going was good. We decided to go between the M4 and M3 via Bracknell so we could stop for a bite of lunch in a lay bye. This all went well and we made good progress on the M25, M23, A23 and were happily going around Brighton on the A27 when suddenly a van past us tooting at us and pointing at Betty – a quick look in the rear view camera showed she had a bit of a wobble (understatement) so we pulled over to the side of the road (luckily there were a few chevrons so avoided blocking a lane). On with the Hi Viz and venture out to find the problem.

Betty’s offside wheel bearing had collapsed leaving it precariously balanced metal to metal.

We had thought the bad weather last week was our third bit of bad luck – apparently not – This was definitely it.

What to do? We couldn’t stay where we had stopped for very long and luckily there was an off ramp about 200m ahead. So we proceeded at 20mph, got off the dual carriageway took the first exit off the roundabout and stopped in a lay bye after 100m.

There was a sign saying waiting was restricted to 5 mins. We ignored that one. We were just outside the campus of the University of Sussex.

Out with the laptop – get the detail for the Breakdown Recovery – phone them up. They were extremely helpful (and I was extremely grateful I had specifically added trailer cover) so they arranged for a local Recovery firm to load Betty on the back of a Lorry and take her to our Campsite.

We had less than 25 miles to follow the truck.

We had called the Norman’s Bay CCC site while we were waiting for the lorry so they were aware we would be late – they were very understanding – and helped by letting us skip the usual booking in process when we eventually got there at 7.15.

Betty was unloaded off the lorry straight onto our pitch (exactly as Nigel would have positioned her had she not had a problem), Voyager next to her, levelled and electric connected all within half an hour.

What a relief – I rustled up some food – you guessed it ‘sweet chilli prawns’ – we are here for six nights so time enough to get Betty repaired.

So we started our relaxing break watching the TV and talking about what to do tomorrow.

Wednesday 26^th September 2018

Surprisingly we both had a good night’s sleep so it was a bit of a late start. The weather is as forecast, blue sky, sunny and warming nicely.

Nigel went off to explore the site and do the full booking in process with Reception while I made breakfast.

Then it was down to phone calls to find some wheel bearings for Betty. This turned out to be easier than we imagined. A call to Tickners Trailers provided a phone number for Rob at ‘1 Stop Trailers’ who could send us a complete hub set (both wheels) by next day courier.

So after the other chores we trundled off to look at the sea from the top of the shingle bank

and then on to explore the local village of Pevensey Bay. Quite small with just a few shops, takeaways and pubs – I drooled over the motorcycle I will be buying when we win the lottery.

We returned after a couple of hours for lunch before venturing out in the other direction to a recommended pub to investigate if it was worth going there for a meal. Unfortunately it was a meal deal place with mostly pies and burgers – not our thing at all so we decided not to have that – instead returning to Voyager for a nap before our home produced evening meal. Trouble is I’m too good a cook – maybe if I fluff a few meals it will encourage Nigel to look harder for a nice restaurant to take me out to.

TV and relax before bed.

Thursday 27^th September 2018

The forecast said that today will be the warmest of our trip (a nice 22deg with only a light breeze) so despite the bearings being delivered today we didn’t want to hang around waiting. We thought it was best to have a word with the Wardens – check they were OK to accept delivery for us – but as it turned out when Nigel popped into Reception to chat with them the package had already arrived. We quickly put them away in Voyager and then set off for Eastbourne.

Its nearly 6 miles to the Pier but there is pavement or cycle way for the entire length so it was a lovely little trundle (all flat too).

 

We spent a lovely day by the sea,

 

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there were still a lot of people around looking at the sights and resting on the many benches – that’s one benefit of the 2G’s, we don’t have to look for seats we have our own. Another is we don’t have to pay the inflated café prices for lunch

– I had prepared our picnic earlier and had it all packed in a cool bag within my back pack.

We ate it on a boardwalk in the exact place that the Bandstand was (per old photo on a postcard shows).

 

Watching the folks on the shingle beach, some throwing pebbles into the sea, others laughing and chatting and a few brave ones sunbathing as we ate our olives, sandwiches and fruit with yoghurt, washed down by our special ‘lemonade’ (small sherry).

We trundled about on the promenade and had a nice whippy ice cream before slowly making our way back via Martello Tower #66 – couldn’t get too close due to construction work but did get a good photo.

 

It was a really lovely day – exactly what we had been hoping for when we booked this little trip.

We picked up a menu from one of the Chinese takeaways in Pevensey Bay. They did free delivery to our site so we phoned our order through when we got back and the food was there within half an hour. Nice not to have to cook and not too off plan (saved syns should cover it).

Relaxing evening – with a few photos of the sunset – bit of TV and blog writing.

Well thats the end of part one – join us soon for the continueing story of Betty’s Bearings and more exciting things we got up to!