Caravan-tastic

Today

Had occasion to travel a good part of the M5 last Friday - from Weston-Super-Mare to Dudley, and, of course, back on Saturday.

This motorway is the route by which Midlanders escape to the West Country. And there's nothing they like so much, it seems, as to do it in caravans. "This is caravan-tastic!" I said to Paul as we avoided yet another one pulling out suddenly into the middle lane with clearly no idea of what was behind it.

There were all sorts, from fancy 6-berths, pulled by 4-trax to mucky little 2-berths with a Vauxhall Corsa struggling to heave it along. People had strung all kinds of items on the back - mostly bikes, scramblers and motorbikes. Those with Motor homes, sometimes pulled little trailers behind carrying Smart cars for local driving and many were towing boats. It fascinates me that people living 200 miles from the sea still find room to keep a boat for the few times they can actually get to Lyme Regis, or wherever.

The driving skills were as varied as the caravans; for many, I guess, towing a caravan is something they do twice a year so their lack of skills could be pardoned. Although when they cause you to take avoiding action, it's hard to feel forgiving.

In My Day

Once we'd got the need to travel with a caravan behind us (and, anyway,the car was now seriously dead) we simply had to park it in the back garden. Daddy suddenly had a brainwave. Offer the caravan as holiday lets!

The original caravan was parked under the copper beech and christened Beechbower. Daddy bought another, matching one which was put at the foot of the slope. The caravans, which were both 4-berth, had light (from Calor gas, using little gas mantles like Victorian days) and heating. Calor gas canisters graced the lawn to the side of the caravans. We had a downstairs loo, accessible from the garden and an outside tap. We were ready!

And we did get customers. Somehow the very basic facilities didn't seem to bother anybody. And many were very glad to be so close to London for so little money. What we didn't bargain for was people wanting to use the caravan as a permanent home. There was one older couple who lived there all winter. Daddy became very nervous as he knew that if they were to be regarded as permanent he would need hard standing and proper bathing facilities. I think that one winter relying on Calor for heat and light was enough as they left before Daddy had to ask them to go.

One family stayed there with four children and kittens.

There was also a Sinhalese family who stayed in the caravan all summer. They were called the Arnoldas. While they only tried to squeeze three children in, they also had several dogs - a bloodhound, a golden retriever and 2 retriever puppies. I was absolutely terrified of these dogs, especially the bloodhound, who, I was sure, had his beady eye on me and would find me out in all my wrondoings.

There's farm in our village with three caravans parked for letting on a field. The Parish Council are up in arms about them as they apparently present a health hazard.