holiday
Exhausting week
We went away last Sunday (20th September) for a break and to see family which we have been looking to. Bandit was dropped off at the kennels at 10 am and was quite happy to be left as he knows he has play dates most of the day. He is also very spoiled. When Rick got back we left straight away as it was a long journey and we didn’t know how my back would cope with being in the car for so long. As it turned out we had our usual two stops, one for a toilet break and a meal, the second just for a toilet break.
The first night was spent at a Premier Inn as we thought the extra night would be helpful for having extra rest. It was a lovely room but the double bed was too high for me to get on so Rick went down and asked if we could make up the single bed . The staff agreed to that and came up to make it as we would have been charged otherwise which was very kind of them.
The following day we took the short journey to the Haven site where the ‘fun’ started. When I made (online) I added that we are disabled which I thought was self-explanatory that we would need a disabled friendly van. Earlier this year we were given one. Unfortunately when we got to the caravan it had steps with the first being quite high and short plus I knew I would have problems getting up them.
Rick went to reception to see if we could have a different caravan or a ramp to make it easier for me to get into it. The person who he spoke to admitted that I had put down we are disabled but he couldn’t move us to a disabled friendly caravan and they don’t have temporary ramps on the grounds of health and safety. Whilst I understand the health and safety rules it doesn’t take into the health and safety of the customer so it was a case of put up or go home. I didn’t want to stay but knew it wouldn’t be helpful for when I complained in writing.
It made me very miserable having to go up and down the steps which was difficult and painful. Then the second problem came up which was the double bed. It was difficult getting down the side of it due to lack of space and in the other bedroom it was difficult to get down the middle for the same reason. I spent the next three nights lying across the bottom of the bed which was lumpy..
It was good though to catch up with Rick’s eldest sister, my sister, brother in law, youngest niece and three youngest children. Her youngest is 4 and has been diagnosed as non-verbal autism – he is adorable. We also met up with the youngest niece on Rick’s side and her 4 month old baby. He is a happy baby and enjoyed all the attention.
By Thursday we had had enough of the discomfort in the caravan so left. It was a relief to get home and be back in our own beds which is sad considering I have a hospitable bed. By Saturday morning I had sent an email of complaint to Haven and they have 21 days to reply.
Madness of Christmas slowing down
It felt like the pace got worse leading up to Christmas with church events and Rick was having problems with a finger, He had antibiotics which didn’t help, had it drained and had more antibiotics which, again, didn’t work so it meant having the finger nail removed and wound washed out. It’s looking much better now fortunately.
We went to Ayr in Scotland for Christmas which made a lovely change from the norm. Bandit went with us as we left it too late to get him into kennels and loved it as he was on the beach every day. He was very well behaved considering it was a long journey and we were on the first floor. There were plenty of mad people who went in for a dip in the sea on Boxing Day. I wouldn’t have taken my shoes off to walk on the beach let alone put a toe in the sea.
It’s good to be home again though to have a break but it feels like we haven’t been away. The business after New Year will start again though.
Not such a good break
Last Monday we went to Ayr for a short break but it ended up being stressful. When we got to the caravan the key wasn’t inside so we had to go to the reception. The receptionist we spoke to wasn’t exactly the most helpful or polite one we have ever met. We were given a key fairly quickly but while we were waiting another customer was complaining to another receptionist. She had arrived an hour earlier and was still waiting for a key. She even said at one point she couldn’t believe there wasn’t one key anywhere on the site for the caravan.
We got back to our caravan to eat and relax as we were tired. The next morning we went out and found out that it was the wrong key so went back to reception only to be told they couldn’t guarantee when we would get the right key. By this time we were getting irritated to the point I said our holiday had already been ruined by the attitude there. We found out later there were several new members of staff and there had been numerous complaints. We’ve been there before but without any hassles but decided to go out anyway.
Returning back to the site the key had been given to security for us. It was a relief the ‘new’ key actually fitted. I was still fed up and my mood worsening.
On Thursday we went to the Isle of Arran having bought the ferry ticket the day before. Arriving at Troon we found the ferry had been cancelled and had to go to Ardrossan, fortunately we had enough time to get there. We then found out on the journey that ferries were being cancelled due to severe weather warnings and to go back on a return journey after getting off the ferry. There was no room to do the return journey so we had about an hour on the island. This meant getting a coffee each then waiting in the car,
Due to the weather warning we came home Thursday instead of Friday. It was just as well as the weather was already getting bad at home. It doesn’t feel like we’ve been away and it’s one holiday I want to forget.
My mood hasn’t improved – it’s got worse – and it’s hard to put on a happy face at the moment. I haven’t slept well for over a week now so it was a good excuse to use this morning before the parent / carer and toddler group.