164 - Midsummer Madness

Wednesday 17th June (Day 1)

Due to a funeral tomorrow we left around 1415 to park on the front of Chris and Carolyn K’s house. They are away. We chose here as it is only 30 minutes from tomorrows funeral. This means we have less chance of encountering traffic or M11 problems causing us issues. We were parked up by 1630. Having settled we walked to the New Barn for a pint and then back for a curry. England were playing Croatia (our potential nemesis) in the first match of the world cup. We won 4-2. Bed followed.

Thursday 18th June (Day 2)

Today we are off to Su’s Grandad’s funeral (Pete). It is at Basildon Crematorium at 1100. We left at 0940 for a thirty minute trip wanting to get there to try and ensure the best chance at being able to park there. All was OK. The service was a nice one and the crem itself also very modern and nice. After it was off to a sports club in Corringham. We stayed until about 1320 and then said our goodbyes. The trip to Lancing was about two hours and reasonably traffic free; just a couple of slow bits. That said, and with a blistering sunshine forecast, we drove through rain and even set up in rain. Lots of people to greet and meet. After about an hour the rain stopped and the skies turned blue, hopefully it will remain like this now. A sit in a circle with friends with a drink or two just chatting before a light tea. More chasing and then bed.

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Friday 19th June (Day 3)

We woke to a sea mist but still very warm. After breakfast we met up on our bikes for a ride along the south downs link. There was about thirty of us. Our first stop was only after a couple of miles at the airport. It was the first airport in the world at the time - around 1912. Planes then must have been like a Blue Peter job all paper maché and coat hangers. We got a very cold reception as they were not expecting us. While we all had somewhere to sit and there was room for more, the manager just moaned. Eventually we all got served and then promptly left. We soon joined the link cycle way which followed the river. A very pleasant ride with a few stops for the slower people to catch up. The next stop was Bramber castle which was built own 1073. It now is a ruin - a real ruin. Off again and we stopped at the Rising Sun in Upper Beeding. Here we were happily welcomed, although the landlord informed us with only one chef the food would take sometime! While sitting in the sunshine it was decided by a few of us to continue on the Steyning. This is a lovely little village / town with some Tudor houses and a school that started in 1614 still being used as a technical college. It was then a cycle back by which time we had covered thirty miles. A short break and then over to the ‘social area’ where three BBQ’s were going and all cooked there own food. This was followed by a few silly games. Most people drifted off back to the motorhomes around 2215. We however went to ‘Izzy’s motorhome with Zonk and Diane and stayed drinking until about midnight.

Saturday 20th June (Day 4)

Today started again very misty but also so misty it was like a light rain. By 1100 we were queuing up at the site café for tea / coffee and cake. Monies to the MacMillan Foundation. Apart from us COGers a lot of local people drove up so it was very busy. It turned out to be the most successful they had run. Just after 1215, still with very light rain, Chris and I along with Zonk and Diane, Martyn and Carolyn, plus four others walked to catch a bus to Brighton. Once there, about forty-five minutes on the bus, we strolled along The Lanes and had a meal in Donatello’s. Good value, tasty and plentiful. Chris and I then went to buy some reading glasses for her as those she uses at night somehow got broken. Others strolled around to see things they wanted to. Having purchased some glasses we took a short bus ride back to the sea front and we joined up with Zonk and Martyn (plus). A walk along the pier and then a solitary pint in a pub before a return bus journey arriving back at site by 1820. By just after 1900 we were sat outside the café area for the Wellington Wailers, a group of men who sing sea shanties. One of the six had an accident yesterday breaking a collar bone and some ribs so was absent. This meant the others had to sing some songs they were less than familiar with. If a mistake was made us, the audience who were dressed up in pirate gear, had to shout ‘AAAArrrrgh’. A two plus hours of them and us singing with much merriment. When they finished we had a draw of the raffle and then sat chatting, with the odd tot, until around 2330.

Sunday 21st June (Day 5)

Today started of with bright sunshine and a hot day was promised and so it proved to be, indeed it was in the mid to high 20’s. The first event was us running a games morning with boules, molky, the ladder game and kubb. It all went down very well. It was so hot we virtually skipped lunch - just crisps and a piece of fruit. Late afternoon Chris went with a group for a swim in the sea while I lounged around in the shade. Apparently it was a lovely refreshing swim. Another mass BBQ for the evening followed by me running a buskers / camp fire evening. Lots of camp fire type action songs and ‘Wild Rover /Molly Malone’ was to be sung. Then Malcolm on the saxophone and a camper called Mark who played the violin and was excellent. We also had a few people get up and sing and a short ‘Karaojoke’ where people just got up and told jokes. The evening finished at 2300 and all appeared to have had a good time.

Monday 22nd June (Day 6)

Another very warm start. After breakfast we met at the Chausson sign on our bikes for a cycle ride to The English Martyrs church in Lancing This was built in 1969 and in 1988 a single man painted an exact copy (two thirds size) of the Sistine chapel. After that we cycled a short distance to the Bulls Head pub for lunch. Then a slow cycle back to the site. By the time we had got back we had cycled twelve miles. It was still hot and so a large group walked down to the beach for a swim. The water was ok with small waves but, apparently, this was rougher than yesterday. Back for a snack before over to the café area for ‘musical bingo’. Then just a chat with background music before 2315 saw us retiring to bed.

Tuesday 23rd June (Day 7)

A ‘free day’ (almost). So as the day started very hot we had a simple breakfast and sat around chilling. At 1130 a group of eight of us cycled into Worthing to have lunch on the pier. Two more were going to join us having travelled by bus. On Tuesdays and Wednesdays the pier restaurant shuts! So we went to the Arcades Fish Bar where we had the ‘Over 60’s’ meal. Fish and chip with mushy peas and tartare sauce, tea or coffee then ice cream or bread pudding. One or two went off piste and had mussels or whitebait but most stuck to the oldies menu (£11.45). We then popped to M&S as some people needed a bit of food shopping. Returning to the bikes we started the ride back but overshot to the Airport as one of our group was having a 60th birthday present of a flying lesson. Much merriment was had and he came back in one piece beaming from ear to ear. Back at the site we took the Quest down and packed away a few bits. There was a BBQ at 1815 but most of us were still too stuffed to join in. 1930 saw us sat down for rock music bingo which finished by 2030 so those who wished watched England .v. Ghana (0-0). We then sat and chatted and played music until all sloped off to bed

Wednesday 24th June (Day 8)

A blistering day. After breakfast we packed away the few things we left and said our goodbyes. By 1030 we were off. A text message warned us that M25 anti-clockwise was stationary which explain why the satnav took us via Heathrow on the westside. Indeed traffic anti-clockwise was backed up onto he M23 and for several miles along the eastbound lanes as we travelled westward. We had a bit of slow traffic around the Heathrow junction but not much and was home by 1420. A good extended weekend.