New Forest - Last family trip of the summer

A long weekend for the August bank holiday with Matt, Ruth, Steve, Jane and all the kids. We stayed this time at Holmesley which was pleasent enough and the weather was pretty good all in all.

Steve and I polished off a couple of flaggons of New Forest Snakecatcher and suffered for it, but when in Rome etc.

So this may be the last trip of the summer before Sophie goes in for her new interior. It has been a brilliant few months of escapism and it seems that we've had her for so much longer than 11 weeks!!!

Can't wait for next year to come along so that we can play some proper trips away to far away lands....

Milage: 54536

Lions at Longleat

Off again for a few days with Jo, El and co. to discover the safari park at Longleat and celebrate Leon's 3rd birthday. The monkey enclosure was closed due to some kind of virus (swine flu no doubt) but that was fine as Sophie would have probably been pulled apart from the seams. Rhinos, tigers, lions, giraffes, wolves - they have the lot. Unfortunately Lily managed to sleep through the whole thing and woke just as we were leaving the last enclosure.

What a great place to keep the kids occupied; we went back three days in a row so that we could cover all the activities and the weather was pretty kind to us although the campsite 'Brokerswood Country Park' were not as we were late packing up our pitch and had to do so whilst obscenities were being thrown at us by the 'pikie' lot.

Mileage: 54296

Fairport Convention's Cropredy

Real Ale and the sweet taste of summer grass....

Mileage: 54079

Triathlon at Littleworth Cross

Just a short trip this time for the annual sports event in Seale. Joined by Jo, El and the kids along with the many other people for swimming, running, cycling, mountain biking, badminton, table tennis and more.

An unexpectedly beautiful weekend weatherwise and this time we had Poppy and Lily sleeping up top with me below. Lily's first mini sleep over with Poppy and all I can say is that is was a success - didin't even mind the 6:00 wake up with giggling and non-stop banter.

Stopped off at Tilford on the way home for a pint and once again the comments and admiration for Sophie came flooding in....

Mileage: 54050

Brighton

Ruben's Birthday is upon us and we'll get the opportunity to see a few friends that we haven't seen in too many years.

A beautiful day greeted us as we woke up and prepared to go to Brighton. parking up on the seafront for a quick stroll down the promenade as we left a kind homeless man in charge of Sophie.

Met up with Dev and co in Hove park for a splendid afternoon of food, playing and custard pie fights....

Mileage 53940