United Kingdom

Summer 2011

In 2010 we were pretty much very sure: Using a motor-home to go on holiday was absolutely the thing to do. And it was! However, to justify owning a motor-home you'll have to use it rather frequently. Due to change of jobs the time to do just that, use the motor-home frequently, is not existent and thus selling the motor-home was the wisest decision. This also means that we'll have to rent homes, apartments or other property to have a holiday.

This year we decided to have a holiday near home. After lurking the internet we found a nice caravan in East Sussex. 'Holiday Park Winchelsea Sands' (book at: hoseaons.co.uk) is where we ended up.

How to get there?

Way back in time you had roughly 3 options to get from the Continent to the UK:

- By boat
- By plane
- By swimming

We chose option 4: With the car through the sewer between France and England. The reason is two fold:
- Cost driven
- Time driven

It is cost driven because one pays only for the car, no matter how many passengers fit in. Well, there probably is a limit but we would not go past that. When travelling by ferry, many charge for the car and for its passengers.

It is time driven as it only takes three quarters of an hour on the train. Okay, before getting on the train takes a little while but the same goes for the ferry.

Disadvantages it has as well. Top thing is, you'll miss having the possibility to do some sightseeing on sea but we're pretty sure that, somewhere halfway in the front of the ferry you'll see water, on the rear, you'll see water, on the left, you'll see water and on the right... most probably you will see water.

Upon arrival, we unload the car and start our quest for groceries. In order to be able to pay for them we'll need pounds, which we hope to get at the ATM near to the park but unfortunately the machine refuses to give money! Setback! Stress! Yikes! Now what? Driving towards Rye hoping it has a ATM willing to spit out some pounds. Luckily there is (at least) one that does as it is Maestro compatible. Something to keep in mind if you, like us Dutchmen, are used to be able to get money out of just about any money machine.

With the money we do the groceries needed. Diner we have at the club-house. Nothing special but well cooked and tasty.

Sunday

The Sunday is used to have a walk in Rye. Rye is a nice little fishermen's town with a nice church, a real entry gate and Fort Ypres, looking over the old canal. Our little walk only takes us through the main-street and has us visiting the church. After that, we head for Hastings to do serious groceries at Tesco as we are sure the Tesco is open on Sundays.

Monday

Yesterday's walk in Rye was a tad short. So today we go back and take a closer look. Yesterday, for instance, we didn't get to see Ypres Tower. We plan to have a look there and visit it. Unfortunately we can only admire the tower from the outside as it's not open for visiting on Mondays.

Luckily the gun-garden makes it still a nice, worthwhile visit, as is the view over the old canal.

Then we head towards Bodiam Castle. A 14^th century castle near Robertsbridge in East Sussex. This castle has all the features one expects from a castle: 4 towers, tall walls all sitting in the middle of a pond. A single bridge leading to the entrance gate.

After entering the castle a video takes the visitors back in time, telling all kinds of stories and tales about the castle, just to get you in the mood.

As expected there is a mighty view over the area from the towers. You'll also see the 'modern' bunker which was meant to provide guarding for German air-raids during the Second World War. One can doubt if it would ever be really effective but then... the Germans were never in a position to actually try the defensive unit.

The pond is a treat on its own. Huge fishes (carps and probably pikes) living in the clear water, minding their own business entertaining the public by their size, trying to eat what ever is thrown into the pond.

During our visit we first learn about the ticket prices which are a tad on the high-end. Visiting Bodiam Castle will set you back for over 20 pounds for a family visit! That's serious money! We know that taking care of buildings is costing a little bit but 20 pounds? Later we find out that one can ease the pain a bit by getting a membership and get some advantages like free entrance or discounts on other sites. Both the National Trust as the English Heritage have such schemes. Make sure to check it out before going on the holiday as it is near impossible to check the 'great offer' when on the site of visiting.

Tuesday

Say United Kingdom, then London is one of the things mentioned right away. So who are we to not visit London? We don't go by car but by train. With kids it's rather affordable, takes away the stress of driving in London while finding the way and you won't need a second mortgage to pay the parking fees.

We decide to exit the train at London Bridge station. This station is at walking distance from the Tower Bridge and the Tower, two features needed to be seen while in London.

In all our innocence we thought we would visit The Tower to have a look at the (copy of) the Crown Jewels. Well... we actually didn't do it, it's an expensive affair. We take a few pictures from the outside and that's it. Instead we go aboard a ferry taking us from the tower towards the house of parliments.

The boat ride was accompanied by a guide telling all usefull things about the landmarks we pass. Such a trip can teach you a thing or two. Example? We, including all the others (except maby three) thought the Big Ben is the tower of the house of Parliments. Wrong! It's the big bell hanging inside. This huge bell is a good example of British Engineering... which broke after just a few weeks of being used. Not the bell was at fault but the hammer slamming it which was way above specced weight. Instead of getting the bell out of the tower and make a new one the bell was rotated about it's vertical axis and some straps added to the bell fixed it, giving the bell it's unique sound. Oh, the clock seems to be running terrifying precise. Again, proof of British engineering skills.

While on the ferry you'll see a lot of things. Japanese who refuse to listen, a replica of the original Shakespear theatre, Japanese who refuse to listen, a building of the Katholic Boysclub, Japanese who refuse to listen, a couple of bridges, Japanese who refuse to listen, the London Eye and... did we already mention the Japanese who refuse to listen? Rather often our guide had to tell that it was not very social to stand-up and block the view for other on the boat let alone that it is against safety regulations but would this Japanese listen? Nashi. For sure the pictures he took were miles better by taking them approximately 4 inch higher compared to when he was seated.

London Eye. A ferris wheel. Big. Gigantic. And most of all there. Oh and quite an investment to ride. We quote our guide:

On the left hand side of the boat,  you'll see the London Eye. For 20 pound per visitor you're allowed to stand in a bowl, get swung around two / three times for a couple of minutes just to have a great view of the town. St. Pauls offers roughly the same view at a fraction of the price and you can stand there watching for a whole day, if you like.

Hah... we Dutch are not the only ones thinking about their money, even when on holiday. Politely we took a picture of two and decide to leave this attraction where it is. We take a walk towards the house of Parliments to have a good look at the tower and visit Westminster Abbey, close to it.

This Westminster Abbey has to be realy something. Again, a good relation with the bankmanager is needed to get to look inside. We don't have such good relationships with our bankmanager so once again we politely take pictures from the outside and leave the inside to the true Kate and William fans.

We decide to visit a landmark we are sure we are not allowed to enter: Buckingham Palace. The changing of the guards had been taken place hours ago so we miss on that. Our luck. Or bad planning. It seems they only change the guards at half past eleven in the morning, when it's not raining that is. But no matter what, it is an impressive building! How's Elizabeth keeping that vast building clean? She must be having a Dyson to pull that one off.

Today it's silly hats, flower dress and high-heels day at Buckingham Palace. Beth and Phlip are having a garden party. 8000 individuals are invited to walk on the royal grass. Never ever have we seen such a que of 'expensive' people. If Trix ever has parties like this, we don't know, invited we've never been.

When we had a good look at the palace we walk towards Piccadilly Circus. Known for its big neon-advertising and the fact that a lot of shops are located near it. Also China Town is not that far away. To be honnest, Bert's memory from 20 years ago had the expectations a bit higher than what we see right now. It's not all that anymore today. When in London and nearby, have a look but don't make it a goal on its own, it's not worth it.

After having a pizza we can make the list of landmarks seen today:

1. Tower Bridge
2. Tower
3. London Eye
4. Shakespear's Theater (replica)
5. House of Parlements
6. Westminster Abbey
7. Buckingham Palace
8. Piccadilly Circus
9. Trafalgar Square

Wednesday

Relaxday. London has taken its toll. To make sure that having a holiday doesn't start to look like working we decide to do nothing today. So, only the neccesary groceries are done. We liked it.

Thursday

Today we're visiting Battle. Harold and William fought here for the crown of England. A match of Normandy - England. In 1066 some discussion surfaced about who was to inherit the crown from Edward after he died. It seemed that Eds promissed the crown to both William and Harold. Both made the claim but as only one crown exist they had to have a little match to decide who was to get the crown. That we're not talking a Wrestle Mania game should be apparent by the gallons of blood being spilled and the thousends of men who lost their life. Among them Harold who, according to the legends, tried to fence of an arrow with one of his eyelids. He failed. Reality? We don't know and we never will. That he died, that's a fact.

To honour the men who lost their live an abbey was build on the spot Harold died. A well conserved monument which is being exploited by the English Heritage. A video and an audio tour, available in a hand full of languages, you're taken right into the middle of the fights on the battlefield and among the monks living in the abbey.

Friday

The holiday party splits today. One fraction stays at the camping to have a swim in the pool. The second fraction jumps into the car and leaves to get as close to cliff end as possible. The car is being parked in front of Smugler's in Pett Level. Walking past the pub takes us to the ridge from where we walk towards the cliff. Luckily, it's low-tide as during high-tide this piece of the beach would be flooded.

From the cliff, an impressive view over zee is the reward of ploughing our way through the rocky beach. By the way, we tried to reach the end of the cliff from above as well, failing to do so as one needed to cross privately owned property. We don't like strangers walking around our garden, so we don't do so around other's.

Saturday

Then it finally is there, the first true English day. It rains and it doesn't look like it's going to clear. Luckily, we've got internet in the caravan so we can have a look with our HP Minis to see what indoor activities can be done to get our through the day. Hastings, some odd 10 miles from our caravan, seems to have a sea aquarium which sell combi-tickets for a visit at the smugglers caves. Sounds like indoor to us so the Garmin Asus' navigation is turned on, the car is started, off we go.

We park the car close to the sea. For the first time we see waves which give some drama. Not a lot but still. We don't enjoy it for too long as the rain makes it a less pleasant experience. So we head towards the aquarium.

Last year in Croatia we've visited a aquarium as well but this, for sure, has more quality. A beautifull aquarium with mostly native species. Sure, since Finding Nemo an aquarium needs to have a bunch of clownfishes so they you'll find here as well. While there, a few flatfishes were going through a lot of trouble entertaining us by digging them self in the sand. Nice to see how quickly they do so.

The aquarium has a big bassin, some 30 / 40 inch high. Here, a couple of rays, a shark and some other swimming animals have their home. We had never seen rays this close, let alone that they put their heads above the water, 'dancing' along the edges of the bassin. If you wanted it and it was allowed you could easily touch them. Luckily we were not allowed and we didn't want it to do, it would stress out the fish causing illnesses.

Another nice feature is a bassin you can walk underneath, through a clear tube. It's like walking between the fish, without getting wet. Nice to see. Well, a lot more is there to see so when near, go visit it.

Via the shop we exit the aquarium. The havy rain turned into light rain so we walk along the sea-front towards West Hill Cliff Railway. This funicular railway takes us up the castle hill quick and easy. We have to be there to get to the smuggler caves.

In 1066 it were the Normans bugging the people from Hastings, in the 1800s some small, irritating French rascall was stirring up the English. 24/7 the English were trying to fight off the little bastard which cost a lot of money. Guess who had to bring in that money? Indeed, the locals. Taxes they had to pay. Not just a little, no, big amounts. To by-pass these taxes a lot of goods were imported from the continent without noticing the government. Smuggling they called it. Wine, clothing, tea, soldiers... everything was shipped cross the canal.

Escpecially the wine came in big vessels and to improve the efficiency the wine brought in had high alcohol percentages, enough to clean medical instruments. To get it to drinkable values, water was poured in to the concentrated wine. Just tell the seller the percentage of alcohol you'd like to have, he threw in a marble corrosponding that percentage and once that marble got afloat the requested percentage was reachen.

The Smugglerscaves of Hastings tell the stories about the smuggling in a nice, entertaining but also learning way. A nice thing todo on a rainy day.

Sunday

Sunday starts English again: Rainy. Luckily, we had some indoor activities in mind for the day. We wanted to visit Rye's Ypres Tower and Rye's Castle Museum. If it clears up, we try and visit Camber Castle as well.

Ypres Tower is around for many years, trying to guard Rye for hazzards from outside. The towers, four of them, acted as a prison for smugglers and other criminals. There were two types of cells one could book. The low budget version came without any windows but including a smelly atmosphere, escpecially when the stay was for more than a day. The penthouse cells had openings in the wall allowing one to have a look out side and breath a fresh air. If glass was in front of those openings we don't know, but probably not.

Like the smugglerscaves this museum tells about the smuggler area. It confirms the stories told in the caves. Also, knights and their ways are shown here. You are even allowed to pick up a real replica of an orriginal sword, just to get a feel of what those knights had to carry with them, fighting of the ennemy. Todays soldiers wearing their cevlar bullet proof vests are sissies. This is the real work. This privatly owned museum is a must when in Rye. If you don't do it for the stories, then do it to make maintaining the museum a possibility.

The combi ticket allows us access to the Castle Museum as well. Naturally, we do visit it. This museum is more about the history of Rye. As it is a fishermen's town it's no surprise that some attention is going to that. Also, Rye is proud off it's superior and efficient firemen.

Both privately owned museums are put together with great love and enthousiasm and both deserve a visit.

Meanwhile, it stopped raining. Who would have thought of that? So we decided to have a look at Camber Castle. Man, that's hard to find! The SatNav doesn't understand where we want to go and signs are not existent. So back to the Tourist Information in Rye, asking for directions. A nice lady plots out how we get there. We take up the directions and quickly notice why the SatNav had trouble finding the castle. You can only get there by following the one million sheap dung route. Camber Castle is situated in the middle of grass-fields filled with sheep. A lot of sheep.

Walking for more than a mile is neccesary to visit the little fort. Not a problem if you can walk, but when halfway all hell breaks loose turning us soaking wet up to the string within a minute... then it's a less pleasant thing to do. Luckily the shower takes just a couple of minutes, the sun start shining again and with the wind blowing you start to dry a little soon. Oh, stupid me... I brought the camera but the memory card was still in the laptop. Shoot. So pictures are taken using the camera of the phone. 5 megapixels yes, quality, no.

with our OVP we have free access to the fortress which has an odd shape. It's made out of cylindrical shapes with tight, low tunnels connecting the towers. Were people back then realy that small or did they like getting on hands and knees a lot?

We don't sound too positive about Camber Castle. That's clearly down to the shower we encountered. If it had been a sunny, dry experience we would have liked it a lot more. So when there, visit it but don't wear your high-heel pumps, they're useless there.

Monday

According to the BBC's Weatherchannel in Hastings it should be dry until four in the afternoon. We wanted to go back there to have a walk at the castle over there and to walk through the old town. Also, the guys keep nagging about the Go-kart at the sea-front so reasons enough to go there. But we start our visit at the'Shipwreck and Coastal Heritage Center', a museum with all kinds of shipwreck memorial stuff from our VOC time. After the visit we also notice the 'Fisherman Museum', entry is free so we get in, learning all about fishing in the old days.

Once again we walk towards West Hill to get up the castle hill. Afterall, we want to visit the castle as we don't own that OVP of the English Heritage for nothing. Well... it's of no use here. Hastings castle is being exploited by the National Trust. Shoot. Well, a castle is a castle is a castle... so we turn away, have a nice look from castle hill and treat our selves with a cappuccino.

With the train we go back down again to have a walk through the old town. A welcome experience as we don't come across the well known modern shops but only small local shops from specialists. A nice place to be.

The boys didn't forget about the Go-kart thing and for sure want to have a go. This means heading back to 'The Seafront'. For 5 pound each, the guys buy a ticket, put on a helmet, strap them selves into the karts and have a go. Like real Fernando Alonsos and Jos Verstappens the race along the track. They enjoy the race. So they want to have another go. But now they have to share the track with others. It does make the race a bit more interesting, especially since the boys started in fourth and fifth position and seeing Dylan finish as first and Brandon up to a nice podium place as well.

Then its time to seek and find the car back again. Between the Go-Kart track and the car there is a huge Aracadehall so we visit it, not because we have to but because we can. All those machines are nice and fun, if you like it.

Back in the car it's heading to ASDA's only to find out it seems that ASDA is actually cheaper than Tesco.

Tuesday

The weatherforecast for Tuesday are not to SMS home about. We decide to not undertake too big discovery journeys today. But then we learn about the weather in England: It is as unpredictable as is the Dutch government. The air clears and even the sun shows up, and no, we're not talking that tabloid here. The kids go for a swim, we take the car for a little ride as it seems that Global Warming still needs a little help.

Whenever we drive the Pett Level Road between Hastings and Winchelsea Sands we cross a point always filled with people photographing the surrounding area. To not appear to be rude, we park the car near that spot, climb up the ridge and probably take the same pictures as they do. While we enjoy the view over here we think it can be even better.

Why do we think that it can be even better? Well, when one drives from Hastings to Winchelsea Beach a sign says 'View point'. We know the English have a nice sense of humour but they're proud off their country as well so we consider this serious, not a joke. So we drive towards that point, only to realize that the sign doesn't show up when driving from Winchelsea Beach towards Hasting. Bummer. We turn the car at a certain point, drive back and presto, we see the sign up in Fairlight. On Battery Hill.

From here you've got a brilliant view over the valley between Fairlight and Winchelsea and over the see, looking over the cliff. When it is a real bright day it should be possible to see the otherside of the channel. Today it's not that bright but bright enough to enjoy the view. After the pictures are taken we drive towards Rye for a cup of coffee and an 'iced slice'. Tasty.

Wednesday

Brighton. Dylan has been in Brighton before, liked it so we should see it! Some positive side-effect: He reckons he will be able to visit Brighton Pier, which he wasn't allowed to the first time he was in Brighton.

Like a real tour-guide Dylan takes us through Brighton. In fact, he's looking for the 'DC Store' but seems to be hiding that pretty well by showing all kinds of points of interest. And to be honnest, he succeeds in showing nice attractions. We see a model-shop where model-cars are sold at roughly the price of the original. Also a clock-tower build in honour of Elizabeth I and some gigantic mall, in Brighton since the Jurassic age. To proof that, the mall has life-size dinosaurs, fenced off to protect the shopping public.

But then... the pier starts to act itchy on the boys, even when the DC Store wasn't tracked back. The pier is big but with its 500 metres length it's by no means the 1 mile it is according to the locals. Dylan was only interested in the thrill-rides, only accessible after encountering two arcadehalls and a bunch of food-stands. At 20 pound per person, 30 pound worth of tokens can be bought and the boys start hunting those big rides. Mom and dad take a seat near the cappuccino bar and have a cappuccino while enjoying the colourfull masses of people walking about the hall.

By the end of the afternoon we try to get the car back. Oh dear... parking is an expensive hobby. After just an hour or 6 we have to pay 20 pound. That's a lot of money, but hey, it's holiday.

Thursday

Relax day. Just a little run at the Rye market, little shopping and... working on the road trip. Just reserving some energy for the drive back on saturday. This also allows the boys some extra time with Beth and Jade.

Friday

In a few words? Final groceries, cleaning up the caravan, packing and having good fun in the Club House. That's it.

Thanks

We enjoyed England! Only met friendly (acting) people. Great country, beautifull things to see. An absolute must. Oh and driving on the left hand side of the road is not as hard as it looks, only the round-abouts are a tad tricky. Like a famous Austrian actor said: Ich Komme Zuruck. Or: I'll be buck!