The night before the morning after

Hallelujah ...we're finally, finally all packed and moved into C's for a couple of nights. Has been a manic couple of weeks getting the everything ready for the road. Friday night at sister's saw us in a group hug singing 'Country Roads' by John Denver after a whiskey or 2. We're sleeping on my newly covered foam matresses in our sleeping bags. It was a tense moment but the velcro-finish did us proud. Yesterday was the hottest day of the year which got us into camping mode. Today went around M25 and did a round of goodbyes to family in Watford and Charlton and then we came back to C's for a bottle o' wine, spaghetti bolognese and a sort through the CD collection to decide what we're bringing. Jon gave way on much of the 70s prog rock. I conceded a Lemon Jelly CD here and there. Off now to get up early for drive to Ramsgate ferry to Ostende. Haven't been this excited since I was seized by a fit of shaking when going to the Isle of Man aged 5! See you at the other side.

T-2 days

Things are moving along. The house has finally found two nice tenants who will move in on the 26th. My mountain of stored stuff has been significantly reduced by selling the sofas, and shlepping the bed into the second bedroom here. When I've fetched the two drawers and the coffee table there should be only some boxes left, huzzah!
I've fitted a Zig unit (CF8) to the rock'n'roll bed frame ready for it to be connected by the car electricians tomorrow. Also bought a mains hook-up kit, spare fusebox, fuses and interior lights from JustKampers, and a car radio and speakers from Halfords. I don't know what to cross anymore, and I certainly don't trust the electrician but they said it would be done by Friday. Which, in English handyman speak, means next week if you're lucky and £500 more, didn't you know. Why everyone keeps putting up with this shit I don't know; I suppose the only alternative is Do It Yourself. Electrics though .. you don't want to end up with an engine fire just because you forgot to put that 35Amp fuse in!
Anyway, we're both sad because Hester is now at her new playground at C's since yesterday. Hope she doesn't miss us too much.
Today I'm making a new buddy seat from plywood - basically a box with a lid, which will be upholstered - to replace the original Dormobile seat and create some much needed extra storage. I also need to replace one of the metal brackets that hold the front bit of wood up when the bed is folded out and level. These standard brackets are fixed in two places and look a bit like a elongated 'V'. The problem is that the fridge (a Waeco 40l 3-way top loader cool box) is in the way, as it fits snugly between cupboard and the bed, and is just low enough to fit underneath the front piece of the bed when it's extended. So, I bought a 10cm metal leg from B&Q to replace the bracket.
Still to do: find and fit the best storage solution for the cupboard; buy luggage straps and metal brackets to strap the gas bottle to the inside of the cupboard; fit carpet over the bare metal in the back of the van; re-cover foam with new fabric; test everything (!!!); put the awning up; and so on, and so on...

Vera's back

Vera's back on the road and is now standing in front of the house under a couple of inches of snow. Despite the whole thing taking 4 weeks I'm actually really pleased with the new engine. The annoying rattle is gone and it runs like clockwork. It has to be driven in for 500 miles; no revving the engine and not going over 50 miles an hour. It's unlikely that we manage to complete that within the UK, so listen out for a sudden roar somewhere around Bruges!

We're also having more interested parties in the house and one couple in particular were quite smitten - fingers crossed. Two more to view it this afternoon, so we're panicking less.

The perils

Well, after a tense 4 week wait the new engine is finally being fitted. Can't say I would recommend VW Elite in Basildon to anyone. Delay tactics, constantly promising the work to being finished the next week, etc. Didn't want to wait another month for the electrics so am now looking for a reliable (!!!!!) garage/mechanic/VW afficionado to undertake this. At least we're having Vera back tomorrow.

3 weeks to go and there is still so much work to do: interior, electrics, roof rack, finding a tenant, choose and read up on potential locations in Italy, to name but a few. I'm now officially unemployed though so that should help matters!