Friends from Spain & Lincoln

Picture it in your mind. Saturday afternoon with a mega sale going on at Ikea Nottingham on virtually all flat packed furniture. I have also been reliably informed Nottingham Ikea parking is seriously limited now the rest of the surrounding large retail shopping complex is fully up and running.

Enter two large Rapido motorhomes. They turn off the access roundabout into this Ikea retail madhouse to find themselves trapped with no way out. All they can do is struggle along with the rest of the very slow stop start flow and try not to get caught up in the increasing irritation as dozens of cars and families trying to park up to access Ikea. I was driver of number one Rapido Motorhome and my heart sank as I swung off that roundabout, hit the solid jam of traffic, and realised there was no escape.

Lenny and Win, my good friends from Spain were in the 'just purchased' second Rapido. A lovely motorhome by the way of which they were delighted but already stressed out by a long day of purchase which had involved a lengthy phone grilling from fraud prevention as Win attempted to transfer the agreed purchase price over. All that was now behind us. Ahead lay this Ikea nightmare which was meant to be a quick visit for them to pick up bedding for their motorhome as it was impractical for them to have brought it with them on their flight from Spain.

We were never going to be able to park two seven metre motorhomes in the tight car spaces. Especially as cars were littered everywhere where someone thought a car was vacating a space. Win climbed out and headed into the equal chaos inside Ikea to grab some bedding. Meanwhile Lenny and I gingerly edged our way endlessly around the car park moving on another few feet every time we blocked someone in. We were not too popular but we had no choice. Finally Win plus bedding were re installed in Rapido number two. We slowly and carefully eased our way out and away. A huge sigh of relief, a congratulation on having survived the day with two undamaged motorhomes, and a lovely meal cooked by Win in the new 'pre-loved' Motorhome eased all our woes. Our eventful day finally ended as we snuggled down for the night safe and sound at the CCClub 'Teversall' camp site just North of Nottingham. Tanya, bless her was just so pleased when we first arrived and she finally got her walk, a good doggy sniff walk too, at the 'Silverhill'. Country Park just across the road from the campsite.

After the 'Ikea' trauma we treated ourselves to a couple of nights at the campsite before parting company as L & W set off back to Spain & their new 'Motorhoming' life. I meanwhile have resumed my Northward journey with a slight detour Eastwards to Lincoln to visit the Cathedral.

Now is it me or are these 'happenings' travelling the same journey as yours truly? I arrive in Lincoln and duly park in a quiet leafy backroad. I lunch, then in the warm autumn sunshine assemble folding E-bike, pop Tanya into her green 'taxi bucket' and off we set for the town centre. My attention is immediately grabbed by solid car jams, screaming police sirens and multiple blue flashing lights everywhere. As I get closer to the centre the area becomes increasingly deserted and I am finally shouted at and flagged down by the boys/girls in blue.

"Y'cant go that way.... Ooh... lovely dog y'gotta there. It's an incident mate, a suspicious package in the bus station!"

I did, via a circuitous route, eventually find my way to the Cathedral atop its steep hill (Thank you E-bike) to find it only half open as a University Matriculation service was in full swing. Nevertheless it was an enjoyable visit & the city's role in the Cromwellian civil war made for fascinating reading.

A bit more history for you here. The word 'Magna' was added to the famous Carter (charter) after bad boy King John had died. Magna, which means 'great' differentiated it from the later 'Forest Charter' which, in similar vein to the Magna Carter came about to address the greed of the King and his Barons who were forever, and at will, expanding the 'Kings Forest' and in the process making life hell for any citizen within the boundaries. I don't know my history all that well and I've never done any real research but I'll bet the name 'Woodward' (Wood or Forest warden) has strong association with this period in history and in particular these 'boundaries' be they pre or post 'Forest Charter'

And the Cancer? Well all I can say is that I am so lucky/fortunate to be out here once again on the road in my Motorhome. My last Oncology appointment did throw up a minor problem however; and I had to once again endure a few weeks of anxiety and worry before ultrasound scans confirmed, as my Oncologist put it;

'Good, a most satisfactory scan result. Go and get on with your life".

It was just unfortunate how it  coincided with our lovely family holiday in Devon. The anxiety and worry surprised me in the way it affected me. It caught me off my guard and in turn I'm sure it affected those around me too. The family week was good though & I can thoroughly recommend 'River Cottage' Homity pies.... Yummy.