We almost own a camper van

 

We have bought a campervan or motor home depending on who we are speaking to. In the end we bought a new one as the tax advantage if we 'export' it to NZ is good and to get what we wanted second hand was getting more expensive. The downside with buying new is the time it is taking to arrange insurance for our situation and then to get it registered. We should be able to pick it up in about 2 weeks. It is what is called a Fiat Decato van conversion and has 2 berths a shower and toilet oven gas hob and microwave. It is fully insulated so we should be snug.

 The setting up in the UK 'to do' list is getting shorter as we set up bank accounts, join camping organisations, buy guidebooks, get our phones working etc. We are being looked after wonderfully by my brother Doug and Isabel and their friends during all this.

Over the 2 weeks since we arrived we have been exploring the area around Harrogate. Apart from some cold and rainy days in our first week it has been perfect weather with no wind and temps up to 22 degrees. So we have been on some short and longer walks on the excellent public footpath system that covers the English countryside. We are loving all the Yorkshire scenery with dry stone walls with complicated styles to negotiate, bluebell woods an amazing spring sight. Apart from farm animals we have spotted squirrels, pheasants, rabbits, storks and ducklings. We have walked passed castles, old mills, alongside the river Nid and of course stopped at old country pubs.

All very civilised compared with tramping around Welly. The other great thing is that it is still not totally dark at 10pm. One walk close to here is through a valley called Crimple, and we all know of this as ICI had a plant near here in the 60s and 70s and named their new fabric after this valley!

To get a good look at the spring flowers we spent an afternoon at one of the Royal Horticultural Societies gardens, Harlow Carr in Harrogate. It was set out in a relaxed style with lots of wild gardens. One very interesting section had 7 gardens done in the period style of gardening over the last 200 years.

As there is still a while before the van is available we are thinking of hiring a car and exploring more of Yorkshire. At least the wait has meant that we have had more time to research the rest of the trip.