Ok so we were under the impression we would be completing on our new house on Friday 21st July but unfortunately the current owners had other ideas! So as we were not told that this wouldn't be happening until Wednesday before, Duncan had booked the week of work and we were looking to be wasting it.

Things at home haven't been easy all around for anyone out there who spend time staying with family you will know no matter how much you love them it sometimes isn't easy especially when there is no escape we have no where to go and once we leave this house will be their new house so they have no where either.

So we booked an impromptu holiday 4 days and nights in Dawlish Monday till first thing Friday (I had work at mid day).

We went with a cheap place so we had money to spend and so we got up finished packing the car and went to a last minute house viewing of our new home to get measurements for the curtains and then off we went.

All packed in like sardines but we were off we took the long drive down to our favourite spot in Devon and arrived (believing check in was at 1) at about 12:30pm.

We then came to realise that unlike any other site this site doesn't check in till 4pm! So back into the sardine can we squeezed and off to Dawlish Warren to stroll along the promenade, we took the kids bikes off the car we juggled the stuff to hide everything neatly in the boot while changing shoes (and in Jessica's case from a tight jean skirt into something more bike friendly lol) and we took the bikes over the rail bridge and spent 3 hours walking around the Warren.


Poppy showed her reading abilities as she carefully read the safety sign.

Emily showing off how good she's got at riding her bike since learning to ride it the other side of the coast last September (the beach she learned on over looks this beach and visa Versa)


Tom stayed quite close riding his bike around us in circles before shooting off over the grass.


We walked all the way up to where the promenade ends and the construction work was still going at large and the dog beach path appeared before turning tail home wards to the car.


They all had a great time and our Benny did us so proud meeting new dogs in a civilised way and plodding along like the perfect little man.

So as we got under the rail bridge at the top of the warren (by the small little fun fair type park) we decided duncan would get the car and I would walk both dogs and 3 kids on bikes back up to the caravan site (golden Sands this time)

To say it was eventful was an understatement lol, Emily didn't want to cycle up hill so I was pushing her bike and walking two dogs while giving her a piggy back 😱 how I managed still remains a mystery, then of course (once mum had dragged herself and a back bound Emily, her bike and two dogs) up the hill she wanted to shoot off so from there I had to jog to catch up lol.

We eventually all make it to the welcome sign and await daddy in the car (won't lie I may have been having a horrible time having left my phone in his bag when we separated and he took so long I was sure someone had stolen our car or mugged him for his laptop 😂) eventually daddy showed up and the kids cycled up the hill and I died quietly in the car while duncan drove slowly behind them (well until Emily didn't want to and mummy ended up imitating a pack horse pushing a bike while carrying her lol. The end was in sight we could see the reception with hopes of a van to unload in before going food shopping but alas no now it was 3:45 and still no keys to our van so we sat and got the dogs some water (well actually the lovely staff did this for us) and all sat down to a well deserved lemonade.

Longer story short about 4:45pm we finally arrived at our van and all bundled in.

oh my we're we in for a shock, I just wanted to turn tail and come back home when I came to realise the caravan stunk, was dirty and not enough bedding made worse by the fact any staff that could help us were done for the day but neither the less we unloaded and headed shopping where I thankfully picked up some brandy and coke 😂.

We went with already cooked pizza from Sainsburys brought a lovely throw for us and then headed back where I started to clean and we tried to settle for the night (it got worse) the pull out bed we were meant to sleep on was A a single and B broken! Oh and had a broken floor in the bathroom between the toilet and the shower that had a greater bounce to it than an old competition trampoline 😂but a few brandys later and a night of somewhat restless sleep we decided to complain and get on with our holiday.

So off I went innuendos and all about the not so delightful experience of the caravan from hell and expected the normal oh well I'm sorry we will make you pack everything back up you have spent hours finding little holes for and move you to an other was fully prepared with my well actually by time we re pack suitcases and car dogs and all them unpack the holiday would be over spill but to my surprise the lady apologised for the state of the van made a full list of issues and said they would do it.

Yeah right I thought but neither the less I was well into the, this would be the fantastic family holiday we all needed it to be, we all needed time together just us and come what may we were going to get it attitude and off we popped.

We had an amazing first day we brought flip flops and hats, we walked the dogs to the dog beach and both dogs, kids and parents had a great day.

The kids went for a rummage in the little shops on route back to Dawlish warren and I waited with our fur babies.


Jessica modelling her new hat

Tom in his

And Emily in hers

Me in mine.

We had some chips and donuts at this point before continuing down to the dog walking beach.

At the end of the promenade the kids walked across the human only beach while we walked around the little dog friendly path to the dog beach.

It was a lovely little walk until the end where no matter how I tried I ended walking up the bank on my hands and knees dragging Benny behind because he was sinking in the loose dune sand duncan being a typical male was no where to be seen and didn't notice 😂.


We spent hours on the beach before heading back for some lunch this time fish and chips from the best fish and chip shop in Dawlish.

We then went to the van to eat the chips and see what had been done to the van.

Well what a shocker I tell you it was fresh smelling (still a little dirty attention to detail wasn't great and had we stayed our normal length I would have scrubbed the whole place but instead we decided no cooking in the van) the floor was fixed, extra bedding and the bed replaced for a working one (still single but hey ho) it was what was needed to be able to feel better about the holiday. So we dished up the fish and chips did the washing up and got ready to go swimming kids while I cleaned up sat waiting patiently in their swim stuff chipping open a hidden gem plaster of Paris block out on the grass in front of the van.


The poor dogs were exhausted and worn out they slept the whole time and off we went to the pool, it was pool was ok really nice little over crowded but made even better by being able to swim in the outside but in the rain of a thunderstorm when we got bored we waited for a break in the rain and headed back to the van where the dogs were still sounds.

we showered and got ready for a night at the entertainment centre, I did Jessica's make up and she did mine.


They had a great time and we had a nice pizza to share some chips and cheese garlic bread (chips were raw in middle had to send them back and cheese garlic bread was not properly cooked either but still enjoyed it)

That was it for the first two days and time is getting on will have to do the last 2 days in an other post