Cheam-inal Minds

Today we moved our stuff to Mark's mum and dad's home and we have, effectively moved in.  Just the cleaning of Pope House to do before it'll be ready for its new residents- Jules and Jim join the Camberwell Crew on Saturday.  


So this morning I went out on my tiny white bike and came back with a huge white van which we filled with stuff, stuff that Mark probably moved out of his parent's house nearly 9 years ago and now its back.  My folks loft has been slowly filled over the last few months with all those things I will DEFINITELY need when we get back.  Thanks folks.  


I do love driving the big white van, high up bouncing along the road...good practice I think for the great big trip.  The work on our white van will start again next week, we'll let Mark have his birthday first though.  That's if he survives Steve's stag do on Saturday, watch it Camden.  I will be ordering the foam for the bed mattress and getting ready to cover it in some lovely fabric next week...I know that Mark has done all the work but there is some serious pressure on getting the mattress right!  It has to be a good nights sleep.  


Photos to come when we get going on the van again! 


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End of an Era

Writing to you from the sofa at Mark's parent's house on a rather cloudy Saturday, about as cloudy as my head after last nights work do.  I can look up and see Mark working on the van outside (lazy wife) I hear you say, I have no defence except that I would probably 'get in the way' of the production going on out there.  I have got our hands on the new 2012 guide to camper van parking spots of Europe, small places, often car park like where you can camp for a few days and access water and electric...the best thing about these?  They're free! Here are the photos from last weekend, Mark made a window.

BEFORE.....

AND AFTER...

THE NEW PORTHOLE

  Today we have been squeezing foam in preparation for the bed/sofa cushions, I had to walk away from the beautiful fabrics at £22 per metre!   

Soon enough I will be covering cushions and packing our bags.  I'm finishing off at work now, Monday will be my last office day.  On Wednesday me and Harvey are taking a city break in Paris.  I am very excited about the euro star experience and being in Paris for breakfast time...

Time for an update....

Hey everyone, so as I have only 6 days left at work I should probably be on the Southwark system not Google, but never mind!  I am blown away by the work Mark has done in the last few weeks on the van, the back of which is unrecognisable.  Take a look....

The beginning of the kitchen and storage areas....

Since then all the 'pine look' has been toned down with some more grey felt (no one needs splinters while in your camper van bed), and that little top cupboard?  That's the wardrobe! 

MARK MADE THIS!  As someone who is a bit crafty but not that skilled with all this hands on business I am well impressed with the bed frame.  This is the sofa position and rocks down into the bed.

The bed frame in its place...cosy!  

We're having a little drink in The Hermits Cave in Camberwell on the 14th April if you'd like to join us from 7ish.  

In Bobby Squirrels Ear this week....

Mark felt up the van...

...and made a school desk with a kitchen inside!

And this is where we are going, if anyone has any suggestions for any of the countries you can see here post them to us.  I am in danger of planning a detailed route and Mark would like to bumble about in the general area, your tips would be appreciated!  

He got board.....
Mark worked super hard this weekend to board out and insulate the back of the van and put a mini skylight in too.  I managed about an hour and a half and learnt to cut insulation and spray glue it in the van,  I won't be giving up the day job just yet (oh, I am!). 

The Beginning...pieces coming together

Here is the first picture of our van...it's still a Handy Man's van here.  It will be transformed to be our home and our wheels around Europe.  

One of the first purchases...a swivelly big comfy chair for the passenger.

So Mark will be starting work on the inside of the van this weekend (if it doesn't snow to much) thanks to Mom and Dad Milan for their drive space!  I have been attempting to email Bulgaria this week, my emails are being translated by a lovely Bulgarian friend at Uni.  I now have 8 weeks left at work after almost 9 years at Southwark I will genuinely feel weird about not stepping into one office or another to familiar faces each day.  I am looking forward to having about 2 appointments in my diary over about 4 months.
Date 1 Cannes Film Festival:   End of April off to France (obviously?), Spain, Portugal and back to France...That'll get us to the Cannes Film Festival at the end of May.
Date 2 Bulgaria: From the south of France to Italy, Greece, Turkey and heading for Sofia, Bulgaria in July.

After Bulgaria things get even less planned as we can decided where to wander to, although, I will probably read the Lonely Planet 5 times and write lists...loads of lists, I promise not to use post-it notes.  All of this is of course subject to change and who knows when we find the right combination of favourite things we could stop for longer or the complete opposite and we'll be moving quick outta there!

During our French France time we'll be popping into my cousins' new B&B...I will be promoting them here as soon as their website is up and running.  Its near Toulouse if you are ever in the area!

So post 1 is done...I think we will record the developments of the van here as well as telling you about what we'll be up to while away which includes my Masters dissertation research and once we're off we can keep you up to date on our adventures all of which we'd love to have your comments on too.