We head North to participate in our surprise gifts.

 Would you credit it!!! How many years have we been boating??? Last night we ran out of water and at the most inopportune moment. I won't say what, but the loo was featured! Anyway, with only enough water in the kettle for the first cup of tea the next morning, Ian was kicked out of bed very early to run the hose out. He was not best pleased and kept blaming me for doing 4 wash loads and having two showers without checking. Hmm...he does have a point, but I'm too stubborn to admit it was my fault, so I kept on that it wasn't just my job to keep an eye on things.  Still, all was forgiven because things needed sorting for our getaway tomorrow morning. Yep, our next adventure was but a few hours away and the Beast (motorhome) had to be stocked with food, clothes, etc and of course filled with water! Don't want the same thing to happen again 😀

 So by midday today we left Langley Mill and set off with MB in the pouring rain! The plan was to first head to Stockport and then onto Settle 'op North'. In one of my earlier posts I sort of hinted this was coming, and today I can reveal exactly why this trip was happening.

Think back to last summer and the weeks we spent with Marilyn and David helping to get Waka Huia ready for sale. Well after their return to NZ we of course kept in touch via plenty of WhatsApp messages and the occasional FaceTime. One of those messages had this for Ian

A 90 minute virtual aerospace and flight deck experience

 And another for both of us

Settle Falconry, Fly birds of prey in the heart of Yorkshire

I can't tell you how touched we were and no amount of "You shouldn't have" and "As our most cherished friends we would always come to help out" it all fell on deaf ears, so thank you once again Marilyn and David for the most wonderful gifts ever 😘 

After 90 minutes of battling the wind and rain we finally arrived at Marl Houser Farm, Little Hayfield nr Stockport. Nice small Caravan and camping site for members only. Five dogs sounded the alarm as we came through the gate, and I was a little worried that Ian had to negotiate all of them to get to the front door. But all that racket brought the owner to the door, showed us where to go, and found the one and only remaining space. Gosh, they were busy even this early in the season. Still it's pleasant although a bit odorous! At the back of a huge barn, so it's ever a wonder! Tomorrow it's the 'Flying a Spitfire simulator experience' for Ian, and the great news is I'm allowed to sit in the back and watch. Yea.

5 Old English Sheepdogs