Same day, just later....
Well thats a strange one. Went to write an update and realised that actually, the last time I posted was this morning. It feels like days ago.
So I’m at the campsite next to the Railway that I wanted to go to. Had a funny day leading up to this moment though -
Needed cash. Left my wallet at a friends down south. Hmmmm. Spar does cash back. Find a Spar on google maps that I can actually possibly park somewhere near. Go to Spar. Park. Walk 10mins to it. Can’t get cash back on Apple Pay. Balls. Okay.
Call the campsite. They have space for me! And hard-standing! Sweet! Read a review on Google on it after speaking to them… It doesn’t look great. Sounds like it’s a farm thats now an industrial estate with a batty landlady. But I’m self-contained, have my own shower, toilet…. As long as they’ve got a hookup so I can charge batteries, a bin so I can have a proper tidy-out and get rid of some stuff, 4G so I can mindlessly watch some YouTube, Water so I can fill the tank, and a waste water dump spot so I can empty the grey waste tank…. That’s really all I need! Plus it gives me somewhere to park so I can go over to the railway and watch the fireworks. Maybe even get the drone up. Could even take some photographs. Surely the campsite can’t be bad enough to put me off all those plus-points? And let’s face it, I’d rather be on an farm-yard industrial site with permission to use electric & bins than be on a pristine campsite with a load of snobby people judging the bus.
Right. Let’s head to the campsite. Chuck the route into google maps, avoid the Sheffield low emission zone. Start driving. 10 mins in, hit a roundabout where every exit is into the low emission zone. Balls mk2. Back out I go. I’m not paying £50 to enter it. Just on principle. 40mins later, reach the shopping mall!
Right, so I wonder if I go and try to open a bank account with someone I’ve never been with, they’ll let me transfer money to it and withdraw it without having any ID or a bank card yet. Go ask a very nice lady at RBS. That’s a no then. Balls mk3.
Five guys time. Rethink this through. If I can’t get cash out to pay for a campsite tonight then I’m going to have to switch my batteries off (otherwise they’re going to get damaged) and head straight back to my friends place to get some electricity and my bank cards. That’s 5 hrs away. Eurgh.
Nationwide. I have a bank account with them that they refused to close. Maybe that will be a good option? Go into the branch in the shopping mall. Lovely bloke explains that absolutely yes, thats something that any other branch would be able to help with, but that particular branch is the only one in the entire UK that doesn’t have a manned desk. Just machines and the ability to open new accounts. Balls. MK4. Nearest branch is Rotherham, and he says they’ll have no issues handing me cash as long as I can pass the security questions!
I’m headed to Rotherham! Park up at the tescos. Wander over to the branch. Have a chat with a nice bloke who laughs his arse off at the day I’ve had so far, hands me £100 in cash and wishes me a better end to my day than I’ve had so far! Booyah!
TO QUORN! Jump onto the M1, it’s absolutely hammering it down. Don’t care, I’m on my way to electricity and a batty landlady. What more could I want?!
Arrive at the campsite, meet the batty landlady. She’s lovely, calls me charming a few times, we have a very very funny chat. She’s 90. Doesn’t look it, thats for sure. That would explain the batty part then. And I find out towards the end of our interactions that the “don’t mention the Germans” review on google wasn’t a reference to Faulty Towers…
Plug in to the hookup, chuck the water heater on, get through the last weeks worth of washing up, drink half a bottle of wine (I’m sure I’ll be whinging about that tomorrow), watch a bunch of YouTube of some big overloading rigs…
Write this Substack post whilst watching more YouTube… Think tomorrow I’m going to redesign the bus. Again. It could be so much more functional & interesting…
Night.