It started off so well, then the mobile phone battery started to expand and the phone wouldn't hold a charge and died within minutes of starting. It quickly became apparent how much we rely on these damn things. No maps, no photos, no passwords or online vouchers etc, and even the vehicle immobiliser relies on an app. Eeeek. Anyway it was an uneventful journey down to Fromebridge Mill to complete the first part of the journey to South Wales, a nice meal, and a good night's kip to start our break.
On Thursday we completed our journey to the South Wales DA temporary holiday site at Rhoose, near Barry. We were met by a very friendly steward, parked up and then headed to the station to catch a train into Barry to find a phone repair man. The train is a two-carriage bus on rails and we soon arrived at Barry Docks, found the repairman, left the phone with him and had a walk around Barry. Suffice to say we will not be rushing back, but the repairman did a great job in replacing the battery and it was such a relief to get the phone back. With the phone held together with elastic bands until the glue set, we wandered down towards the harbour area and found a lovely little setup based around old railway carriages on a siding, where we enjoyed a cold refreshing beer. We then wandered on to Barry Island, a place I vowed I never wanted to return to. I was right; "Barrybados" is a place you don't want to return to. Catching the train back to Rhoose we went for a delicious curry in the Fontygary complex. It really was very good.
On Friday we caught the train into Cardiff for a mooch around. It was a hot sunny day and we had never experienced Cardiff in the sun. We wandered about, had lunch in Mowgli (delicious) then wandered down to the harbour. The route was not pleasant and we were pleased to get there, but it was quite nice to wander around and we sat in a bar and listened to a chap playing steel drums for a while. Eventually we returned home after walking 12 miles that day (and Cardiff in the evening certainly brought out some "sights".
Saturday was rugby day in Cardiff with Cardiff v Cambridge at Cardiff Arms Park. My knee was playing up badly now after the long walk yesterday and the train was awful - still a 2 carriage wonder but with seats so crammed you can't actually fit into them. Bloody ridiculous and incredibly uncomfortable. We eventually arrived, went to the market for a big breakfast (the service was atrocious - 1/2 hour to get served} we then queued to buy some welsh cakes before heading to the ground for the game. It was a pleasant day despite the result and we endured the awful crap train back, stopping for fish and chips before retiring
On Sunday we had a leisurely morning then drove to the Campra Cross Hands aire. En route we met a very nervous new driver on a narrow road. Poor girl made a complete hash of reversing her car and was getting more and more distraught. Debs went to help and luckily a chap arrived who offered to reverse her car for her, but we felt so sorry for her. Hope she's OK. The aire is a new venture and although we didn't meet the owners he arranged for his lovely neighbours to let us in. It was very quiet and we relaxed all afternoon. In the night we endured some pretty heavy rain, but weren't worried overly much as we were on a hard standing.
Monday - drove to Kiln Park, a Haven site in Tenby. Haven - it is what it is and we weren't expecting much. We parked up, got accosted by an over friendly neighbour who we spent the next few days avoiding, and wandered along a footpath next to the golf course into Tenby. Tenby is a very pleasant place and we enjoyed our walk and late lunch/early dinner in Morgans.
Tuesday we decided to either walk to Saundersfoot or go to the Fort on St Catherine's Island and visit the National Trust Tudor Merchant's house. Given the (rare) sunny day and the right tides we opted for the Island and house. It was a very interesting visit. On the way back we had a call from the Gowerton CAMC site stating that our pitch booked for next weekend was flooded and therefore they had to cancel. This left us in the lurch a bit as we wanted to go to the Cambridge v Aberavon game in Port Talbot on Saturday and this had the easiest access as there are no sites in Port Talbot. In the evening we went across to the Haven clubhouse for dinner and to use their Wi-Fi to sort out options for the upcoming weekend. Dinner was very average, and typically Haven, but the bar was nice (but expensive).
On Wednesday my knee was playing up, the weather was pants, so we sat in the van and worked though our options for the weekend. Somehow we managed to get a cancellation at Gowerton and booked a hardstanding but we really fancied the South Wales DA club meet near Cowbridge, but as this was on grass it was much dependant upon the weather.
Thursday was pretty rubbish again weather wise so we hopped on a bus to Saundersfoot. It was nice there but not much to see so we had coffee and cakes, caught the bus back and went into Morgans once again for dinner.
Friday - It rained all night. we weren't happy at the thought of going on grass so we headed to Gowerton via Morrisons in Carmarthen and set up there to watch the horrendous rain and thunderstorms battering South Wales.
Saturday was dry. We caught the early train from Gowerton into Port Talbot. We were the only ones getting off of the train and got some looks which said "why the hell are you going there?". It was like a Sunday morning in Port Talbot - absolutely deserted, but we found a couple of friends from Rugby who recommended an excellent cafe for breakfast and then we joined them in 'Spoons for a few pints before heading off to the Aberavon rugby ground for the game. The team had been allowed a night out in Swansea after the match and there was a group of them on our train as we headed back to Gowerton. They did offer us some cider and asked if we were hitting the town with them, but I think we are past all that!
Sunday - packed up and drove to Fromebridge Mill where we enjoyed a magnificent carvery and a peaceful night's sleep
Monday it was home with just a small holdup on the A14.
This was a trip of constant niggles - minor things going wrong just to annoy us. Every day there was something. The weather wasn't up to much either. Still, we ticked off two counties on our map and we've nearly completed Wales so will not need to go back.
