6 weeks and counting.

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The blog is up and running!! ooh err!

A warm welcome to anyone who is interested in our mid-life "me/us time" gap- year - and -a -half -ish.

We are Martin and Donna , married for 28 years and finally got the opportunity to spend some our two boys' inheritance on a long term touring caravan trip around Europe starting Sept 2nd 2008.

Martin finally retires on the 31st of this month after 30 years service in the Police.
I (Donna) am employed as Police civillian staff as a fingerprint Expert and I am very lucky to be allowed 18 months off work on career break from Sept 1st.

After a particularly tiresome day at work for both of us last September-ish we sat in a pub after work and said " Wouldn't it be so nice to just take off in the 'van and head off into the sunset and sod 'em all?"!! After realising that we might just be able to do this big-style after July 31st and a few wines and Fosters' later we had well and truly convinced ourselves it was what we needed.

We married young (by today's standards) at 21. Babies at 23 and 26. Had no money that we did not earn ourselves. Our twenties and thirties spent making ends meet and raising children. Travel was very much a luxury and the most we got was a week or fortnight' package to Spain once a year.

As we grew thro' our 40's our boys became men and our lives gradually offered more opportunities. This time with a little more hard earned cash to help us on. We got the travel bug .

Our first caravan was bought in about 98 and gave us 10 years fantastic service touring all over the Uk and a trip to The Alps.

In 2005 for our silver wedding we toured New Zealand for a month ( not in the 'van obviously.. The milage might have been a bit high!)

Last year we bought a smart brand new 'van and let the old one go to a work collegue.(Its still going strong) Hope they look after it(Kim).


Much planning done over last 8 months , and it's all coming together now. Exciting but I'm beginning to have the odd late night "what if" and "Oh S***t its really happening" wobbles!


So the scene is set and tomorrow is Banno's retirement "do".

Wish him a happy retirement, he's earned it!

Thanks for reading my BLOG

D

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