Mob Rules on a geriatric campsite!

Well I have never witnessed anything like this before on a campsite and although I managed to see the funny side of it I really was quite shocked (yes me shocked! )
Before I left Lake Balaton I rang ahead and e mailed the next ca spite that we wanted to stay at. It was advertised as the only 5 star campsite in Hungary and was recommended by the German camping organisation ADAC and is supposed to be one if the top European campsites. It has its own water park next door. My reservation was accepted and I was allocated pitch number 57 for me to find when I arrived. We had a lovely short journey through the Hungarian villages. They are so pretty. We arrived at the little town called Papa. We completed all our paperwork and were given our passes etc for the water complex.
We pulled on to the site shortly before 12 noon knowing that siesta started at 12 midday. There were lots of empty pitches but someone was already on pitch 57 and it didn't look like he was going anywhere fast. I approached the male in his late 50s and asked politely if he was planning on leaving. "Nein Nein!  NeiN! " " in a very loud and aggressive manner. I showed him my booking form and pointed to the number displayed on his pitch. He shouted "reception! " I was still smiling and being courteous presuming that the German language can sometimes sound aggressive to us when it's not intended and that the campsite had maybe made a mistake.  What was there to stress about?  There were plenty of other pitches -even the one next door was free. I agreed to go to reception to sort it out.
There was a lively young girl working who I presume was Hungarian. I hadn't even walked up to the counter when a woman I had never seen before said to me sharply "we have a problem! " I shrugged my shoulders and said "I don't have a problem " with that she started screaming and shouting at the young girl in German. The only thing that I could really understand was the swear words from the German and the polite receptionist saying "the pitch is mine as I had reserved it and she hadn't. This was all getting rather bemusing and other people started joining in. Before I had even realised it there were 10 of them shouting at the receptionist who was almost in tears. I really felt for her. It was an horrendous and frightening scene. The receptionist was on her phone trying to get help when I stepped forward and said " this is ridiculous. I will go on the next pitch!" Instantly the pack were tolerating me and offering their hands to be shaken by "frau" My sin I discovered later was to be British with a very British caravan.
I struggled to get our Caravan on the pitch that I was now allocated.  One brave German nearly came to help me but saw the others watching so hovered! All the 10 people were neighbours of the original man that was on my pitch. It became apparent  that they were not travelling together or even friends just a click "gang culture" like animals hunting in packs! Each time I saw one of them I politely said "GUD Morgen" and tried to shame them with their awful behaviour.
I later spoke to some lovely Hungarian people who were associated with the campsite that is known locally as "little Germany". The Hungarians do not camp there as they can't afford it.  It was built by the Germans in Hungary FOR the Germans. How brave was I is what they thought! Yes it was HORRIBLE! We can't sell food in pounds and ounces but they run a system like this and instead of using the Hungarian Forint use euros!   How are the locals ever going to be able to use or do half the things as they won't have access to euros -luckily we had!
I have never in my entire life witnessed such discrimination or bullying pathetic tactics. The receptionist was so grateful to me everyone she saw me she hugged me! What a state to be in and all over what?!
Molly enjoyed the water park but I can't say it was anything special which for £36 a night in Hungary it should be. It was packed and not particularly clean.  If that's the best ADAC  can recommend I won't be going near any of their sites again! Yes the toilet blocks were superb but that's about it

Swimming? Standing room only!

 Molly frightened the life out of me-never mind the gang!

So undeterred we stayed at Camping varkert Thermal for 2 nights and made our way into Austria.  Yes we were stopped at the border! (They had obviously heard about us troublemakers! ) Everyone was. It took about 40 minutes to get through

O dear.a 3 hour car journey and what a difference.  39 degrees down to 19 and Rain!  "Now where did I put our bedding? !" I think this is a lovely site and we certainly got a better welcome even in the rain! It's trying to be sunny now. The caravan need a clean. Let's hope today is a better day!  Lol

Everyone needs to visit Hungary!

Just when I thought that I couldn't be more impressed with this Country it blows me away again. We went to the pier that is about a mile from the campsite and wow!

This looked interesting. Maybe they were making a film?  We strolled on past and then went for a coffee 

We were only on TV "good morning Hungary! " or similar!

If you are a water babe's and like something different this place is definately for you! 

View of the campsite from the pier 

Very safe  for kids and bigger kids too. It's only murky as so many have been in playing around but this one is my favourite

The cost of living in Hungary is so cheap.  Yes it's a lot more expensive near Lake Balaton but I can really see why! Actually  I am paying £20 a night for everything . I think I could more than double if not treble it in the UK and France.  The weather is glorious and no crazy tolls just one vignette that I think was about £10 for the month and fuel is so cheap.  Little wonder that the place is full of Germans! Forget Lake Garda and the other rip off places. Can you guess where our next summer holiday will be?! 

Got to go. I Don't like keeping the lake waiting! Happy camping Every one!

Our Hungarian Adventure

Well we safely made it into Hungary.No queuing to buy vignettes. Just a simple pay at the service station. No stickers as it's all electronic. I can't remember how much it cost but it was cheap. Less then £20 or I would have remembered! The only problem that we did have was trying to get forints at the service area. They all advertised that they took visa but in reality only Mastercard!  Grrr! Crazy as soon as you hit the small towns and villages the ATM s are the same as in the UK!
We headed to a British owned campsite in the Country for a bit of a chill. Tranquil Pines. Very basic and rural with a pool and a bar but very hospitable hosts. The weather was very kind to us. We were able to have a "muck out" and chill. One day we travelled from Tranquil Pines to Lake Balaton and we were hooked! Water lovers this IS THE PLACE!

I have been to many of the famous lakes in the world but this is something else. It's huge but it's shallow so it's about 28 degrees. No tides and heaped with fun. No egines alod so  plenty of windsurfing, sailing and swimming. We dropped lucky and found a site that had a few vacancies. We took the last deluxe pitch and it was worth every penny

What a view to wake up to and go to bed to! Absolute heaven..it got better just along the road from the campsite pizzas to die for

We pushed the boat out here. .all for £4 and she ate it all! We had a bad storm whilst we were here but got off unscathed. We then found that there was a caravan club approved site on the other side of the lake directly opposite to where we were...we must explore! 

We had the choice of getting a ferry across the lake or to go by road. No one could give us the price for the Caravan which is quite big so we went by road. With it being with the Caravan Club we did expect to find other Brits here or at least English spoken and we did expect it to be organised..WRONG! 

We had been able to book quite easily on the Web page and it quite happily took my money about 5 days prior. We arrived at Reception and a nice young man said to me "did you get my email I sent you this morning?" "Errr well no I wouldn't I was travelling here!" "You have to stay on a normal pitch for 2 nights and then move to your deluxe pitch for the rest of your 9 day stay!"  OK so Cock ups happen..until I saw the deluxe pitch..10 metres from the main train line around the lake!  Still trying to Mrs reasonable although I had wanted and paid for deluxe I would take whatever ...ok this now involved 3 pitch changes. ..ok still being Mrs reasonable but then boss woman came to see us....no we have found you a pitch for the rest of your stay..only the one move..great! We are very happy with a refund from the caravan club but the irony is that the original pitch is still empty. We could have just stayed there! There are empty pitches all over the place!
Now we settled..what do we think? This is not a site that I would normally have chosen with kids clubs etc but I have for the grandaughter but I can honestly say it's the best site that I have ever stayed on in high season ANYWHERE! That is really going some. It's not noisey and chaotic like many of the Spanish and English ones. It's not full of drunken lager louts though Dave is trying to put that right!  It's calm with families enjoying themselves and is a pleasure to see. The place is not overrun with fertile kids and dogs. We are the only Brits on the site. Thank god the Dutch are here to speak to!  Last night Molly went to the kids club and before I knew it she was singing and dancing in German! Even my German is coming on a treat! That's a big criticism of the site. It caters primarily for Germans. There are few Hungarians here. Austrians, Slovakians, Dutch  but mainly Germans. The toilets, restaurant, shops etc are all Spotlessly clean. There is everything here including the weather at very good prices. Apart from their booking system and lukewarm warm showers it's very very good so good that I'm toying with the idea of stopping LONGER!

The weather has been very strange. Hitting the 30s most days but during the evening g really freaky thunderstorms-the dreaded hailstones golf ball size. I think we've seen 4 storms.The weather is predicted to get even hotter 38 tomorrow! Loving it!
Oh the Hungarians are lovely. Molly wanted a mermaid outfit..well she needed a treat for a good school report....do I really have to be seen on a beach with her dressed like this?

Thank god we are not in a tent! Boy can it rain!
So today should be interesting. Another hot one. Molly insists on going to kids gymnastics. Should be fun ....in German! Lol
Whatever  you are doing and wherever you are have fun!

Our Eastern Adventure. Camping in Hungary

Well we are finally off and on another adventure complete with 7 year old grandaughter.
There's been very little planning involved and in the true wandering spirit booked a cheap DFDS ferry and here I am sitting in a car on a campsite somewhere in Belgium near the Dutch border.  I am in the car not because I'm travelling but because the other sleepy heads are still asleep!
The trip down yo Dover was horrendously long and boring but we got there safe and sound and found a lovely CL to stay on. It was very rural yet 4 miles from the ferry port. In fact you could see the channel from it. No facilities other than water,electricity and a chemical point but lovely. I can't understand why people buy caravans with all facilities and don't use them-we certainly do. I'm not into £25-£30 a night at a caravan club site. It's the Caravanners equivalent to the Motorhomes Aires but much nicer. Some are remote which I love. This particular one was a working farm.
So the ferry DFDS was cheap £84 for car and caravan to Dunkirk but it was noisey. Not because of the passengers or kids but it seemed almost constant that the ships tannin was rabbittng on about something! Hey Ho!
A quick an uneventful journey across Northern France and into Belgium. The only memorable thing was the disgusting service areas. Third world. It was Sunday and all the lorries were parked up everywhere. Gangs of eastern European lorry drivers selling knives! I don't think that they were about to do a bit if cooking! Bins overflowing  and rubbish everywhere. Talk about first impressions if a Country!  Anyhow  after not being able to safely stop we headed for a campsite near Hasselt. Lovely. What a difference. Just off the motorway yet in woodland with a lake and a bar! Clean facilities. A bit on the pricey side at €26 a night but there again I am of Scottish /Yorkshire mix!

This place was really quiet. We stated 2 days just chilling. We visited a lovely nearby town and were suprised at how reasonably priced things were. Onwards we must go and into Germany.

Suddenly all the motorway service areas were Spotless. "Ahh for Germany good open roads" We couldn't have been more wrong. Am I back in the UK?  We stopped at a lovely site just outside Frankfurt. I nipped out the car to register us at reception and what a lovely suprise I got in 35 degree heat..a beautiful lake with a beach beside it 

Somehow Molly made friends again without speaking a word of German or they English! The only downside to this site were dogs in and out of the water uncontrolled and besides children and shaking their coats beside us adults supervising the children oo  and the aircraft noise from Frankfurt airport....well you can't have it all can you?! 

Onwards again. This stop was near Nuremburg. Very difficult to find but beautiful.  A lovely kids playground,  a reasonably priced restaurant and bar serving proper German food and wine. I was impressed how they serve red wine 

MY Sort of glass! 

So here I am again sitting in the car whilst the others sleep and I'm in Austria overlooking the River Danube and the sun continues to shine. I can honestly say that after thousands if not millions of miles of driving around Europe and Africa I have never ever experienced roadworks as bad as A3 in Germany. Sat Navs/Google etc say 2 hours. In reality 6 hours and more!  I think it would have been better just to have closed the road. Just DON'T DO IT! One thing is for certain. I'm not going back that way! 

This campsite is lovely. Spotlessly clean but a bit on the pricey side at €36. The views are superb though but the noise. Right at the side of a main road with not only traffic noise but boat traffic and a railway line to boot!  All we need is an airport nearby and we've cracked it!  

So today is Hungary I think. Ahh yes a months vignette for Austria €8.90. I don't have a problem with that I wished the UK did the same to foreigners! 

So far the weather has amazed me. It's been soooo hot. Belgium is prettier than I remember. Germany is a pretty country that is not coping.  It's not just a UK thing (broken roads/ overcrowding etc) It's really gone down hill. Austria is a quiet forgotten efficient little Country just rumbling along. Maybe I speak too soon-I've yet to get to Hungary! Lol oh and the thing that has really suprised me is the number if spanish I've met! Crazy. Helping to translate in Nuremburg and then again here in Austria. (Not that I speak any German!) Hopefully I speak a little English as long as Yorkshire Counts! 

Every campsite so far has had brilliant internet and the wifi is free! Yes camping in the UK is a total rip off. There's a lot to be said for my £84 ferry ticket. Why more people don't do it  I will never know but now I have to use it to convert currency. How many florist to the pound /to the euro? Hundreds to a pound-that's all I know!  I just hope Hungary is as lovely as I remember it!  

Whatever you are doing and wherever you are I hope you have a good day too!

Love Portugal but what a rip off!

Well we are safely on a lovely site,  Turiscampo on the Algarve. I do like it here and the weather is being very kind to us. The day before we left Sao Pedro de Moel and all our "umpah mates" we decided to have an afternoon by the sea

The irony was that they even put a red flag up but you can't see it!  No sh#t sherlock!  Hey Ho back to the ranch for a bit more oompah mic courtesy of my Belgium friends! What's even more annoying is that you can't understand a word of their language! The following day we decided to go for it and head for the Algarve. We had been class 1 all the way on tolls but what a shock we got at the lat two booths. We got on one at Lisbon which in fairness we were on for quite a few miles "46 euros please!" What? " I don't want to buy the road!" Suddenly our rig had changed from being a class 1 to a class 3 the same as a lorry! OK now this is the same car, the same caravan that I started this journey on! I showed him my other 3 receipts all clearly showing class 1. The booth operator was having none of it. They don't take debit cards! Credit card or cash only. We have a wad of credit cards but never use them and don't know the chuffing pin numbers in any event. We rummaged, it was a bottom of the handbag hobby and managed to cobble together 50 euros.  The journey continued and the next toll we were class 3! We arrived in the Algarve peniless! Now this gets even dafter when you get to the A22 that runs the entire length of the Algarve. Here you have to register your debit card with your car registration number which we did.  Automatic cameras debit your debit card. Great but I haven't got the foggiest idea at what rate they are charging me and believe me there is a huge difference in pricing.  I'm leaving home when the bill comes in..oh sh#t I already have done!
Well Turiscampo was lovely when we got here.  The restaurant is incredible.  We were going to treat ourselves but the buffet was so good for 12 euros we couldn't resist.  I have to say one of the best meals that I have had anywhere. The long drive was almost worth it!  Although it's mid September the campsite is still full and I can see why. Agnes the owner really seems to know what campers want.  Not only were we lucky to get on the campsite but it was the same story in the restaurant.  Booking highly recommended!  An awful lot of campsites could learn a lot from this one.

.

Even the bar prices are reasonable.  I love the way the pool is the feature around the camping units. Who put those drinks there?! 

Pria de Luz. Now that place really is for the fur coat and no knicker brigade 

I don't know if you can see but the sign says recliners and parasol 25 euros to hire!  What? To lay on a chuffing beach! The Algarve has miles of free beaches! Oh you get bar service and wifi. .I want the entire bar included for that price!  

Famous little church for all the wrong reasons. ...poor Madalene

It's still enjoyable to walk around and watch life though but I don't recommend eating or shopping here! 

Yesterday I had to do a little work and prepare for the Tour that starts on the 18th. Its such a mucky job. ..I had to pay Sir Cliffs vineyard for our forthcoming visit.  Not only did that involve 2 things very close to my heart wine, and Cliff  but it's right behind the Algarve shopping centre! Heaven or what?! Unfortunately the man himself was being a little shy and wasn't there apparantly but his staff were absolutely lovely....maybe he will be there for the Tour? I can dream!  

This has to be the best fountain ever! Unfortunately it is only water and no I didn't try it. I maybe did try a little wine but that's all I'm admitting to! 

On a previous post I mentioned that I now had wifi sorted out in Portugal well I went a step further yesterday which maybe of interest to fellow wanderers. I bought a Google Chrome cast. 39 euros and wow! I can broadcast everything from my tablet including TV on to my real TV screen! Amazing technology. It was a bit fiddly to set up but we'll worth it well nearly. I had previously downloaded the new "Dad's army" film to watch. We settled down with great excitement to watch it.....Bridlington looked great but what a load of. ....?! Don't bother!  The BBC news was more exciting!  It's great to use switching between movies and tv etc once it's all set up. No buffering and no stoppages whatsoever. You wouldn't know that I wasn't in the UK. I'm just hoping it works as well in spain.

Well my lovely friends the sun is shining and there's a lovely day out there to be enjoyed.  I hope the sun is shining wherever you may be. Happy and safe camping!  https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.turiscampo.com/&ved=0ahUKEwiB6IXl8JDPAhWF6RQKHUDCD-sQFgipATAU&usg=AFQjCNGv8PIzJz2VeO7UGjwVFnhiDc17Tw 

Chilling in Portugal..well sometimes!.

Well we left the lovely El Astral campsite in Spain for what should have been a 3 and a half hour journey to a site near Porto.  Well firstly the sat nav bloody lies! Up and down,  round mountains and the temperature. .from a nice 36 to a 22 degree day in one car journey. We made the stupid mistake as did the sat nav.....time difference! It took us five and a half hours,maybe more. Portugal is on the same time zone as the UK! Derr!  How many times have we visited Portugal? !
When we found the campsite we really wished we hadn't!  Orbitur Angeiras. We paid 52 euros for 2 nights. There wasn't a flat pitch there. The roads were uneven and it sadly became a pastime watching people trip up over unmarked sleeping policemen! We did manage to get our Caravan on to a pitch but no way was the car getting on. Hey Ho.  I will make a drink...I only have the fridge on and the van is at 1kw!  Kerping! No electric.  We ve tripped it. I hasten to add it was one of the lowest voltage kettles you can buy. Off to the new toilet block. Well it maybe new but you do have to clean them SOMETIMES!  It was next to all the hiring tents so umpteen people were all using this one toilet block.  Not to be defeated I will have a shower in the caravan. ...no I won't. ..there's not enough electricity to warm a cup up!
OK just go for a walk.......black electrical leads hidden over steps waiting for people to trip up! Is this a bizarre Portuguese game that I'm not aware of?  Carry on walking. I don't mind admitting I am not a dog lover. Dogs are dogs and there are times and places etc. I am not a dog hater either but I do think that people get very confused as to whether they are babies or animals. They are not a compulsory part of camping equipment but can enhance a person's enjoyment but not at the expense of others or more to the point my ankle! What is it with me and Jack Russells? I didn't even see the bloody thing coming I was being so careful that I didn't score more points in the national Portuguese tripping competition! Not on a lead. The owner couldn't care less. A very nipped ankle.
OK so not one of our better days.  Let's just go to bed if I don't fall out the bloody thing as the caravan is so uneven.....have more wine..it will seem straight.  Behind every cloud there is always a silver lining!
Sleep came quickly but didn't last very long. .......0600 to be precise. We were directly under the flightpath for Porto airport!  Continual air noise.  Even David got out of bed before 9am! (That is really serious! ) That was the straw that broke the camels back. No not Dave getting out of bed the 6 am starts! I may have paid for 2 nights and like the aircraft I too was taking off!
I went to tell them in the office and it must be a regular thing as they weren't surprised nor did they ask why. Hit the road. A little over 2 hours later we arrived in heaven

Orbitur Sao Pedro de Moel. A site that I have visited many times before but usually in winter. Ahh this is the Portugal I know and love.  Now this blew me away. They wanted 31 euros a night! I didn't want to buy the campsite! The nice manager asked me if I was in the Caravan Club. I said that I was. "Ring them. There's a special deal on. It's only £15 a night!  This site does not take acsi or any other organisations but it's truly lovely. From intending to stay 2 nights we have finished up staying 4. Yep the pitches aren't great but then again you are in a sandy forest right beside the sea with clean toilets. Sunshine and shade. Super pool complex that is still open,bliss, oh walking distance of a very quaint and pretty seaside resort that is so Potuguese. What could possibly go wrong? !

Sheer bliss

A bloody Tour came in and surrounded US!  No me least of all people should complain about Tours but if there was a way NOT to do one-this was it!  

We were sitting quietly and we first heard a woman shouting at the top of her voice. It was a couple having the most heated argument. She was screaming ,hands and arms waving. I couldn't tell what language she was yelling aggressively in. The poor man just sat there like a scalded schoolboy. Anyhow she eventually shut up. The next thing was she put up a parasol advertising a Belgium Tour company-she was the leader! Yes the rest came. No organisation whatsoever. All this space and it became a free for all. She marched around like a sergeant major but just didn't achieve anything.  Clearly there were many unhappy campers.  The evening came....Omg. ..cringe.. my videoing is horrendous  and please excuse my horrible legs but just listen!

Oh no I'm an it retard and can't do it! Behind my van they had managed to leave a large clearance due to boss woman's poor organisation so they used this to have a "get together" complete with keyboard and then chuffing umpah music! I have never ever been so grateful for last night of the Proms being on TV "Land of Hope and Glory on to the max! Singing my heart out all out of tune! If you can't join them..bloody beat em! In fairness they did shut up about 10pm and they are out this morning.  Sadly our lovely Dutch neighbours are going as they don't like being surrounded. Don't they have a song like "land of hope and glory? !" 

Now how did I get TV so well? Worton the electrical shop. SIM card for unlimited data 4G for 15 days only 15 euros! No contract.  No paperwork.  NOS is the provider.  Works all over Portugal. So far excellent.....we will find out tomorrow when we move to the Algarve! 

The fun times camping.  The rough with the smooth. All in life's rich tapestry...! 

Happy camping everyone!