Getting ready for summer.

Well, it's that time of year again. In eight weeks we will be in France on the annual Big Trip. Amsterdam, Paris, Bayeux and Dol-de-Bretagne. Not exactly an ambitious itininary for six weeks but as Hubby is going to be home at work for three weeks of this, it's ambitious enough!

We are going in The Mighty Carmargue, of course.



Only we can turn a perfectly respectable trailer tent into a peasant encampment within hours.....



Actually, that's the point of this post. The trailer tent got a bit out of control last year because we took far too much stuff. Yes, there's room for it all, but did we need it? Did I need the constant packing, unpacking, tidying up, falling over kit and the horrific moving days? No I did not. It's going to be less this year. In my trusty trip notebook I wrote down 23 different major items that we definately did not need plus several suggestions for cutting down in other areas. now, I just have to belive the Val that wrote them at the end of last year's trip, yes?

Examples:

Barbecue. DEAD, but unregretted. Used griddle plate instead. Frankly, that plus the Party Grill is a cleaner, faster, more efficient combo. Don't hurry to buy another BBQ!

Undertent. Big disaster area. Holdalls too big and unreachable, plus the old Conway inner too cramped. Buy bigger undertent and smaller holdalls.

Don't bring: Windshield/shelf unit, beach mats, folding picnic chairs, big groundsheet, hanging larder, second hanging organiser, big bowl, parasol, wine cooler wrap, spatter guard, skewer rack, barbecue mesh, vegetable bags, less fleece blankets, less torches,less towels, plastic wine glasses, big pink sandwich boxes, all these cooking spices, less home food in general.

Buy/replace: Two bowls for mussels, two large lidded boxes for fruit & veg, better frying pan, extra headphones for kids, more DVDs, more V-pegs, more batteries, narrow strip of ground sheet, upright airer rack, replace hanging airer rack, gas cannisters for lamp and PG..

Watch this space...off to write some lists. You'll notice nothing has been said about clothes or personal possessions yet, lol!