Trying to cram a quart into a pint pot.............

I've just been surveying some of the stuff we've got to attempt to pack into the car and caravan before we go off on our hols.

Ay carumba.....

It fills one entire end of the dining room.

Thusly.....

Most of that pile consists of the awning, which as I've mentioned previously, is a big bugger.  It came with the caravan and was originally packed in one humongous bag which PP and I couldn't even lift between the two of us.  So when we unpacked it in order to see whether all the bits were there, we repacked it in several smaller bags.  We can now at least lift them, but they seem to have expanded exponentially and take up proportionately far more space than they did before.

Anyway, that's the least of it.

Not to mention........

Which started off in kit form and took almost 2 hours to assemble.

*sigh*


Small Dog has retired to her basket, seeking an oasis of calm in the midst of the maelstrom and after a burst of activity earlier I've run out of energy completely and have resorted to doing 'easy stuff' like charging my Kindle and organising the packing lists.


At the moment, I can't actually imagine how it's all going to fit in.  Compared to some of our camping friends (you know who you are) we're positively minimalist but the prospect of being able to double our living space by taking the full awning has gone completely to our heads.


For example we're planning to take not just one, but two BBQs.  One is very small and uses charcoal, the other is the one we spent 2 hours assembling and uses gas.

Also, despite the fact we have a perfectly good fridge in the caravan, we're also taking a 12v coolbox which will live in the awning and perform the function of cocktail/drinks cabinet.  A vital piece of kit as I'm sure you'll agree.


Naturally, Small Dog has her own complement of camping necessities.  Her folding camping chair, her small basket, her new (as yet untested) pup tent, as well as her food/water bowls, leads, harnesses, coat, jumper, pyjamas, fleecy blanket for chilly nights......the list goes on and on.


Then of course, in the spirit of glamping, we have to decorate the awning, so we're taking rainbow rope lights, solar fairy lights, holiday bunting etc.


That's all before we even think about clothing, food, drink........if we can slide even a waffer-thin mint into either the car or caravan after we've finished packing I'll eat my hat. 

Probably one of the three I'm taking. (count them.... straw panama hat , Australian bush hat, eyeshade cap)



In fact we're going to have SO MUCH STUFF I have a premonition that fellow campers will be wondering whether the Clampetts have arrived........