I am linking up with Sian's storytelling Sunday - if you want to join in just link up to her post.
We were very lucky growing up in that every summer we packed up our car and headed off to France for a week or so on holidays. One of the most exciting parts of the trip was waking up at the crack of dawn to catch the ferry - somehow as a child this made it a real adventure for me. Looking back camping couldn't have been the biggest rest for my mom but we loved it. The camp sites always had pools and adventure playgrounds and so we could have all sorts of water slide fun.
On a recent visit to my parents I was robbing my mom's photo collection as I wanted to start documenting some of these stories. In fact my mom has decided to start recording her life story - is this what happens when one if over 60? I find it a bit morbid - but I guess it's where I get my love of journalling and recording memories from! So I found a slightly blurry but very cute picture of us all on one of the most memorable trips.
The one where my granny and grandad from South Africa came. I had met my granny a few times but aged 8(ish) we got to go on holiday with my grandad and meet him for the first time.
Some memories of this trip:
- My grandad was a big Margaret Thatcher fan and would often discuss politics - which always went over our heads!
- We loved playing cards in the evening and my grandad taught me how to play rummy
- My grandparents couldn't get the hang of using 'francs' and so would just hold out a hand full of change to the shop keepers
- The tide went out one day and so we filled out buckets with cockles. My granny was most annoyed as a French lady was trying to give her a pate recipe - but she couldn't understand a word of it! I am not the biggest seafood fan, but I got carried away in the moment and was ill the next day.
- One of the funniest moments was when my grandad went down the fast water slide for kids and got stuck halfway down and these little French boys went down after him and just climbed over him and carried on leaving him lodged in.
- We travelled in our old school white Mercedes Benz - you know the one with the seats in the back? The thing that always baffles me is that on this trip there was four adults, four children and lots of luggage, tents etc and yet we travelled in just this ONE car. I do remember that one of us got to lay across the luggage in the back and this was the most coveted seat in the house. I guess it was pre-health and safety and some of us were quite little!
Now onto the layout. I am not entirely happy with it. I think I just threw everything at it and hoped for the best, but looking at the finished product I may start all over again. But since I told the story I will share it for now....
I am having some technical issues - so I will just post this for now.
What is one of your favourite childhood memories?
Hi Mel! I love your camping memories today and I think your layout gives a great evocation of camping life - it's fun and it tells the story, what's not to love? Thanks for joining in today, it's a pleasure to be here
ReplyDeleteWhat lovely stories - I remember having six or seven children piled into the back of a car, some in the footwell, some on the seats and yep at least one in the way back with the luggage! How fun to have photos too :^)
ReplyDeleteI love hearing stories from people's childhoods! Now you are grown up you can appreciate that whilst camping was great for the kids, it probably wasn't your mum's greatest way of resting and relaxing! How great that your grandparents were able to join you that time.
ReplyDeleteI visited Carnac when on a French Exchange in Lorient ~ beautiful part of France. I remember over peopled cars as well ~ about the same number in my Uncle's Mini Clubman going to the Lake District.
ReplyDeleteThose were the days. We used to have an estate car so one of us had to squeeze into the boot between all the camping equipment when we went on holiday.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed reading your trip down memory lane. Great layout too.
I think the page is great Mel! To me, any page that tells a story as good as this one is definitely fab. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteFab set of memories!
ReplyDeleteI can just picture 8 people in the car but you definitely wouldn't get away with it now! We used to do the same sorts of thing :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my blog...love the thought of your Grandad with those little French children climbing over him!
ReplyDeleteAlison xx
such great memories of your camping holiday i must think back to some of my childhood trips
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