Tuesday Morning at Haven Church Farm: A Tired but Determined Start
So, Tuesday morning. After the eventful first night at Haven Church Farm Holiday Park, we were up by 7:00 AM – not exactly bright-eyed or bushy-tailed. Tired and honestly a bit defeated, I was determined to sort the caravan issues as early as possible. Every minute stuck in limbo felt like a chunk of our precious family holiday slipping away.
By 7:30 AM, we were gathered around for a quick family breakfast. I wolfed mine down by 7:50 – fuelled by frustration and a deep need for progress – and set off on a solo mission to reception, hoping to get everything sorted.
Plot twist: Haven reception didn’t open until 9:00 AM. A classic holiday fail. The sign on the door hit me like a wet flip-flop to the face.
Frustrated but not defeated, I trudged back to the caravan. That bonus hour wasn’t what I wanted, but I used it to help finish packing – just in case we were given the green light to move. Still, the vibe was low. This wasn’t how any of us pictured the start of our first full day at Haven.
Reception Round Two: Hoping for a Fix or an Upgrade
With my second trip to reception timed for bang on 9:00 AM, I brought our daughter G along – partly to keep her entertained and partly to free my fiancée up to handle the repacking back at the caravan.
The same friendly staff member I’d spoken to the day before was there (massive win!), so she was already clued in on our broken bed dilemma. She disappeared behind the counter to speak with her manager while G and I waited, fingers crossed.
Another staff member popped over and offered to send someone to try and fix the bed. At that point, though, with most of our stuff packed and morale running on fumes, I kindly explained we’d much rather just move caravans altogether.
After about 25 slightly tense minutes, the original staff member came back with news: they could offer us an upgrade to a Platinum caravan.
Remembering advice to check it out first, I asked if we could have a quick look before deciding. The staff were a little surprised at the request to view an uncleaned unit, but fair play to them – they handed over the key without fuss.
Platinum Caravan Preview: A Quick Look Before the Big Move
Key in hand, I phoned my fiancée straight away. No major decisions get made without the full squad in the loop!
We started walking towards the new caravan but quickly realised the smarter move was to grab the car. Once parked up at the new location, we stepped inside the Platinum caravan for a quick reccy.
First impressions? The décor was definitely a bit dated compared to the original unit. But space-wise – wow. This caravan was significantly bigger, with a bonus third bedroom and an impressive master suite complete with a walk-in cupboard and en-suite bathroom.
And, crucially… the beds were intact. No broken slats, no make-do mattress gymnastics. Just solid, sleep-ready frames. That was enough for us. We happily accepted the move, older décor or not, just to reclaim our holiday and stop spinning in caravan chaos
The Waiting Game: A Wet & Windy Walk to Pagham Lagoon
With the upgrade confirmed, we had one last hurdle: the cleaning wait. We were originally under the impression it would be ready fairly early, but it turned out we’d be waiting until the afternoon. Classic miscommunication moment.
Rather than sit around and stew, we decided to head out for a walk to Pagham Lagoon and the beach. From around 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM, we explored the nearby area – windswept and slightly soggy, but at least we weren’t trapped in limbo.
It wasn’t the sun-drenched seaside morning we’d dreamed of, but it gave us a chance to reset, breathe in some salty air, and stretch our legs as a family.
Silver Linings and Caravan Lessons Learned
This wasn’t the day we’d planned, but it’s a story we’ll remember. A test of patience, a test of beds, and a reminder that sometimes, the best moments on holiday come after the mess is sorted.
From reception runarounds to Platinum perks, we turned it around – soggy shoes, wind-blown hair and all.
An Afternoon Dip Takes a Painful Turn
"After finally getting the nod to start moving into our new (older, but bigger!) Platinum caravan – a saga in itself – we were determined to salvage what was left of our Tuesday. We had pre-booked a swimming slot for 16:30, and frankly, after the day we'd had, the thought of disappointing the girls by missing it wasn't an option. We needed to try and inject some fun into what had so far been a day of negotiations and waiting. So, off to the Haven site pool we went.
I'd already been down the slide a few times, and it was all good fun. The girls, as kids do, were getting a bit more daft and playful, and in a moment of misguided enthusiasm, I decided to get to the bottom of the slide a bit quicker to join in their antics. My grand plan involved jumping from the top step, using the grab bar in front to swing myself forward, and launching down the slide with gusto. What could possibly go wrong?
Famous last words.
Bang! My coccyx – my tailbone – connected squarely and with considerable force directly onto the edge of the step. The pain was instant, sharp, and utterly consuming. Internally, I wanted to scream. Externally, knowing my family was there to enjoy themselves, I tried to keep a brave face on it. I even managed to go down the slide a few more times, albeit much more gently, before our allotted pool time was pretty much up anyway. But there was no mistaking it – I'd done some proper damage, and the pain wasn't showing any signs of dying down."
Day 2 Concludes: Doctor Who, Ingenuity, and Aches
Back at the (new) caravan after the pool incident, the rest of Day 2 was about 'taking it easier,' though that didn't mean my normal duties went out the window. With my tailbone now throbbing in protest at every movement, I still got dinner on, and we all ate together as a family. We went through our usual after-dinner routine, getting the girls ready for bed, all whilst I tried to move as carefully as possible.
Finally, with the little ones settled, it was time to attempt some relaxation. We'd been looking forward to catching up on the latest series of Doctor Who, which we hadn't seen yet. Of course, given the caravan's less-than-stellar WiFi (as discovered on Day 1, and reconfirmed in the Platinum), and the fact that the TV in this caravan didn't have Roku built-in, a bit of problem-solving was required. Out came my trusty Roku Streaming Stick, powered by my Vodafone mobile data acting as a hotspot – thankfully, I had plenty of data! However, the next challenge arose: the distance between the TV and the nearest available plug socket was too great for the Roku's power cable. Not to be defeated, I fired up my laptop and, using its USB port, managed to create a makeshift extension lead to power the Roku. Success! We could finally watch some TV.
So ended our incredibly eventful Day 2. It had been a day of frustrations, false starts, negotiations, a caravan upgrade with its own quirks, a painful injury, but also a day where we problem-solved, persisted, and ultimately, made the best of a challenging situation. As I sat there, nursing a very sore coccyx, I couldn't help but wonder what Day 3 – and our planned trip to Marwell Zoo – would hold, especially with this new injury to contend with.
Tune in for Day 3 to see how we fared at the zoo with a bruised backside and whether our holiday luck was about to change! Have you ever had a day on holiday where everything just seemed to go wrong, only to be topped off by an injury? Share your tales of woe (and problem-solving!) in the comments!
Comments
Post a Comment