Paignton Surprise

It was a military operation for mum and Liv to travel (first class) to Paignton, for me to hide behind the stairs at the station so that Liv couldn't see me, and then me getting on the train at Exeter St Davids to Paignton. But we did it, and oh she was so shocked to see me :) Caitlin wasn't as surprised but I keep forgetting she is only 2. In the evening we went to see Sammy the sea horse, after watching bingo. I can't explain how boring watching bingo is.

The next day we got up early, well in a caravan with cardboard between each room, when one of you is up, you are all up and I had the kettle next to my head. I knew of my families love of tea but I didn't realise it started at 6am :) Mum didn't believe we could all be out the door in 1.5 hours but we proved her wrong and headed to the train station. Four of us in the car, with Liv and Nanny Jenny on the free bus. We boarded the steam train and I was a kid in a sweet shop. I do love steam trains, the smell, the way they move so slowly, the carriages. Maybe I should have been a train driver. The train follows the coast around to Kingswear.

We boarded the passenger ferry for a windy trip across to Dartmouth where we walked around the shop and had a hot chocolate. I then discovered the age range of visitors as a large group of elderly women paid £17 in coppers from their purses. How did they carry it around? Back on the ferry, and back on the train to Paignton. After yet another cup of tea, it was off to the clubhouse for bingo (we didn't win) and Sammy the sea horse. Is it bad that I'm starting to know the songs? By this time, all of the adults were flagging but the kids were in the softplay, as wide awake as they were in the morning.

The next day we had a lazy morning (with multiple cups of tea), and then it was off to swimming. I learned that you actually have to wear a wet suit to take children swimming, it's so cold bobbing up and down! Back at the caravan and another cup of tea but then it was time to leave. A gorgeous weekend, with my gorgeous family, in gorgeous weather. Perfect (well apart from the fact that my gorgeous fiance was in Paris :( )