Initially we were going to take it to England, maybe Ireland and then down to Spain, possibly by ferry. However we simplified our plans considerably to just visiting England: Annabelle wasn’t travelling very well and the camper didn’t have air-conditioning.We took the ferry from Calais to Dover (campers with their gas bottles aren’t allowed on the ‘Chunnel Train’ – a good thing: a few weeks later there was a huge fire in one of the tunnels, disrupting traffic for months).
Being in an English-speaking country was a breath of fresh air for Doris, mostly because she could understand the street signs!
We visited the wonderful Legoland near Windsor, and then drove up to Drayton Manor Park near Birmingham, where they created Thomasland – of Tank Engine fame of course… Christopher (and Annabelle) loved it!
Our plan was to spend a second day at Thomasland and then to drive south to spend a few days in London, but mama’s health made us go straight back to Hengelo.
After getting back to Holland we didn’t feel like continuing to travel with the camper, so we cleaned and returned it on Sunday. I needed a lift to get back home and José, one of mama’s nurses offered to come along so Doris didn’t have to drive (she never got behind the wheel in Europe…). José and I had a good conversation driving back; talking about her 16 year-old daughter whom José is taking care of by herself.
Then on Tuesday morning Gerben called – José had passed away, aged only 51. She’d had a heart-attack the night before, but it didn’t seem serious and the doctor told her to get some extra sleep. Her daughter found her the next morning.
If this doesn’t rub your face in the uncertainty of life, what will? But still, it didn’t really hit home with me yet…
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