Dorset - Monday

The boys had their trailer ride around the farm this morning. They got to see the farmer's 'pet' grass snake which lives under some corrorgated metal sheets in a field. We then set off for Lyme Regis aiming to get some beach time before the forecasted arrived.


Despite the 40 minute drive i was looking forward to going. If you have read last year's entry, you will know it had been a highlight of the holiday so was always going to be hard to match. Arriving early afternoon, the car parks were all full including the totally inadequate 4 disabled spaces, so I got dropped off near the beach. Last year, having arrived later, the beach wasn't too busy allowing me to drive the wheelchair quickly across the dry sand avoiding getting stuck, and on to the firmer sand where I could easily maneuver and be part of the action. Today the beach was packed and the tents, windbreaks, beach towels and brollies strewn across the sand would be impossible to navigate quickly. So again I had to sit somewhere else from everyone else. People took it in turn to keep me company and after an hour or so, and the boys were getting cold, everyone came back up to the prominade for a picnic. The rain arrived shortly after so I made a dash for cover while Tracy and David got the cars.

We drove to charmouth, a couple of miles away hoping the rain would clear and the boys could do some fossil hunting. But the shop hiring the hammers had closed and the tide was in so Tracy took the dogs for a walk and the boys played on the beach. It was still raining so I stayed in the car.

Have to say that I haven't enjoyed today. I guess its all down to the effort / reward balance. Being bounced around in the car for two hours on top of all the other hassle and having a day like today is rather disheartening. Especially as last year had been so much better. The balance has tipped irreversibly. Everyone has done everything to make things as easy as possible and I hope my general lack of enthusiasm hasn't put a downer on everybody else's holiday.