We went on a couple of camping holidays, the first of which was a return to Bowleaze Cove in Weymouth where my parents used to keep a static caravan for several years. There's a photo in a dusty album somewhere of me as a baby, having a bath in the caravan's tiny sink. I suspect I looked as bemused as I do now.
We also used the take the cat with us, which seems bizarre in retrospect, but I guess we just didn't have the money to afford the luxury of a cattery for a week. I remember one trip where the cat hadn't returned from their daily patrol on our last day and we were actually driving (albeit very slowly) along the track out of the holiday park, windows open, shouting their name, when they suddenly appeared at the top of the hill, racing down to join us. I don't think my parents really would have left without the cat...would they? The cat was named Sacha, after the popular French singer, although my folks had never shown any particular fondness for his music. Parents are weird like that.
We swapped a caravan for a tent in 1992. I hadn't admitted to my girlfriend that I'd actually done very little camping at this point in my life and putting up a tent almost proved to be beyond my capabilities. Relatively early in our relationship, she may not have experienced quite the level of expletives that undoubtedly burst forth as I took about four times longer to get the darn tent up and staying up than any other complete novice.
Little had changed in the decade and a half since I'd last visited Weymouth, not least the shift from pebble (& tar) beach at the Bowleaze Cove end to golden sand as you got further along the promenade and into town. At the far end of the beach, before the pavilion and pier, the sand sculptor was still at work, creating scenes and still life art to wow and delight. We ventured into town to the fishmongers, sampling jellied eels (still disgusting) and whelks. All in all, a great few days away and some happy new memories to treasure.
I've been back a couple more times since with Clan K and whilst the town and seafront have experienced more dramatic changes - and the beach-based sand sculptures have now moved slightly inland and upscaled to become Sandworld - we have had a great time, each time.
I like to think that Happy Jolly Tape Thing was playing on the drive from Bristol to Weymouth and home again, back in 1992. It's certainly chock full of travelling, sing-a-long tunes from Depeche Mode, Primal Scream, Talking Heads and Prefab Sprout. The Undertones are the only act to appear on both sides of the cassette, whilst my girlfriend was a huge fan of The Smiths and liked The Doors, although I think that was more to do with Jim Morrison in leather trousers than their music in particular.
Tacked onto the end of the compilation was a hidden track that played out following the closing seconds of the final song on Adam & The Ants' 1981 album, Prince Charmng. Sounds of waves lapping on a beach, guitar strums and a 'wimoweh' refrain, what better way to end, then and now?
1) Boom! There She Was (Sonic Property Mix By Steve Thompson & Michael Barbiero) (UK Edit): Scritti Politti ft. Roger Troutman (1988)
2) (Keep Feeling) Fascination (Extended Version): The Human League (1983)
3) The Meaning Of Love (Single Version): Depeche Mode (1982)
4) Movin' On Up (Album Version By Jimmy Miller): Primal Scream (1991)
5) Tell All The People: The Doors (1969)
6) Road To Nowhere (Album Version): Talking Heads (1985)
7) Downtown ('Shag Times' Album Version): The Justified Ancients Of Mu Mu (1988)
8) It's Going To Happen! (Album Version): The Undertones (1981)
9) Faron Young (Truckin' Mix By Thomas Dolby): Prefab Sprout (1985)
10) Ask: The Smiths (1985)
11) Streets Of Your Town (Album Version): The Go-Betweens (1988)
12) untitled: Adam & The Ants (1981)
Side One here
What great memories, Khayem. Love the thought of your family taking Sacha on the caravan holidays and I suppose in a way, why not, it's not like being in a hotel, you're in a "home from home". We often used to holiday in my parents' friends little static caravan in Norfolk in the '70s - caravans were so different then to now too, weren't they, really very basic but none the worse for that when you're a kid, it's the excitement of doing things differently! Your early lack of experience on the camping front also brought to mind 'The Outdoor Type' by The Lemonheads. Nobody teaches you this stuff!
ReplyDeleteThere is little as soothing as the sound of waves lapping on the beach... I think we must have some kind of primeval connection to its rhythm.
Many thanks for your comments, C. Yes, 'little' and 'basic' were the operative words for our static caravan, but that was all we needed. I've never forgotten the thrill of arriving at the caravan, usually quite late, and putting a match to the gas-fueled lighting. I remember that smell so vividly!
DeleteAs C said, great memories. I still love a beach holiday but the caravans are much nicer nowadays. They were the staple of my childhood holidays too albeit up here in the North of Scotland - Brrr...
ReplyDeleteAs a student, the boyfriend and I planned a camping holiday as we had very little money - my parents were worried about us sleeping in such close proximity (seriously) so it was arranged that we would have a caravan so that we could have separate beds! I'll say no more except it was a great first holiday. I still have the mixtape although it was all late 70s stuff from Elvis C and the Specials. Love your mixtape.
Many thanks, Alyson. The last time Clan K descended on Weymouth, we stayed on Portland Bill, the opposite end of town to the campsite/caravan park I stayed at as a kid. And yes, a completely different caravan experience with electricity, running water and a DVD player (the latter now becoming obsolete... that holiday was longer ago than I thought!)
DeleteI can relate to your memory of your parents' concerns and efforts to 'risk manage' it! I've found the behaviour and actions of parents in this regard to be bizarre, contradictory and often both at the same time! I suspect I'm inspiring exactly the same bemusement and bewilderment as a parent myself.
On the strength of Elvis C and The Specials alone, I suspect that your late 70s mixtape was nothing short of brilliant.