Not put off by her last experience of camping, Heather Barron headed back to the caravans, with husband and four children in tow, for a fortnight in Holland.
'NEVER again!" That was what I'd said ten years ago following a disastrous camping holiday. But ten years is a long time and, like childbirth, you soon forget. With four children aged 11 to four, who love to camp in the garden, we decided to try a mobile home on the continent.
We considered all the usual destinations that we could reasonably drive to and still have enough time for a holiday, and we chose Holland. The site, at Duinrell, Wassenaar in Northern Holland, boasted "a huge tropical swimming pool complete with waves and whirlpools" (perfect for the kids), and the nearby attraction of the Duinrell Theme Park (perfect for the kids).
When you have four children who still require a lot of attention and supervision, this is the sort of holiday you choose. Holland has lots of interesting places within easy driving distance and we hoped for some small delight that would be perfect for parents. Having made the decision, I was quickly on the phone to book the largest mobile home that was available at that site.
Unfortunately, the Renoir as listed - a sumptuous 33ft by 12ft, promising "luxurious, comfortable, stylish and superbly equipped" amenities was not available.
We were offered the alternative, not listed, 26ft by ten feet Cezanne that boasted none of the above adjectives. Although reluctant, I was assured that we would get the Prima version that includes, "for that added touch of luxury", a microwave, an electric fan, a radio/cd player, a hairdryer, a gas barbecue and a moveable exterior light.
Let me tell you that, in hindsight, no amount of "extras" can compensate for those 14 square feet of additional space. But holiday fever had me in its grip, so we obligingly took the Cezanne, assuming that we would be outside most of the time, enjoying the sun, sea and nearby attractions.
We drove through the night to catch the early Seacat from Dover, but the crossing was fast (two hours), and Eurosites provided good directions to our destination.
A road atlas, a map of the Netherlands and a computer print-out of our route were included in the holiday pack. We arrived at Duinrell without having been lost or having had a huge argument on the way, which is usually part and parcel of the travelling.
When we arrived, we were taken to our accommodation and instructed on how the lounge/dining area became a sleeping area at night, given our passes for the theme park (unlimited use), and told that we were only allowed two free hours in the indoor tropical pool complex between 10am and 2pm.
The children quickly, very quickly, toured the mobile home and claimed their bedrooms, leaving my husband and myself staring forlornly at the dining table-bed that was to be ours. The cooking facilities were very spartan, and very cramped. There were hardly any work surfaces, and once the table-bed had been made up, this is where we had to sit to eat in shifts.
On the first morning, we managed to set fire to a tea towel and activate the fire alarm. Considering how close the tents and mobile homes were, I am confident that we woke at least half the campsite. The children, however, were delighted.
Having investigated the site, we discovered that we were right beside the very large and inviting theme park and pool complex. Day three dawned and set the pattern for most of the rest of the holiday. It was pouring with rain. As many of the rides in the park were shut, we ventured to the indoor pool, which was a great surprise with lots of different waterslides that we could all enjoy. We managed to visit the waterslides most days, but it was only on the ninth day that the weather was good enough for us to use the outdoor pool. We also visited the theme park on any day it wasn't raining (and even on some days when it was!), and, again, we all enjoyed it. There were the usual limitations according to age and height, but we all managed to find a favourite ride.
Determined to have a "grown-up" day, we drove to Amsterdam. We were tempted by the canals, the Van Gogh museum, Anne Frank's house, Rembrandt's house, and we managed to combine it all by taking a canal cruise which stopped at these, and other, sights.
The tip here is to start early. We arrived at Anne Frank's house to find the queue snaking round the corner and out of sight. The estimate was a two-hour wait which is just not possible with four kids. We did manage the Van Gogh museum - well worth a visit as long as you are not aged between 11 and four - but ran out of time for any more stops.
There are good memories of the holiday, but there is no getting away from the cramped conditions inside the mobile home, made worse by the (seasonally unusual) rain that kept us inside too often.
We were booked in for two weeks, but after nine days we had had enough. We wanted to go home as soon as possible. We spoke to the Eurosites rep and, with no difficulty at all and for the cost of a phone card, he had us back on the Seacat two days later. I know some people like camping, but I'm obviously not one of them. So I'll say it one more time. Never again.
l Eurosites brochure hotline number: 0870 6081913; Booking helpline 0870 7510000
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