The Wait is Over..........

[Amarillo]

You failed to mention your nice refurbished drive

How could I forget that! - now corrected.

Actually, an even more momentous event occurred last week, related to my driveway.

The original team who scarpered from the job when I noticed they were laying crushed concrete as a foundation instead of the MOT type 1 highways grade foundation I had specified, and for which they had quoted, were Polish. Knowing how some on this forum regard migrant workers, especially those in trades rather than professions, I decided to keep this detail to myself. It seems that the boss of the team had a nervous breakdown, and returned to Poland to be with his family. His foreman, who I had regarded as a friend, (I have known the team for 5 years when they did some work for me after I escaped from teaching to set up my own business), has taken over the business. He phoned me on Sunday, unprompted, offering me a further £720 refund on top of the £2,600 refund I received from the £5,000 part payment I gave to his boss after the work was part completed. I haven't yet had this refund, and I am not counting my chickens before they are hatched, but if I do, it will have cost me £1,680 for a well built 12.5m retaining wall and 50 square metres of the original concrete driveway to be broken up and carted away. I cannot include in this costing the two grab truck loads of subsoil they removed because they replaced it with rubbish, and I am guessing this is what I had be charged for originally and why I'm being offered a further £720 refund.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Hope you have as much fun as we've been having. Away again this weekend, think that is either 18 or 20 nights so far!

..message ends..

Thanks for your good wishes. 18 nights away already, wow, impressive. We already have trips to South Coast, The Netherlands and France booked - I think that is about 34 all before end July and then some tentative stuff in Sept and October, maybe Italy (I have a sister living there) - new life!!

 

[Jabberwocky]

I am trying to recall some of the momentous events since 29 April last year when I placed my order.

• Meg gave birth to six puppies
• I had a new 65 square metre two (nominal three) vehicle driveway constructed
• A majority of people, who bothered to vote, voted for the UK to leave the EU
• Three of the four main 'English' political parties held leadership elections
• After over 50 years of civil war Columbia's president signed a peace deal with Farc rebels
• Armed police on the beaches of France forced Muslim women to remove items of clothing
• Impeachment of Dilma Rousseff
• After winning a poetry competition with the limerick, There was a young fellow from Ankara / Who was a terrific wankera / Till he sowed his wild oats / With the help of a goat / But he didn’t even stop to thankera, about the president of Turkey, Boris Johnson was promoted to Britain's chief diplomat.
• Failed coup d'etat in Turkey (probably unrelated to the above)
• The US let off an almighty trump
• Following a 20% slump in the pound, France and India overtook the UK in terms of GDP
• UK government lost its 'Brexit Battle' in the Supreme Court then snatched a victory from the jaws of "the enemies of the people"

Apart from the first two items, the above are in no particular order of importance.

Nice mix! Can I add a couple? (I am sure the first one has legs!)

• Russian involvement in the outcome of the US Presidential Elections. This could yet be a second monumental US trump!!
• Scheduled passenger flights between the USA and Cuba resume since 1961. This coincided with the death of Fidel Castro.

Its been a busy old year!

 

[Amarillo]

Nice mix! Can I add a couple? (I am sure the first one has legs!)

• Russian involvement in the outcome of the US Presidential Elections. This could yet be a second monumental US trump!!
• Scheduled passenger flights between the USA and Cuba resume since 1961. This coincided with the death of Fidel Castro.

Its been a busy old year!

I suppose my substantive point is that world politics has moved faster than VW's campervan production. The world is a very different place to what it was when I placed my order.

 

[Jabberwocky]

I suppose my substantive point is that world politics has moved faster than VW's campervan production. The world is a very different place to what it was when I placed my order.

Indeed you are so right. I was coming from a point of view that time passes very quickly - so many things happen on a day to day basis that the delivery date of a new Cali will soon arrive. (As I feel mine has by the way!)

 

[525107]

Two more sleeps, enjoy your California, best wishes.

Wullie

 

[Jabberwocky]

Two more sleeps, enjoy your California, best wishes.

Wullie

Thanks you so much......Woohoooo!

 

[Days out]

Thanks you so much......Woohoooo!

What's going to be your first trip in the new Cali?

I've been looking back since I got mine end of June and we have so many more family photos out visiting new places and spending time together then we had before. It just makes you wanna get out there no matter what the weather.

You will love it!!!

Good luck chap

 

[Jabberwocky]

What's going to be your first trip in the new Cali?

I've been looking back since I got mine end of June and we have so many more family photos out visiting new places and spending time together then we had before. It just makes you wanna get out there no matter what the weather.

You will love it!!!

Good luck chap

Thanks for your good wishes. First real trip? We have so often seen the white cliffs of the South Coast of England from the sea but never from on land so we are going to see the lighthouse at Beachy Head and the surrounding areas! No its OK we were OK with the wait for our new Cali at no time did we feel suicidal!! Its just because we fancy looking and exploring no more no less. And because we can!! That will be end of March but will probably go off to Ashbourne in Derbyshire for a couple of nights first as its less than an hour from home so if needed and it all starts to go wrong we will not be far away. Yes, two sleepless nights to go and then......Woohooo, I quick trip to Birmingham of about twenty minutes and into the hand over....watch this thread for some pics early next week. Hopefully no gnashing of teeth!

 

[sapto]

Thanks for your good wishes. First real trip? We have so often seen the white cliffs of the South Coast of England from the sea but never from on land so we are going to see the lighthouse at Beachy Head and the surrounding areas! No its OK we were OK with the wait for our new Cali at no time did we feel suicidal!! Its just because we fancy looking and exploring no more no less. And because we can!! That will be end of March but will probably go off to Ashbourne in Derbyshire for a couple of nights first as its less than an hour from home so if needed and it all starts to go wrong we will not be far away. Yes, two sleepless nights to go and then......Woohooo, I quick trip to Birmingham of about twenty minutes and into the hand over....watch this thread for some pics early next week. Hopefully no gnashing of teeth!

So now one more night to sleep? Look forward to see some pics of your new cali (do you name it?) and of your first trips. Lighthous and beach - that sounds great! Enjoy your Sunday!

sapto

 

[Jabberwocky]

So now one more night to sleep? Look forward to see some pics of your new cali (do you name it?) and of your first trips. Lighthous and beach - that sounds great! Enjoy your Sunday!

sapto

Enjoying but already champing at the bit........

Name? No not yet.

Thanks JW

 

[Days out]

Enjoying but already champing at the bit........

Name? No not yet.

Thanks JW

Why don't you call your van

"Patience"

 

[Jabberwocky]

Why don't you call your van

"Patience"

That's an idea but not so keen on the anagrams!! "I can't pee" and "A nice pet".

 

[GrannyJen]

That's an idea but not so keen on the anagrams!! "I can't pee" .

But "it can pee"

 

[Days out]

Enjoying but already champing at the bit........

Name? No not yet.

Thanks JW

Ok then how about

"Bernadette" (burn a debt)

 

[Jabberwocky]

Ok then how about

"Bernadette" (burn a debt)

Excellent! - that would fit with my better half's background too she has an Irish father.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Well......delivery was painless from Volkswagen (Birmingham) Vans / Swansway Garages today. Clive Lediard organised a very smooth handover. No drama, a few little things I did not expect but non the less nice. A really nice Autoglym vehicle cleaning kit (will photo and post tomorrow), a cigarette lighter torch, Luggage net (have yet to find out where it goes). Coloured dash looks fantastic and was much commented on by staff. Great choice even if I do say so myself!!

I was a little late home and darkness started descending so no photos today will try tomorrow.

All good, very positive experience. Oh, and the drive home was smoother and quieter than the two conversions I drove last year. Worth the wait? You bet!! Must dash got to book a ferry!!!

Oh, one last thing, met a forum member who put two and two together to guess I was JW (Reg number) but would not identify himself - pity.

 

[Alibee]

Many congrats JW, fantastic to see you and the big lump united at last!

Don't forget to change your sig & profile.

 

[Hotel California]

Well......delivery was painless from Volkswagen (Birmingham) Vans / Swansway Garages today. Clive Lediard organised a very smooth handover. No drama, a few little things I did not expect but non the less nice. A really nice Autoglym vehicle cleaning kit (will photo and post tomorrow), a cigarette lighter torch, Luggage net (have yet to find out where it goes). Coloured dash looks fantastic and was much commented on by staff. Great choice even if I do say so myself!!

I was a little late home and darkness started descending so no photos today will try tomorrow.

All good, very positive experience. Oh, and the drive home was smoother and quieter than the two conversions I drove last year. Worth the wait? You bet!! Must dash got to book a ferry!!!

Oh, one last thing, met a forum member who put two and two together to guess I was JW (Reg number) but would not identify himself - pity.

It's probally not a luggage net but the child safetynet for the top bunk....
Now the real Cali experience begins....

 

[T6 CFO]

Well done JW. Enjoy


Mike

 

[GrannyJen]

Brilliant

 

[Jabberwocky]

Many congrats JW, fantastic to see you and the big lump united at last!

Don't forget to change your sig & profile.

Sig and Profile updated (thnx for reminder).

 

[Jabberwocky]

It's probally not a luggage net but the child safetynet for the top bunk....
Now the real Cali experience begins....

As ever Wim - on reflection , you are right. Thx. Will confirm tomorrow.

We agree! The real experience starts now. We started how we mean to carry on too. A christening glass of wine/bubbly on the driveway with heater on! Harwich to Hoek v Holland booked for June in the process.

Kind of wierd, I'm more excited now than I was at any time during the ordering and the subsequent wait. How is that explained?

 

[Jabberwocky]

Well done JW. Enjoy


Mike

Oh, help me, I'm like a big kid!! Never imagined....

 

[CaliCrazy]

Congrats JW! Acapulco Blue with the blue dash if I remember rightly? We ordered the same and just hoped it looked smart. It does! I don't think there's many of us about. All the very best for you and your family. Enjoy!