Dorset Cereals Little Blog Of The Month

WINNER!

I simply can't thank you enough for all your lovely votes that helped make The Happy Glamper, WINNER of Dorset Cereals Little Blog of the Month in July.  I am over the moon.

 I won a place on the winners board, lots of delicious boxes of Dorset cereals, (which of course you're more than welcome to come round and tuck into for breakfast if you are passing by The Happy Glamper HQ), and I also received a lovely egg cup with a very cute egg cosy, which will definitely make its way into my camping kitchen hamper as I do love a boiled egg and soilders for breakfast when I go glamping.

THANK YOU SOOO MUCH
 xxxxxxx

Vintage at Goodwood

If you are a lover of glamping and all things vintage, then I simply insist you check out the festival that everyone is talking about and after the amazing success this year,  Vintage at Goodwood will be the hottest festival ticket of 2011.

  

It was the very first of a fabulous annual music and fashion led festival, that celebrated the 40s through to the 80s. Situated in the outstanding location of The Goodwood Estate in Chichester, West Sussex,  this years festival had everything you could wish for, including an amazingly cool high street that was designed like a wild west film set, with shops that included John Lewis,  Waitrose,  The Body Shop and even a coiffeurs that could give you an instant beehive so you could take your vintage self to the max!!

The music was a fabulous array of talent that has come out of Blighty over the decades, and this year Vintage At Goodwood didn't let any genre down. They covered every aspect of the 40s,50s,60s,70s and 80s, and didn't forget the inspirational figures that have made British music so recognisable over the years. The amazing line up included, The Faces, Wander Jackson, The Damned, Mica Paris, Swing Out Sister, Heaven 17, John Miller Orchestra, Danny Rampling and Norman Jay to name but a mere few, click here to see the full programme. 

Every little detail stylishly thought out,
 The Vintage at Goodwood entry wristband

With it also being a fashion led festival there were beautifully choreographed catwalks, and for all the vintage shopaholics out there,  their dreams were realised with the largest, coolest, vintage fashion bazaar known to man. As the finer details were the organisers strong point, they even made sure there was a same day alteration service, so if you did buy yourself a little vintage gem, you could make it the perfect fit too, fabulous dahling!
There literally was something for everyone,  Burlesque performances, comedy acts, dancing workshops, where you got to learn The Funky Chicken and The Twist (to name but a few). A funfair, fashion workshops and so much more that I simply can't write it all down, so click here for more details. What did one have to pay for all of this fun under one festivals roof, well it was a mere £55 per ticket for the weekend, and kids under 12 went free.

If that little lot hasn't made you want to buy your ticket 12 months in advance (although I don't think they are actually on sale yet), let me tell you about the most exciting bit for us Happy Glampers, the camping accommodation and WOW, what a choice there was! The general camping was situated next to the main event, it cost £15 per person, for the whole weekend, to pitch up your own tent. There were lots of clean, flushing lavs and a whole load of lovely showers and vanity areas too. 

The amazing beach hut style vanity areas,  so you could look utterly glamourous at all times

There were the many different glamping options of varying prices, some far more expensive than others. If you opted for the proper posh camping, it came complete with chefs cooking you breakfast using all organic produce from The Goodwood Estate.. Hello heaven!
You had the choice of Hotel Bell Tent, luxury Tipis and Yurts in the Indian reservation, Geo-Domes, Gypsy Caravans, Podpads and last but definitely not least,  Bell Pads!

At the draw dropping amount of £2000 per tent for the weekend, Hotel Bell Tent at the Kennels was the most expensive option. Each tent slept 2 adults and 2 spogs and each booking included:

*  Concierge service with a dedicated telephone number for general assistance and random requests

*  Breakfast in bed and your choice of newspaper delivered to your tent each morning

*  Unlimited use of the refreshment tent - serving tea, coffee and cool drinks all weekend

*  Posh loos for during the night

*  Dedicated locker with robes and slippers provided for the trip to and from your ‘campsite’

*  Pressing service, shoe shine and hairstylist in Locker rooms each morning

*  Laundry service

*  Dedicated transport to and from the site throughout the weekend

In the Indian reservation you could hire yourself a tipi or a yurt, 2 man yurt £500 per tent for the weekend. 2 man Tipi £600 per tent for the weekend. 6 man Tipi £1,200 per tent for the weekend. 8 man Tipi £1,600 per tent for the weekend. Included in the price was the already erected tent in a private and exclusive area in the woodland, a VIP camping assistant, fully inflated airbeds,  breakfast delivery service in the morning of a bacon butty and cuppa and not forgetting, the use of the  posh loos and showers..

Then there were the Geo-Domes, these are meant to be the future of camping!! Hmmm, not very pleasing to the eye are they?  But who knows,  they could be a grower with a little, LOT of bunting!  They slept 4 people and it costs £1000 for the weekend per tent. Not completely glamping, but the added extras of what was included in the price gave it that glamping edge, with the already erected Geo-Dome in a private and exclusive area in the woodland, a VIP camping assistant, fully inflated airbeds,  breakfast delivery service in the morning of a bacon butty and cuppa and not forgetting the posh loos and showers..

I absolutely love gypsy caravans, I think they are ridiculously gorgeous and an incredibly romantic way to glamp it up at a festival. For your one thousand english pounds, you could have hired one for the weekend. They fit in 2 adults and 2 children and all the bed linen and blankets you needed for a snuggly night sleep were provided. You also got the VIP camping assistant,  breakfast delivery service in the morning of a bacon butty and cuppa and the all important posh loos and showers.

Also on offer, were the Bell Pads. The beautiful bell tent (4mtr diameter) was already erected when you arrived on site, with 4 inflated airbeds inside. It cost  £800 for 4 people, and the price also included your VIP camping assistant,  breakfast delivery service in the morning of a bacon butty and cuppa and the all important posh loos and showers .

Lastly, you could hire yourself a cute little podpad. A friend of mine was lucky enough to stay in one said that they were very roomy inside. Each one had a solar powered charger point (12V), a light above the door and to finish it off proper guttering, just in case of that festival downpour. It cost a reasonable £500 for 2 people, and as always the price also included your VIP camping assistant, breakfast delivery service in the morning of a bacon butty and cuppa and the all important posh loos and showers.

I absolutely LOVE the concept of this festival, every little detail has been thoroughly though out and I truly think that  Vintage at Goodwood has given all the other festivals out there a blummin good run for their money.  See you there next year....

If you went to Vintage at Goodwood this year and have some pictures and would like to share your experience, I would love to hear from you.. 

Moon & Sixpence

Suffolk

We arrived at The Moon and Sixpence in Waldringfield, Woodbridge on a sunny Sunday afternoon.  Always a little nervous when staying at a new campsite, concerned that we may be pitched next to the Addams Family, its happened before you see. However on checking in, we found out that we could  chose our own pitch, which even though was a novelty, immediately sent me into panic mode and we jumped into the car and rushed off to find the best pitch before anyone else could!  We must have driven around the touring site for at least 20 minutes, stopping at different pitches and surveying them as if our life depended on it! Is this just me, or am i simply possessed by some camping demon??!! After much "debating", a possible divorce and my hubster rolling his eyes so much to the back of his head that we nearly had to take him to hospital to have them corrected, we settled on pitch 62.  It was right at the end of the field, tucked in a corner near a beautiful reed pond and the water feature gave a theraputic sound that instantly relaxed you. 

The campsite has strict rules, no screaming and absolute quiet from 9pm till 8.30am, with all children safely tucked up in their tents. There is also a no visitors allowed policy during August, which was unfortunate for us as my parents were on holiday themselves up the road!  We broke both rules! 

It wasn't an intentional 'breakin' the law, breakin' the law' (Judas Priest), I simply had a few small issues that I couldn't inwardly keep contained, them being wasps! I.HATE.THEM, and with it being wasp season, every 5 minutes I was breaking the code of silence with an ear curdling scream and running for my life! My family, especially the kids were incredibly embarrassed of me, but it is the only way I can deal with them!

Here is proof of my fear of wasps, a moment captured by my husband (to his joy), when I jumped into the safety of a freezing cold pool to escape a rather large one. Me 1 - Wasps 0

Once the tent was set up and I had located the can of Raid for protection, we all went for a facilities inspection. A to the MAZING! A lovely Norwegian lodge that houses, 3 shower rooms and 2 bathrooms (some of them have loos in too),  6 separate toilets,  a huge laundry room and a fantastic washing up room and they all have radio 2 playing, which I have to say is quite comforting if you need a midnight tinkle!

There are plenty of things to do on site to keep the kids occupied,  a play park, a zip wire, tyre swings, a private lake and beach.  Off site there are many places to visit. We went to the unspoilt seaside town of Aldeburgh, which is my new favourite place in the world and I want to live there. They have many fabulous places to do a little retail therapy, and the best place to get lunch is at The Fish and Chip shop where you will always find a queue outside, but its well worth the wait. 

We spent our one rainy day in Framlingham,  in a delightful pub called The Crown Hotel. Amazing food and the staff were simply the nicest, friendliest people,  we all came away totally relaxed and had very content bellies. 

Our other find was The Friday Street Farm  shop, in Saxmundham. There are lots of lovely farm shops in suffolk, but this is the one where we found the most delicious smoked meats, I highly recommend the smoked turkey and their smoked bacon. 

All in all  we had a wonderful time and I was sad to leave... 

If you like my little blog, I would love for you to vote for me in The Dorset Cereals competition, just click on the link below... thank you so much x

Glamping It To The Max....

The other day I was having a little nosey on Facebook and reading down the home page, when I saw a status update that caught my eye! "Glamping to the max. Bell tents a go go!" As you can imagine,  my eyes popped out on stalks and I immediately wanted to know more. So I clicked on said friends page and to my delight I was greeted with snap shots of beautiful bell tents, towering tipis and bunting galore that made my heart go all a flutter....

For many years now,  a group of fabulous friends gather at  Romney Farm Campsite in Kent, for what's known to them as 'Mellis Fest',  a birthday celebration and a good excuse to have a jolly good themed knees up under the stars. This years party theme was Cowboys 'n' Indians, and Heather, good wife of  birthday boy Mellis, decided to glamp it up to the max by hiring one of  RedTipi's amazing tents and mark the occasion in style. It was a completely hassle free way to go glamping,  as all they had to do was just turn up on site and move into their weekend retreat as everything else was done for them. She opted for the wedding package which included, 

The tipi being delivered to the location and set up  

A king size futon made up with thick duvet and pillows

Floor coverings like rugs and sheepskins.

Candles and lanterns to gently light the Tipi

A fire in our purpose built fire bowl, or wood burner.

Chilled champagne (Bolli no less) and glasses

A discreet chest containing all you need to make tea/coffee in the morning.

If you would like to hire a tipi, here are some of the places that do just that. Tipi hire cost starts from £560 for a weekend..

RedTipi

Hearthworks

Black Dog Tipis

Stunning Tents 

Heather and Mellis weren't the only one to camp in style, Mani and Amanda bought along their rather beautful bell tent. These tents were originally used as military kit in the 19th century, but now they are THE most desirable tent of the land. Uber chic and pleasing to the eye, especially when decorated in an abundance of bunting and fairy lights,  they make you just simply want to dive in and snuggle down!

Surprisingly enough they really aren't as expensive to buy as you may have first thought, starting prices from  £299 for a 4metre diameter with separate ground sheet, check out the websites below for more information...

belltent.co.uk (hire and to buy)

Hotel Bell Tent (hire only) 

Out In The Open (hire only)

Canvas and Cast (to buy)

Melis Fest finishes in style with a day of frolicking on Camber Sands dunes. A stunning stretch of beach that has miles and miles of golden sands when the tide is out. Not too far from the historic town of Rye, where you can tread the enchanted cobbled streets, take in the beautifully preserved historic houses of the Tudor and Georgian times or just simply treat yourself to a scrummy cream tea at one of their many quant tea rooms.

If you have a glamping weekend you would like to share, please contact me at thehappyglamper@me.com.

If you like my blog, I would LOVE for you to vote for me in a little competition, please click on the link below.. thank you kindly xx

Thai Green Curry

Serves 2

According to my good friend Pae, the secret to cooking an authentic Thai Green Curry is to simply add sugar!

 Before you get cooking under canvas, can I just point out that in the ingredients list you will notice that I have put a '1 1/2 mugs of rice'. That is literally a tea/coffee mug, that you will have with you in your camping equipment, not a special measuring cup.

This is my very special camping mug

that has many uses.

Ingredients

1 1/2  mugs of jasmine rice 

3 chicken breasts diced

400ml/14fl oz coconut milk

2 heaped tbsp thai green curry paste

olive oil

25 fine trimmed green beans

2 tsp of sugar

chicken stock cube

Equipment

meat chopping board

sharp knife

mug

saucepan

saute pan

tablespoon

wooden spoon

teaspoon

1. Start to cook the rice according to the packet instructions.
2. Heat a small swirl of olive oil into the sauté pan, add the chicken and cook until it has all turned white, take off the gas.
3. Stir in the thai green curry paste until all the chicken is coated. Add the coconut milk and replace back onto the heat, and cook until it starts to lightly bubble. Don’t worry if the coconut milk is solid when it comes out of the tin, just break it up in the pan and as it heats up it will melt. 
4. Crumble in the chicken stock cube, add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Add the green beans and leave to cook (preferable simmer if you can turn your gas down) for 10 minutes. If you can’t turn the heat down, then keep stirring.
5. Serve on the rice.

Day Trip For A Camping Virgin

My lovely friend David recently decided that camping with his three year old daughter was without a doubt the holiday for them, but his only problem was he didn't have a clue as where to start, let alone  which tent to buy! So he called on me for some expert camping advice....

We jumped in the car and took a short trip out of town to a fabulous camping shop, Camping International, which is based in Gillingham, Kent. As David has never done this camping malarky before I thought it was important for him to check out some of the different varieties of tent that are on offer. 

As we all know, these days everything we need is simply at a click of a button and we can view every single tent available throughout the world online, but to really get a feel for a tent and to make sure that it is the right one for you and your family, it really is a good idea to have a good nosy around them.

Now it has to be said that I am not a big fan of dark green or blue tents. I have owned a blue one in the past and I found it really depressing, especially on a miserable day, the tent felt moody and enclosed. So when it was finally time to upgrade, I was really keen to buy a tent that was light and airy. 

My husband and I spent many hours visiting camping shops, the reason for this is that they all have different varieties on display. Funnily enough, it was at Camping International that I spotted our future holiday home, the Sunncamp Family Vario 600. The minute I stepped inside the door I knew it was 'The One'. It was love at first sight, and what made this tent so special was the amount of windows it had, two in the roof, two down each sides and two at the front,  and if that wasn't enough to make me squeal with delight, it was made from a lovely light green/grey coloured material. Perfection. However the one draw back was the staggering amount of money they wanted in exchange for it! Deflated and heartbroken we left the shop, but I wasn't deterred from my Husband clutching his wallet and shaking his head,  a quick browse on the internet when we got home and I found it cheaper online at Springfield Camping, puppy dog eyes and a promise we would camp for the rest of our lives,  she (not sure why she is a she) was delivered within a couple of days! 

My tent is now sooo last year, although I wouldn't trade her in for all the tea in china and you can still buy this make online but their latest equivalent seems to be the Sunncamp Constellation 800, with extra features!

Other things to think about when buying a tent is how much head room you have! My Husband is 6ft3ins and David is 6ft and if you are planning on camping for a long period of time, ducking your head regularly becomes a right old pain in the neck!

Carpet?!? who'd ever heard of carpet in a tent... bit extravagant isn't it? My husband thought so at the time we bought ours, but he certainly hasn't regretted spending that extra £40 since! It really does take the cold and dampness away from the ground and gives your tent and tootsies a real warm and homely feel.

Footprint in camping terms means its a ground cover that simply helps protect the floor of the tent from abrasion. When you pitch a tent and then get in, your bodyweight and tossing and turning during the night grind the fabric in the ground, wearing off the waterproof coating and in time perhaps even damaging the fabric. With a footprint down, it takes the abuse instead. 

There may be a couple of things that will put you off buying a larger tent, try not to be too daunted by the size of them once you step inside.  I won't lie to you, it will take a couple of trips to get the hang of erecting it and to feel comfortable with what goes where, but it really isn't rocket science, as long as there are two of you, you'll be fine. My advice would be to get as much space as you can afford, because a week feels like a very long time if you get a tent that you can only wiggle a couple of sleeping bags into!

The second thing that may put you off is how expensive it can all be to buy and if thats the case then I may just have the answer you are looking for. Once you find the tent of your dreams,  Google it , this will show you who has the best price for it and if that still seems too much to fork out then the other two options are eBay and Gumtree, you will be suprised at what camping bargins you can find on there.

David decided to go for the same tent as me and after trawling eBay, he found a lovely 2nd hand one that had only been used twice and it also included the footprint and carpet!  He was the winning bidder at £275!  He has saved at least £200! BARGIN!

I asked David if he had anything he would like to share with any camping virgins out there and this is what he said...

My main comment would be how surprised I was that camping can be glamping. It is not about roughing it but enjoying it - in comfort and style!

Chocolate Fondue

Serves 2

This is a very quick,  yet deliciously indulgent pudding! Well worth every calorie. You can change the dipping ingredients to suit your fruit fancy!

Ingredients

10 cubes of milk or dark chocolate

4 tbsp double cream

15 strawberries washed, culled and halved

1 banana peeled and thickly sliced

Equipment

saucepan

mug

teaspoon

forks or toothpicks

1. Half fill the saucepan with water and bring to the boil.
2. Pop the chocolate in a mug and then carefully place the mug into the saucepan of boiling water.  Stir the chocolate occasionally with a teaspoon until melted.
3. Add the double cream and mix well until smooth and creamy. Take the mug out of the water (carefully as the handle may be hot)
4. Serve with fruit.

Cold Nights & Snuggly Pods

Isn't the weather perfect for camping! If you went to Glastonbury last weekend, VERY envious. 

Next year I am planning to take my daughter, hopefully in a VW Camper Van. I may actually pop with excitement before then, can't wait.  Lets hope I bag some tickets as she is already counting down the days!

When I go glamping, I do like to be as snug as a bug in a rug and especially at night, because with our delightful weather system, who knows if the summer nights under canvas will be warm or blummin nippy noo! So I think its best to have all angles covered!

Taking a sleeping bag when camping is definitely a lot less hassle and also huge space saver in the car, but for me, I really dislike like them.  I'm one of those sleepers that needs to have a leg outside of the covers, its a body thermostat thing. Being all zipped up in a sleeping bag imprisons that poor leg, and the need to release it and cool down then wakes me up.  This is when the vicious circle ensues because once the sleeping bag is opened to the elements, I start to cool down and can't sleep because I am now freezing. This makes me a right old grumpy bum the next day because I am so tired after a restless night sleep!!  The answer to this little sleeping bag nightmare was to simply bring along my good old faithful friend, the duvet.

So for all you lovely campers out there whom may have this leg out the bed syndrome like me, or simply hate the sleeping bag, I will happily share with you how I make my camping bed really cosy, incredibly comfortable and most importantly not too hot or too cold!  

Firstly on the double blow up bed I put a single duvet, which I then cover with the fitted sheet on top, this makes the blowup feel like a mattress.  I then have a double duvet, four pillows and lots of heavy blankets on top. I find that this is the key to a beautiful nights sleep, heavy blankets keeps the duvet in place.

The photo above is of my daughters pod. I do exactly the same for her but instead of a pile of blankets, she gets the cute vintage eiderdown that I found in The Vintage Emporium in St. Albans.  

I simply wouldn't be able to take all this bedding in the car if I didn't use the vacusacs to shrink it all down flat, they are a HUGE camping godsend.  The best place to find a storage solution is Lakeland,  their vacusacs are really handy, click on  http://www.lakeland.co.uk/F/C/organising/C/organising-clothes-storage for more details.

And finally if you are sharing a double blowup bed, you may not know about the two chambered inflatable.  Its an absolute godsend for anyone who needs their camping beauty sleep. It prevents you from flying through the tents roof at million miles per hour, when your other half plonks themselves beside you! So two chambers all the way folks for a happy camping relationship!!

Easy Peasy Cheesy Nachos

Serves 2

Firstly I would like to welcome all my lovely new followers and THANK YOU for all your lovely comments.. xxxx


As promised last week, here is my favourite side dish to accompany Chilli Con Carne.  It also goes down a treat when you have guests round to your camping abode for a drink and a little nibble! 

Ingredients

3 handfuls of nachos

3 handfuls of grated montery jack cheese

170g/6oz fresh tomato salsa 

170g/6oz soured cream (opt)

Jalapeños (opt)

Equipment

frying pan

extra thick aluminum foil

1. Line the frying pan with some aluminum foil, making sure you have enough to scrunch up around the sides.
2. Then pop a couple of handfuls of  nachos on the aluminum foil, not too many as you want the cheese to be able to melt.
3. Sprinkle a couple of handfuls of the cheddar cheese over the nachos and cover the top of the frying pan with another layer of aluminium foil, to make a lid.  Place on the heat and cook until the cheese has melted, about 10 minutes. 
4. To serve, carefully lift the foil out of the frying pan and rest on a plate.  Add as much fresh salsa,  soured cream and jalapeños, if using,  as you wish.

Garlic Bread

Serves 2


If you are a garlic lover, you can always add an extra clove or two! Really delicious served with houmous.

Ingredients

1 clove of garlic, minced

large knob of butter softened

4 mini pitta breads

Equipment

garlic crusher

bowl

tablespoon for mixing

sharp knife

knife

1. Put the garlic and butter into the bowl, mix together well and set aside.
2. Put the pitta breads under the camping grill, toast for 1-2 minutes.
3. Remove from the grill and place the non toasted side face up. With the sharp knife put three slashes across the top, then spread the garlic butter evenly over the top.
4. Put the pittas, garlic butter side up, back under the grill for a further 1-2 minutes until golden. Serve immediately.

Chilli Con Carni

This is such an easy recipe to rustle up,  I find it absolutely delicious with cheesy nachos and salsa, but its just as delicious with plain rice. 

Ingredients

olive oil

1 onion chopped

2 cloves of garlic minced  

2 tbsp of mild chilli powder

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp oregano

500g/1lb 2oz lean mince beef

400g/14oz tinned chopped tomatoes

1 beef stock cube

1 red pepper, halved lengthways, deseeded and chopped

6 sundried tomatoes chopped up

400g/14oz tinned kidney beans, drained and rinsed well

Equipment

sharp knife

vegetable chopping board

garlic crusher

sauté pan

tablespoon

teaspoon

tin opener

wooden spoon

1. Heat a swirl of olive oil in the sauté pan. Add the onion, garlic and red pepper and fry for 5 minutes until soft and golden. 
2. Stir in the mild chilli, cumin, oregano to coat the onion, garlic and pepper. Then add the mince and mix in well with the spices and cook for 5 minutes until browned.
3. Stir in the tinned tomatoes, sundried tomatoes and crumble in the stock cube,  cook for 15-20 minutes.
4. Add the red kidney beans to the chilli, stir and cook for a further 10 -15 minutes. Serve.

Use any left overs to make delicious pitta pockets, perfect for a picnic with a twist. 

Simply toast the pittas and fill them with fresh crunchy lettuce, grated cheddar cheese and the left over chilli. Yum.

Vintage Glamping

fabulous image by www.rossmcginnes.com

Haven't told my hubster yet but I am really thinking about getting myself a VW camper van and doing it up!  Soooo, to soften the blow I have decided to introduce him to the wonderful world of vintage glamping by simply hiring one of the marvellous machines for a long snazzy weekend in October. I have always been completely in awe when a camper van has rocked up to the campsite I've been staying at, as they look so much fun and I know once we are pootling about in one, he will love it.

And not forgetting they are undoubtedly the perfect festival accessory, especially if you don't want the hassle of pitching a tent and lets not forget, (as I am sure we have all been there), trying to find the sodding thing in a field full of tents, in the dark,when slightly under the influence! Your vintage beauty will stand out like a beacon of loveliness.. just don't lose the keys!

I love the fact that all the VW Campers for hire have their own special names. 

This is Florence and you can hire her from Vanilla Splits

The tariffs vary from company to company, starting from as little as  £50 per day, £275 for a long weekend and £490 for a week. Here are some of the lovely people that will happily hire you one of their vintage treasures.......

www.vanillasplits.com (West Sussex)
www.classiccampervanhire.co.uk (Devon)
www.daisychaincampers.co.uk (Cornwall)
www.comfycampers.co.uk (Cheltenham)
www.puttputtcampers.com  (Cumbria)
www.snailtrail.co.uk (Befordshire)
www.summerlovincamperhire.com (West Sussex)
www.campersforhire.co.uk (Cornwall)
www.camperdaze.co.uk (New Forest)
https://www.eastcoastcampers.co.uk/ (Noak Hill)

One of my other all time favourite vintage camping wagons is the the ridiculously stylish Airstream. It originated in the USA in the 1930's and truly is a feast for any set of eyes. Its another dream of mine to renovate one, but for now at least I have the option of hiring one for a weekend break with a difference.

This is the Tin Pangolin's 28ft luxury Airstream

It sleeps up to 4 people and prices starts from just £200 per night. What makes the whole experience extra special is they will deliver the Airstream to your chosen location in the UK and then pick it up once you have finished your holiday, HURRAH!  Check out their website www.thetinpangolin.comfor more details.

Carbonara

This is a firm favourite in our tent. It's easy peasy and completely scrummy! 

Ingredients 

4 mugs of pasta any shape or style  

2-3 tablespoons of crème fraiche  

1 mug of freshly grated parmesan

2 cloves of garlic minced

100g/ 3 1/2oz ready to cook smoked pancetta slices or smoked streaky bacon cut into strips

olive oil

freshly ground pepper

Equipment

large saucepan

mug

frying pan

garlic crusher

cooking scissors

cheese grater

wooden spoon

tablespoon

1. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and cook the pasta following the packets instructions for best cooking results.
2. Heat up a swirl of oil in the frying pan, add the pancetta and garlic. Cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent anything getting too crisp, especially the garlic. Remove from the heat.
3. Once the pasta is ready, drain and stir in the crème fraiche,  grated Parmesan, and some freshly ground pepper.
4. Fold the pancetta and garlic into the pasta,  making sure any oil that is left in the frying pan is also included as it holds lots of  flavour.  Serve immediately.