Monday 16th September

By: Mike

 




Top picture: visitor to our hotel balcony

Middle picture: The front at Shaldon

Bottom picture Mike on Maidencombe beach.  Smile wiped off his face a few minjutes later when he discovers the puncture.

We check out of the hotel and go for a last coffee on the Shaldon seafront. 

neither of us check the room properly and a charger gets left behind.  The first of many disasters on this day, probably our worst ever on the SWCP  and we are not even walking!

We are spending the night at Becky’s in West Hill, Ottery St Mary, but we are not expected until tea time.  We plan a nice lazy day starting with a visit to National Trust Compton Castle followed by a pub lunch at the Thatched pub in Maidencombe.  We get to the castle – closed on Mondays.  Then drive to Maidencombe.  The pub is closed on Mondays.  Never mind.  The beach cafĂ© is open and we have a sandwich there. As we get back into the car, intending to get a better look at Budleigh Salterton, the car tells us that tyre pressure is low. We have a puncture!  We set out, hoping it is a slow one and we can sort it out later.  After a while, I pull into a service station to check on the tyre.  It is almost completely flat.  We pump it up at the air station and, driving slowly and hoping we don’t get a blowout on the M5 we make it to Cuckoo Down Farm.  The tyre is now completely flat and the tear in the tyre outer wall is obvious.  Chris immediately gets onto the RAC and negotiates for them to send a mobile tyre replacement service.  They turn up 90 minutes later as promised. 

“Where’s the locking nut?” says the guy.

“What’s that?”  I reply

 “I can’t change the tyre without it, and I have looked in the glove compartment and it isn’t there”

“Well, what can be done?” I ask

I will have to go back and ask my boss to come out.  That will cost an extra £150.”

I have my second near heart attack of the day.

“Before I call him, I will just have a look in the boot.  They sometimes put them under the floor there”

“OH, you are OK. Here it is”

Phew.

£170.00 later the crisis is over.  We go to The Volunteer in Ottery for supper.

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