HOLIDAYS

Hello all

Been back a week now since holiday, but first chance I've had to catch up!

Holidays - we all love them, but, as any of you who have ASD children know, they can be a very stressful time and have to be planned with almost military precision. I started planning ours last March, but due to breaking my leg had to wait until this year to actually be able to go, haha.

Anyway, we toddled off to Cornwall this year; partly for a family holiday and partly so I could catch up with my friend Kay who now lives there. I found a holiday village that was very close by to where she lives and had intended, last year, to go as just Callum and myself, but decided that we could all go and make a proper family holiday out of it instead. The accommodation was a bungalow/cottage type place with 2 bedrooms, bathroom, living space and kitchen, but the main reason I chose it was because at the bottom of the back garden was a running stream! Callum adores water and I mean he really adores water! He would happily stay on a beach all day in all weathers just looking at the waves and is fascinated by ponds, streams and even just a plain old water feature in a garden, so I thought this would be ideal.

We spent months looking up the website, looking at the photos online of the rooms and checked out the location on the map. I even let the people know about Cs Asperger's and they were fab about it. Callum looking forward to going! Then, a week before we were due to set off I get an email saying that they are building another cottage next to the one we had booked and would we like an upgrade! Eeek! Bless 'em, they were brilliant and gave us a couple of options which would still have water next to them (one the same side as our original booking and therefore had the same stream or an even larger property which had a lake nearby). Callum was a bit ooo errr for a while as he wasn't sure what to go for, but we (Phil and I) decided that we would go for the option that was on the same side as our original booking. That way the stream and outside would be pretty much what C was expecting and the insides were almost the same, but with an added bedroom.

The journey there was horrendous and seemed to take forever. Decided to go the picturesque route instead of the motorway (Callum not keen on motorways), but kept getting stuck behind old cars or tractors, so veeeeeerrrrry slow! Arrived early evening very tired out and needing a cuppa. Was met by one of the maintenance people who informed us that they hadn't got round to reading the meters so we could have free electric all week on top of our upgrade - woo hoo!!

Cottage was lovely and Callum couldn't wait to get into his room. He'd already decided on which room he was having as, in the online photo, there was a little portable telly and he'd decided to take his playstation with him to set up on it. That set up, we were free to unpack and check outside. The stream was 5-6metres from the back door! Callum was straight down there and spent every single spare moment in his wellies in the stream! Regardless of time of day or weather; we even had some hail and he was still out there!

Sunday, we did a bit of food shopping and went to Kay's for dinner. Monday, Callum just stayed in the stream all day! Tuesday I went out with Kay as it was her birthday and Callum and dad went out for a drive round, getting as far as Looe.

Wednesday we went out on our first day trip (well afternoon as it rained all morning - yes, Callum was in the stream). Went to Trebah Gardens near Falmouth which was lovely. Dog friendly so we could take Draco, our black lab, with us. Even the cafe was dog friendly AND it sold gluten free cakes, so I could indulge in choc pecan brownie and a cuppa - bliss! They did a dog trail quiz which we followed and, once handed in, the dogs got a goody bag of treats. There was even a beach so Callum had everything he could wish for! All in all a good day was had by all, although I ached like hell when got back as the gardens are set in a valley so it had lots of winding paths and steps. I even treated myself to a Gunnera as I love them, so prehistoric looking, can't wait to be able to plant it properly.

Thursday I stayed at home, but Callum and Phil went off to Bodmin steam railway. Handed the camera over with new batteries, but because they were cheap ones, they managed to get one photograph before it packed up - boo hoo! They had a great day, but I didn't have any photos to look at, oh well, them having a good time was all that mattered. I put my feet up (legs were really aching) and read Shutter Island.

Friday we spent the day with Kay, her husband Simon and their son Jake. We went down to Charlestown, which is a harbour with a maritime museum on the side. The boys enjoyed the beach and ran around in the museum looking at all the memorabilia including pirate stuff and things from the Titanic. Afterwards drove back up and went to Seaton, a beach with black sand. It also has the river going into the sea, the river being the same one that is our little stream outside our holiday home. That was interesting to Callum as he could see the difference in size (although even when entering the sea, it isn't that wide). There is also a cafe on the side where we had some lunch. Had our first upset of the holiday on the beach. Kay and Simon were taking Jake over to the play area across the road and we were going with them. However, we hadn't been long on the beach and suddenly Callum breaks down in tears because he doesn't want to go. Kay, Sim and Jake end up going to play area and Phil, C and myself stay on the beach with C standing on the edge of the sea watching the waves! We went back to Kay's afterwards and C stays on while Phil and I go back and start packing to leave the next day.

Saturday morning it's time to leave and we load up the car, C plays in the stream one last time and seems fine until everything is loaded and we are about to leave. Then we get a few tears as he doesn't want to go home, bless him. He's had such a good time and the place was just perfect for him and us. Have promised that we will go back again.

I would highly recommended the place as a perfect base. There is no nightclubs or kids clubs and it is in the middle of nowhere, but it was lovely and the people who run it are brilliant. We will definitely be going back!

http://www.rosecraddocholidays.co.uk/