July 2nd to 9th
A week after returning from our France trip, we got a call to say young Ralph had fallen down stairs banging his head and had been transferred from Peterborough hospital to Cambridge. It was the middle of the night but first thing in the morning we set off in the van to be with him (one good reason to always have the van ready).
A week after returning from our France trip, we got a call to say young Ralph had fallen down stairs banging his head and had been transferred from Peterborough hospital to Cambridge. It was the middle of the night but first thing in the morning we set off in the van to be with him (one good reason to always have the van ready).
July 2nd
First we stopped in Peterborough to collect Tracey and Amber and then set off for Addenbrooke's hospital Cambridge. Parking for a high vehicles there is not very good, we found an old car park with no height barrier but it was for contractor vans with a pass, we parked there anyway.
Ralph knew who we were but couldn't speak, he had had a bleed in the brain but it had now stopped and they were just monitoring him for any changes. If he got worse, indicating the bleeding had started again, they would have to operate. To cut this story short, we could not find anyone in authority (a doctor), to tell us what was happening that day (it would be week afterwards and only after seeing a specialist at home, would we find out his skull had actually been fractured).
We didn't get a parking ticket and drove back to Peterborough and spent the night in the van on Tracey's drive.
July 3rd
It was a ninety mile round trip from Tracey's to the hospital so I got online to find a campsite closer to the hospital, found one and we would check it out between visiting hours. Dot also had to contact work to arrange time off. Drove to Cambridge and parked up at the park and ride at Trumpington, where they have bays reserved for motorhomes and a regular bus service ran to the hospital.
Ralph knew who we were but couldn't speak, he had had a bleed in the brain but it had now stopped and they were just monitoring him for any changes. If he got worse, indicating the bleeding had started again, they would have to operate. To cut this story short, we could not find anyone in authority (a doctor), to tell us what was happening that day (it would be week afterwards and only after seeing a specialist at home, would we find out his skull had actually been fractured).
We didn't get a parking ticket and drove back to Peterborough and spent the night in the van on Tracey's drive.
July 3rd
It was a ninety mile round trip from Tracey's to the hospital so I got online to find a campsite closer to the hospital, found one and we would check it out between visiting hours. Dot also had to contact work to arrange time off. Drove to Cambridge and parked up at the park and ride at Trumpington, where they have bays reserved for motorhomes and a regular bus service ran to the hospital.
Ralph was more aware today but still not able to speak and he was very sleepy.
At dinner time we headed back to the park and ride and set off for the campsite at Comberton. The campsite was just a thirteen mile round trip from the park and ride.
Comberton
Highfield Farm Touring Park
Long Road, Comberton, Cambridge CB23 7DG
The site looked good so we arranged to book just one night at a time, one problem with the site they do not take cards, only cash or cheques.
Back at the park at ride we bought a season ticket for a few day at a good saving, then spent the rest of the day at the hospital.
July 4th
Today Ralph was still very sleepy and on the morning had plenty of visitors so Dot and I thought we would make the most of a bad situation, we leave early before the end of visiting and get a bus into the city centre for a spot of sightseeing (never been to Cambridge).
The bus ride took about 25 mins to do the 2 mile drive into the centre, very busy roads. As we had never been to Cambridge we had high expectations, so we had a good look around the central parts of the city.
It was very busy, there was an open day for students and families to have a look around the various universities. Also, for a change this summer, it was sunny and hot but we were continually pestered by people trying to get us to take a boat trip (the famous punts).
We got sandwiches to eat and a can to drink but couldn't find anywhere to sit and eat them and walked for ages until we did find a low wall to sit on. Then we could not find a waste bin to get rid of the used packaging and empty can.
This bit is controversial with others I have spoken to, I was not over impressed with Cambridge. I did not think the architecture was that good and I thought it was too much a university with a city, not a city with a university. I thought the city could do with a tidy, maybe a few waste bins and the old abandoned rusting cycles chained up all over the centre, should be removed. And being continually asked if we want to take a punt trip was very, very, annoying indeed.
Although, if you do take the time to look up, the skyline has some very nice architecture.
Soon it was time to get back to the hospital and as we came out of the park there was a bus stop for the bus we needed, very handy, saved us a bit of walking.
Called in at a Waitrose supermarket next to he park and ride for provisions and beer on the way back to the site that night.
July 5th
We had the morning off today, its Saturday and Ralph had plenty of visitors, so we did some sunbathing by the van and had a read.
Even though we had bought a season ticket for the hospital shuttle bus, they did not run at weekends (strange) and we had to contact security to find somewhere to park the van. We had to park on the upper deck of a two story car park, not a very relaxing experience.
Ralph was talking better today but refusing to eat the hospital food.
On the way back to the site, we thought we would try the recommended village pub for supper but there was nowhere to park the van anywhere near. So we just went back to the campsite.
July 6th
Still no bus service and we had to park on the bottom level of the car park, there was not much headroom and it was very scary.
Ralph was feeling well enough to have a walk down to the main concourse where the shops and cafeterias are but I think it was a bit too much, a bit too soon. For lunch Dot and I used the cafeteria and the food was reasonable, I also used the hospitals free internet wifi.
Called in at a Waitrose supermarket again on the way back to the van.
July 7th
Used the shuttle bus today, Ralph is improving all the time and we found out about a site that is much closer to the hospital and will be in walking distance, when a new road is open but now only a two mile round trip to the park and ride.
Finally had super at the pub in Comberton, very nice, good food and good hand pulled beer.
July 8th
Signs are that Ralph may be released to recuperate back home with us, he is walking around the hospital no problem, but they need him to start eating better and he must have 24 hour observation. He would not eat the hospital food but he had sandwiches we brought him and he had food from the burger place on the hospital concourse.
In the end it was too late to arrange things for today, so it would be tomorrow before we would set off back home.
Cambridge
Cambridge Camping and Caravan Club
19 Cabbage Moor, Cambridge CB2 5NB
We went to check out the other campsite and if it looked ok, we would stop there for the last night. It was a very basic Camping and Caravan Club site but it would do us for one night, I suppose it would also be good for a couple of days visit to Cambridge. It had no hard standing but did have a MHSP.
We chatted to a couple from the continent, that had been over here on holiday for about a month, they had had real bad weather for nearly all the trip.
July 9th
It took until lunch time to arrange everything, I went back to the park and ride for the van and drove right up to the back entrance of the hospital where Ralph and Dot were waiting.
We stopped off in Peterborough to see amber for a couple of hours before driving home.
Ralph has now fully recovered but it did take a few months.
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