Undercover at Camber Sands

Welcome to Pontins

It had to be done.

My good friend LP and I had been planning this for a year................we had discussed our outfits, and decided what cameras to use. I wanted to wear a lovely elasticated topped dress like everyone in Camber wears , but let myself down by failing to find time to buy one. LP did much better, in her pink jeans, colourful top and matching pink bag.

what I should have been wearing

A cloudy Saturday in late July was our nominated day for exploring what goes on behind the hedge at Pontins, Camber Sands. The hedge is high, and long.  Starlings like to flit in and out of it.

I have walked beside it many times, wondering what goes on behind.

As a child I longed to get behind the fancy railings of Butlins, in Bognor Regis.

A  dream unfulfilled.

No high hedges there. Just a tempting display of fun and games.

So whilst not necessarily fulfilling a dream, I was at last going to see what goes on behind closed doors.

Security on the gate at Pontins is tight. We spent the grand sum of £5 each for a day pass, left £10 deposit against the possibility that we might trash the place, and in we went.

It was quiet; uncannily so. Our  desire was to experience the place and take some photos, without getting thrown out. We certainly didn't look the part, being about 30 years too old, and without any kids in tow.

closed curtains means someone in residence

lonely chairs

We saw endless quadrants of apartments arranged in blocks with a shared central lawn.

We saw chairs; abandoned randomly. No sun loungers here.

pontins seagull

We saw seagulls standing , waiting for action, and rabbits hiding in the electricity substation.

And the staff quarters with a randomly fenced area of grass.

the main building in blue

We saw blue, and pink.

What we didn't see was much sign of any action. And the staff whom we asked about the bingo and quiz advertised on the days' activity programme were completely clueless about whether and where they might be taking place.

So we had a cup of coffee in the pub, and watched a young man win £70 on a slot machine in £1 coins. He was down on the morning, as we were too after spending a happy ten minutes on the penny falls.

We discovered the games room; upstairs and resembling a sauna.

We had a game of table tennis , and enjoyed the decor.

I shocked LP with my lack of ability to play chess ( years of being really stubborn to achieve that one)

but did win at table tennis ( years of playing in our garage and garden).

the games room

Suitably sweaty, we headed downstairs for some lunch.

Healthy eating not really an option. We weren't in the mood for pie or burger and chips, so headed back to the supermarket on site to find a sandwich.

meal deal?

We asked about the meal deal...............  no answers on that one. Just more blank faces.

We browsed the pound shop; some delightful Christmas earrings on sale, and the most amazing jewel encrusted emery boards took our fancy.

Back to the big blue building for Bingo.

Not a soul in the hall, and no-one to tell us anything at all.

A man did come in and turn the screen on and off............

And then left us alone in the empty room.

the 2.30 bingo session 

So we plodded off to the beach.

Where people were having fun, and we had a cup of tea or two and watched a seagull wait nonchalantly for chips at the Kit-Kat cafe..

We pondered over the safety regulations on the inflatables that were for sale at the beach. So many instructions, most of which completely fail  to be self explanatory ( bottom right).

'no protection from drowning'

We returned to camp, and realised that the punters were beginning to arrive. But by that time we were tired and our batteries had run out.

Time to escape................

looking out 

Back past the front gate

front entrance

and home for more tea.

We need to go back on a day when all the visitors are settled in and doing their thing. Saturday morning is change over day........... we at least know that now, which would probably explain why the place felt like a ghost town. We have worked out how to take pictures without getting arrested.

At this point LS had to wend her way home, so OH and I got to return later for what turned out to be a really fun evening of entertainment and magic for all the family, fantastically well run by the previously invisible 'blue - coats' . We had to laugh at the prize for the children's talent contest; a free holiday for all winners and runners-up at Pontins in Wales  in November !

OH wanted to stay up late for the Miss Pontins talent show, but I spoiled his fun and dragged him home for bed. 

Next time then. 

Looking for the magic

Alentejo; a little field therapy at the end of a 6 day hike

Too much happening.

back from my holiday walking in Alentejo, south-west Portugal

back to reality

no time to write

not enough sleep

big changes

scary and exciting

stepping out of my comfort zone big time.......................

looking for the magic.




What is she rabbiting on about I hear you say. Has she lost her marbles? Should she seek help?

Probably.


In order of importance here is what has happened since I last wrote

'Being alive' went live. Many good friends made their way on a Sunday evening to support me in my biggest venture yet; a solo show at St Julian's private members club in Sevenoaks.

This was my first attempt at hanging on wires. Not as easy as it looks. The first one took 2 people ( me and my trusty helper) 30 minutes, and after 18 more I think we just about  had it cracked. Getting them level is tricky. Taking them down will be blissfully easy.

Making labels and a price list seemed to take more time than could possibly be justified. Just when I thought I had it looking good I showed my beautifully mounted personal statement and price list to my other half, and he clearly didn't understand the terminology regarding limited edition prints. Back to the drawing board, tail between my legs, and started all over............

Anyway, here are some of my latest images of ice and water from Iceland, proudly lined up on one wall in the lovely dining room at St Julian's.

Iceland series © Caroline Fraser 2013

I would show you some pictures of me in front of my first sale with red dot proudly displayed, but my other half didn't get a single one in focus, and I'm not going to show you one of me looking blurred and half deranged.

So here is one of me, taken by my youngest, greeting my very first guests before it all got very busy and I had to answer lots of questions that I hadn't prepared for, such as 'is that a whale in the picture?'  (of an ice crystal), or 'what exactly is a C-type print?' . I was really not ready for that one!

Shame on me.

So, the show is up, and I can breathe again.

Next on the list


I gave notice to take early retirement at work.

Now that is quite a big one. Something that has been creeping up on me slowly but surely over the last few months. I intend to work to live instead of live to work.

So today I have been practising for being much less well off.........

I didn't buy the new shoes that I tried on in the shop.

I walked to the shops instead of taking the car and paying for the privilege.

I went for a swim but didn't have anything to eat afterwards in the cafe.

I also did some gardening, and OH and I were delighted when we managed to sharpen and tighten the blades on the edge trimmers that haven't worked for the last 8 years and now they are good as new and we don't have to buy new ones.

Previously I have resorted to using the kitchen scissors to trim the edges of the grass.


I have talked to a really nice guy in New Zealand about going there to work next year.

So now you know all my secrets. The future beckons. It looks bright and exciting. My dreams of the last 2 years are becoming reality.

This one has been the hardest. OH didn't really believe that I was serious about this for the first 2 years of suggesting that I would really like to go back to NZ to work and do some serious photography. So I went about telling everyone except OH that this was what I wanted to do, and gradually it became reality, because no-one said 'you can't do that'. 

They all said 'that sounds exciting!'

And little by little I began to believe that it was possible, and everyone started asking me how my plans were going, and little by little OH realised that this was for real.

Which it is.

So I will keep you updated on my progress.


I watched a talk this week entitled 'Happiness - 8 principles for successful optimists' by Mark Stevenson


2013/01 Happiness - Mark Stevenson from CreativeMornings/London on Vimeo.

It makes very interesting viewing and is immensely thought provoking,  although it takes 40 minutes. 

But if you lie in bed to watch it, as I did, the morning after my show opened, it really takes very little effort.

The most impactful slide that he shows about successful optimists and the pursuit of happiness was something like this;

It really resonates with where I am right now.


Looking for the magic.