We went down to Hastings fairly often, staying with my parents. My mother loved having the children: she took them to local castles like Pevensea and amused them in the evening with card games like pelmanism and sevens. My father could manage the invasion as long as they didn't intrude too much. Even when the temperature wasn't too warm, we still spent time on Hastings' shingle beach, which often had tar on it.
We also drove east along the coast a few miles and walked down Fairlight Glen to the small beach there, which was usually deserted and had a little more personality than Hastings beach. This beach later became one of England's first nudist beaches.
By the summer of 1978 we had a little more money so had a 'proper' holiday, taking a caravan near Newport in South Wales. My mother came with us having had holidays in Newport when she was young, while my father stayed at home. We spent hours on sandy beaches with the two girls but we also....
....walked miles along the cliff tops, the caravan site being situated on the coast path.
While everyone else enjoyed themselves Gill felt rotten, at times having to stay in the caravan while we went out. This time it didn't need a doctor to diagnose the problem: we knew she was pregnant.
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