Monday comes but we can't really make any plans as we're hoping we get the call and can be on our booked ferry home at 5.15. After a brief chat to the garage though it's clear it will be tight if at all so we make a packed lunch and head down to the local park that's right in our doorstep. The Airbnb owner has been really kind and said we can have a late check out and she'll take us back to the garage, we just need to keep her updated but we provisionally book in for 2pm so we're all packed up and ready to go. The park is huge with several activities including a boating lake, mini golf and large playground.

We all fancy hiring a pedalo so board our imitation steam boat and set off. What should have been a gentle pedal between Al and I soon became a gruelling workout.

I don't think the boat had been out of the water for a while and it sure as hell couldn't have moved any slower. Our plan of making it all the way around the island was scuppered and after not really getting any where within 10 minutes we decide we're happy to forfeit any remaining time we have left assuming we can even get back in 20 minutes! We end up pedalling backwards and that seems to work out better. We did spot some nice birds on the lake including a stork like bird and the kids then burst into the stork walk song, something we'd made up from our first ever campervan adventure in Austria or Germany.

There was this cold public pool where people were encouraged to walk through it like a stork and it was supposed to be good for your circulation or something. Al and I were done in so we headed to the play park where the kids could run about and we could rest. School holidays don't officially start here until July 1st and the park wouldn't usually be open but they have opened especially for a large nursery / school group so we're allowed to join in. There's a selection of standard park equipment but also bouncy castles and go karts.

After an hours play we've had a couple of go karting accidents and Robert is ready to go home. Unfortunately he's suffering with a bit of sunburn following yesterday's beach day. The clouds and wind had fooled us into thinking the sun wasn't strong and we didn't reapply the suncream as often as we should have done. Al takes Robert back for a nap whilst Liliya makes some friends with the Belgian kids and I'm left making calls to various insurers checking our options as the garage are still struggling to remove the failed injector.

5pm comes and we're not leaving today, well not with the van. I speak to our insurance who agree to pay for another night at the Airbnb on the basis everything will be fixed and we'll be returning tomorrow. We head to the supermarket to get supplies then let the kids watch a movie. Robert is gutted he won't be able to attend a science event he was nominated for with school so we get plenty of treats to cheer him up.

It's now Tuesday and what we do know is that whatever happens with the van we need to get home today. The crappy insurance has paid out all it will so any additional overnight costs from this point are ours to cover and we couldn't get a refund from the original campsite booking either. The garage are still working on the van but that bloody injector is stuck tight. They've ordered a new tool and will be making more attempts this morning to extract it. I've actually got some meetings to attend given I'm supposed to be back at work so Al takes the kids out of the apartment to go play mini golf.

Apparently a good time is had by all and we have another picnic lunch before looking into our return home options. The garage have told us to call again at 3pm and they should have a better idea of what's going on. I manage to find a Eurostar train from Brussels to London leaving around 9pm so either the van is fixed and we drive it back or we plan to use the train and get a taxi at the other side. Whilst we're waiting the board games come out again and it's a close match between Liliya and I on Disney pairs where I just won 13 v 11 and Robert and Al play connect 4 and a strategic tile game.

Our lovely host comes to collect us at 3.30 to take us back to the garage, it's still touch and go with the van. As Al is chatting to them about next steps and at what point we call time on current methods and get someone in to drill the damn thing out I'm left with checking on the Eurostar ready to make a quick booking. Turns out however there are no longer any seats available, I check for tomorrow and it's the same story. I look at leaving from Paris and nothing there either. I find a phone number in case it's just too late to book online to hear an automated message about what to do if you've been effected by the recent travel disruptions. Bloody hell what now! A quick Google search shows that there's been a fire on the line and now trains are either cancelled or severely delayed.

The garage have also failed to get the injector out so we're now homeless and quickly running out of options. Thankfully the garage say they can push the van back onto the forecourt so we can sleep there overnight. We had looked at getting a passenger ferry from Dunkirk but turns out you can only leave as a bike passenger and there were no spots available tonight anyway. Calais is the only route that allows foot passengers and their first available boat is at midday tomorrow. With nothing left to do but accept our fate at least we're in walking distance of a McDonalds which the kids are super excited about.

Liliya now also misses her school trip which is booked for Wednesday so I jump on the WhatsApps chats to make sure the other kids I had planned to pick up had alternative arrangements. Despite Robert usually going for a full sized meal these days his love of squishmallows wins and he orders the happy meal just so he can get the little toy, between that and the worlds smallest soft play inside the restaurant the kids are happy and that's all that matters. We've now booked a taxi to collect us from the garage at 8.30am, we're booked as foot passengers on the 12pm Calais to Dover crossing and there should be a taxi awaiting us at the other end in Dover. Given our current luck however I'm not placing any bets on when we'll actually get home until I'm pulling up on the driveway. We get the kids into their own bunk beds ready for a relatively early start in the morning.

Wednesday! Hopefully we'll be home today and in just 22 days were supposed to be taking the van from Portsmouth to Spain on our big summer adventure. We're actually really tight on getting the van fixed and recovered before we need to go again and so this morning we arrange with the garage that not only should they fix the broken injector but we need all 4 replacing and that way when Al comes back to rescue the van we shouldn't find ourselves in the same situation but in Spain at the end of the month. Our taxi is actually early and with the bare minimum of our belongings we head for the port of Calais.

For once Al actually gets to sit back and enjoy the scenery except it's just an hour along the motorway but at least the car is spacious and comfy. With tons of spare time once we arrive at the passenger terminal the check in desk isn't actually open so we head up 2 flights of stairs to the viewing terrace which of course isn't open. At least I'm closer to my stairs goal for the day I guess and after reading about the man who took the first flight over the English channel we let the kids watch another movie as there really isn't anything else to entertain themselves with and they've really been very resilient with everything this trip has thrown at us so far.

Once check in is finally open the lady has a hand written note in front of her with the list of passengers travelling by foot, it amuses Al and I that it would be so old school when there's big signs up saying you can no longer purchase tickets at the desk and pointing you to a QR code to get them online.

I was curious as to how we'd actually board the boat and turns out we get on a bus that takes us to passport control where we have to undergo a bag check. Thankfully our meat and cheese sandwiches for lunch are not confiscated. It's then back aboard the bus that drives us onto the ferry which does leave me wondering does the bus stay on and take us off at the other end or will a new one pick us up, we'll have to wait and see. The ferry is practically empty so the kids have the play zone to themselves whilst Al and I position ourselves next to the lifeboat, I'm taking no chances. I also get more people watching opportunities here as a couple spend at least 10 mins trying to get the perfect selfie. Just before we set sail I get a text to say our UK taxi has set off and I can watch his journey. So far so good let's hope this is it.

The kids finish their movie then head back to the play zone, even in these troubled times I had promised people cheap booze so I did what any good friend would do and collected my 4 bottles allowance. As I'm walking back Liliya shows me a unicorn that has been left in the play area so we begin mission let's get her home! We ask at the reception desk if they'll make an announcement as I can imagine some really sad child if they get off the boat without it. Unfortunately this is not a matter they will help with so we decide we'll have a wander around the deck looking for any other small children, there are barely any people on the ship so I would hope this wouldn't take too long. Another mum and her young daughter are going to take care of the unicorn until then and will report back if someone comes to collect her. Just as we were setting off a little girl comes around the corner and we ask if she's looking for a unicorn, woohoo she is, disaster averted. Now we've never been foot passengers before but it turns out to be a slow process, we're asked to meet outside the reception area and have to wait until all cars have been emptied. We're then marched to a bus, an English one so it wasn't the same bus, at the same time new cars are getting onto the ferry. Thankfully I gave us a little wiggle room when booking the taxi and as it happens he calls to say he can't find our location anyway. Turns out he's at the cruise passenger terminal and not the ferry terminal. Once off we have to go through another passport check and declare our alcohol, at least I only brought back my actual allowance. By the time that's all done our taxi was waiting for us. Thank goodness we pre-booked as I could see people ahead of us chatting with him as it they were trying to book it. We're all in just in time for me to attend my 2nd online meeting of the day (the first was in France and now this is in the UK which feels a bit surreal). So there we are, barring any breakdowns or serious road disruptions we should be home in time for the kids to go to their gymnastics classes this evening and for me to meet some friends at the pub.

The next adventure begins when Al has to return to recover the moho which is likely to involve him going across on the ferry on his bike, cycling the 30 miles to the garage then returning via Calais. To be continued...