Europe by campervan - tails between our legs!

Europe by campervan.

I think we might come home with our tails between our legs. You all have my permission to laugh at me. Two days in France and we broke down! The ferry was wonderful! That "we did it" feeling caught hold of us all and the sunlight, struck the sea and our hearts alike. I did pretty well driving on the other side of the road (a few non serious mistakes) and we somehow managed to sleep in the van with too much stuff everywhere! There was a lot of frost on the van in the morning. The morning was freezing!!! We always knew it was late in the year and we should head straight South. I set off to do a decent chunk of France in a day and 1 hour in, on a busy roundabout the steering went shudder, shuddering, shudder! The whole van became difficult to drive and even difficult to stop. I chose the least busy exit and found a bit of gravel (sort of semi-layby) to pull up on. Long wait, very scared daughter crying to go home. Breakdown truck. Long wait at garage for taxi to hotel. They say it's the transition, that's pretty serious. They say call tomorrow and then we have to choose. Getting the van and us home is covered or fix it here (fixing it is not covered) and continue. Jasmine, the trips previous best advocate, is begging to go home. I got a proper scare. If the van had done that on one of the windy valley sides we have climbed then it would have been even more dangerous. Jasmine wants to come home, not that we have one, and get a newer van when we can afford it. She also wants to go a big trip in England first to really test it. We call the garage tomorrow for news. Jasmine may have a point??!!? The trouble with the Chevy is its old and American so it always has to go to a specific garage to be fixed.

If we do what Jasmine wants, where do we live while we fix and sell the Chevy?? And sell it and what should we buy that is reliable and we can afford? A mini bus?" Whatever it is we have to turn it into a campervan and register it as such or no Aires and britstops so no free accommodation! Or should we just fix it and continue? I'm exhausted, scared and sick of the cold after only two days travel. Right now I would love to go home. Have I lead my little family up a blind alley?

I know I'm always welcome on my mum's floor. Perhaps I'll take this opportunity to come home and rethink a bit. Looking and feeling stupid and unlucky. :(