Mum and Dad exchanged looks; they didn’t need to say what they were thinking.

‘I met Scott when I was sixteen, same age as you, Mum.’

Dad bit his lip trying not to laugh.

‘And I bet if Dad was going interrailing you’d have gone with him.’

‘I couldn’t have afforded it. And neither can you. Work the summer, and then go travelling with Scott next year. I promise you’ll have just as many adventures working at Hartland’s.’

I’d scoffed, thinking that she was quite delusional, but I thought if I didn’t agree to go they’d only make me work at Porter’s and I didn’t want to spend a second summer there.

It wasn’t until I was standing with my backpack staring at the entrance sign to the holiday park that I wondered how my parents could think it was in any way comparable to a European travel adventure.

The T was hanging precariously from the entrance sign and I wondered if that was indicative of the rest of Hartland’s, like it had seen better years.

‘Are you sure you’re going to be OK?’ Dad asked. ‘We can park the car up and come in if you like?’

They were both standing on their respective sides of the car, equally reluctant to get in. I wanted to jump back in the car and tell them there’d been a mistake. I might have been bored out of my brain at Porter’s last year, but its familiarity was suddenly appealing. I hadn’t expected to feel so scared to leave my parents.

‘I’ll be fine, you go,’ I said, trying to be brave. I knew that university was only a few months away. I was going to have to stand on my own two feet then. My parents wouldn’t always be there in the car whenever things got too scary.

‘OK, well, if there’s any problems we’ll be at the hotel until tomorrow night. And any problems after that we’re only forty minutes up the road,’ said Mum.

‘What, if you drive like Michael Schumacher?’

Dad laughed. ‘Remember, we pay the bill for your mobile, so make sure that some of the calls are to us.’

I was ready to fly the nest, desperate for my own space, yet at the same time I didn’t want to leave my parents. Even though I’d never admit it out loud with all my teenage embarrassment, I was worried how I’d cope without them.

I’m not saying we had one of those magical relationships where my parents were my best friends and we never had a cross word. They drove me crazy a lot of the time and they interfered in everything. But they were still my parents and they were always there when I needed them.

‘If you’re sure you’re going to be OK?’ said Mum again.