At the Motor Home Show

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MOTOR HOME SHOW IN EXETER







While we were in Paignton, getting Hobby's issues dealt with, we decided to attend a local Motor Home Show for which we had complimentary tickets. We were early to the blustery Friday morning show, with wonderfully close parking and were really just looking for the incidental pieces of equipment, cleaning liquids and new ideas for motor home travelers. Of course we had to look thru the new and nearly new units on display. The Forest River Chatheau Citation caught our attention and serious interest. After some pencil sharpening on the dealers part and some serious negotiating by Guy, we were the proud owners of a newer motor home and we prepared to say farewell to Hobby. The transfer of the motor scooter rack has entailed several trips up and down the Southwest coast of England from Paignton to Poole, back to Paignton and finally to Poole for attachment of the rack and scooter to the Chateau. We now have a newer, larger MH and one that we will have no problems in exporting back to the states whenever we decide to as it's an American built unit.



During our travels up and down parts of the “English Riviera” we have seen great vistas, eaten in some typical and ancient pubs and met some of the local people as we stay at an occasional Brit Stop. One morning we witnessed the assisted births of 3 lambs and their first steps and nursing of their moms. All on a gorgeous sheep filled pasture overlooking the Lyme Bay while we were enjoying the Jurassic Coast.



One fact that has become very clear has been that many campgrounds, National Trust sites and other local points of interest, do not open until March 25 and then the season really starts. We have been able to visit a few of the National Trust sites, as members, and will return to some of them later before we go back home as the gardens become more colorful. Tours of some of the homes, castles, cottages, etc has treated us to a living history of Great Britain, it's heroes,, wealthy land owners, lace making pioneers and ancient history, in some cases back to the 10^th, 15^th and 16^th century. We have also heard of the many hardships suffered by the English during WWII and how they protected their children during the bombings.



As we get closer to Easter, we're finding that HIGH SEASON in the UK has arrived with it's attendant increase in costs and crowds. It cost us £236 to fill up the new monster with about 160 liters of diesel fuel. That's about $350! GULP



The attached photo's are of the Eden Project, Barrington Court, and Stourhead.

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Photos

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our new home

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500-600 year old sweet chestnut tree

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at Stourhead

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at Stourhead