AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2022
We are just back from our last trip of this travelling season. Above are some photos. I had my birthday before we left, so would like to thank everyone who sent me cards, gifts and good wishes on Facebook.
We travelled first of all to the Twinwood Vintage Dance Festival in Bedford. There must have been over 1000 motorhomes, caravans and tents there. What a week-end it was. There were so many bands to choose from playing music from the thirties right up to the seventies. We took some dance classes but am afraid to say by the end we were no great shakes at the Charleston or Swing but we had a great time nevertheless. It was such fun dressing up and seeing all the old clothes and paraphernalia. Vintage is certainly big business going by the number of stalls selling things there.
Next we went to the Isle of Wight. We had never been before and were looking forward to it imagining it to be a kind of English Riviera. Although it was beautiful in some parts, we found it to be overpopulated and quite rundown in some places. It had a fantastic bus service as they are obviously trying to get the huge number of cars on the island off the road to save on emissions so we bought a seven day bus ticket and travelled round the island that way. We visited several places including the Needles, Cowes and Osborne House. Our favourite was Osborne House which had been the holiday home of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. It was beautiful, had massive grounds and its own private beach. It was interesting to note that Prince Albert encouraged his children to learn about real life by getting them to grow their own fruit and veg and then selling it to the housekeeper for use by the household. Victoria’s love for Albert was obvious from the excerpts on show from her personal diaries.
We then moved on to Oxford to meet up with an old friend but before doing so visited Stonehenge. It was amazing and although it was fenced off, it was worth the visit. It was in Oxford we found out that the Queen had died. Although I’m not a big royalist, Queen Elizabeth came to the throne not long after I was born, so she has always been there and I was sad to hear of her passing. It was comforting to know her family were with her at the end. We attended an Evensong Service in Christ Church Chapel on Friday and it felt like we were taking part in a significant historical event. Best of luck to the new King Charles. His mum will be a hard act to follow.
News next month on progress with my second book in The Uist Girl Series
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MARION MACDONALD 