Back at Last

Hurray; my motorhome is back at last.

Where has it been?

It has been at a special garage “Buzzeweld” having its bottom painted; (the underneath rust-proofed).

I had this done because

• My wonderful mechanic JB Auto advised I have it done if I intended to keep the motorhome which I do.

• At the last service rust was discovered so some welding was necessary (rather expensive).  Unless I took radical action this would occur at frequent intervals.

So to prevent further rust and big bills I sent my motorhome off to be treated.

It all took a bit longer than expected (and a bit more expensive than planned).

Why?

• Well lots of rust was found and needed to be treated.  It seemed sensible to get it treated.  The rust proofing would then be more effective

Buzzweld did a fabulous job

• Besides rust proofing the company also did other cosmetic work.  Noticing parts of my motorhome looked like her owner – in need of a bit of rejuvenating - suggestions were made for additional work.

In for a penny in for a pound; so I agreed 

 

My bumper was painted black

 My wheels cleaned and treated. 

My motorhome looked fabulous.

All I need now was for it to be washed and polished. 

(I find it difficult to do the top part of the motorhome even though I have a platform ladder because of balance issues). 

The man who cleans the hire motohomes took time out to do mine. 

He is brilliant.  

He managed to wash it even though there were showers.  

Polishing it is on hold until the weather is brighter. 

Now I need to clean the inside and replace everything (A big job)

Then hopefully the weather will have improved and I can be start this years adventure

Read of the Month (February 2020)

I know it is customary for me to post a Read of the Month at the start of the month but other events and happenings relegated it to half time.

My Read of the Month this month is an amalgam of my trip to Africa and to Poland in 2012.



As you may have gathered my trip to Southern Africa was more than a holiday; it was

• a challenge;
• an adventure
• an experience

My trip to Poland in 2012 was also more than a holiday: it was

Main Square in Zamosc

• an exploration 
• an investigation (of my heritage)
• a quest (I hoped this would be the first of many such trips but researching for my book precluded further expeditions).

Both trips were in different ways thought provoking.

Though both places are now wonderful. Until quite recently (depending how old you are) both have experienced turbulent times.

My Read of the Month illustrates this vividly.

It is

A Path of Hope

an

Autobiography 

of 

Lech Walesa

.

Unfortunately the translation is not very fluid; so occasionally the the account is stilted.

Nevertheless the sterility and hardship  of life in Poland under the Russians (Communism) permeates every chapter.

Also indisputably obvious is the amazing courage of Lech Walesa and his supporters.  

Ordinary people who defied the system.

Quite possibly without them Communism and the Berlin Wall may not have fallen.

This is an autobiography well worth reading.  

Litter

My recent trip to Africa has had a profound effect in very many ways.

No rubbish here

I suppose because of all the recent media hype about plastic and waste, as I travelled through the different African countries I was more aware of the mounds of litter despoiling places.  Of course on windy days the rubbish was dispersed in all directions.

As expected the National Parks were litter free but as I drove out of the north gate and onto our next campsite the contrast was staggering.

On the left set back some distance off the road was a village; I assume this is where some of the National Park workers lived.   From the Park gates there was a deluge of rubbish stretching along the verge for many miles.  It looked like this was the rubbish tip of the village.

This scenario was replicated in numerous places. In one town I followed a rubbish cart.  They seemed to be very particular about what they picked up often leaving piles of rubbish on the streets.   I noticed them because of the blatant infringements of health a safety regulations.  The men clung onto the back of the moving vehicle.

Witnessing this I was rather smug; we don't have anything like this in England I thought.

Well how wrong I was; I suppose it is what you get use to.

I was driving along the motorways from Sheffield to the South West.  The amount of litter along motorway verges was shameful. A huge blot on the landscape. 

No wonder one of the campaigns of the CPRE is to highlight the issue of litter in the countryside. https://www.cpre.org.uk/what-we-care-about/better-places-to-live/cleaner-countryside/

Local Recreation Field

As the village litter picker over the years I have noticed a change in the rubbish which is left lying about.
In places where people gather, like parks there is less.
BUT
there is more, especially cans and plastic bottles, on the sides of paths and roads.
It seems that when in transit it is ok to casually discard unwanted items.

The only feasible action is to join a litter picking group such as the CPRE.
Make a difference.

Special Day

So tomorrow (Wednesday) I am off to London for a meeting with Steve Clark.

And who is he? 

The Commercial Direct of SME London Ltd?

And who are they?

They are the company who organizes the Countryfile Live Shows that run in August.

Have you ever been to one?

I went last August to the show held in the grounds of Blenheim Palace.

I did a post about it
https://www.motorhomemusings.co.uk/2019/08/countryfile-live-2019.html.

It was a huge disappointment. 
So much so that I complained to

• SME London
• BBC Countryfile

writing a letter to each and sending it my snail mail on the assumption that it is more difficult to dispose of a hord copy than an email.

Both have replied.

The BBC just sent a generic email.  Not the most customer satisfying reply

SME London on the other hand took months to get back tome but have offered me this meeting with a director. 

The result of this will be determined on Wednesday.

As my daughter assisted at the Countryfile Show so she is coming with me.  I am delighted to have some support.

Watch this space.