Travelog for: Annie

While in the office I met some more of Helly's Honeysuckle Bears. www.honeysucklebears.com

Well, to be exact, they are Honeysuckle Bunnies and Hares. Helly's started creating them and I think they look very smart in their waistcoats, jackets and bow ties.

Wiltshire is famous for its White Horses. Not real ones but chalk ones, carved into the side of the hills.

This is Pewsey White Horse. Helly had to do a close up as it was difficult to see in the photo with me.

I'm off to Wales today with Pierre Bear and Elephonse.

However, first I must say 'Goodbye' to Boris as he's going to stay at home. He's very old and doesn't want too much excitement. Pierre Bear and I say 'Goodbye', just for the day.

Hurrah, I'm off with my friends Pierre and Elephonse. They're both seasoned travellers and they settled down to enjoy the journey. We're travelling in a very special car - Monsieur Alfonse. More of him later.

Nearly in Wales! We crossed the Severn Bridge and Steve did a 'how much?' when he saw the toll had gone up again!

Welcome To Wales!

We stopped at a service station in Cardiff to meet up with thirteen other 2CVs and Lomaxs. The three of us sat on Monsieur Alfonse's bonnet so we could get a good look at all the cars while Helly & Steve caught up with old friends.

I'm not sure what Steve's pointing at but I expect he was in conversation with someone!

After our brief stop we set off in convoy. It was very exciting to drive all together and we got lots of attention from people at the services and lorry drivers who tooted at us.

We're here at St. Fagen's, a fantastic rural life museum.

However, first, Lyal showed us the modifications he'd done to his car, The Red Baron.

What modifications! He has enormous speakers which play various sci fi music, including the famous 'Close Encounters of a Third Kind' tune. Then the car starts to lift into the air and then rotate!

It's apparently even better at night as smoke and lights come out of the bottom and you can't see the hydrolically operated lift.

Wow, I never thought I'd see that today . . . neither did most of the people here!!

(Just before I leave for my next host I'm attending a big National 2CV event, hopefully I'll get a chance to see The Red Baron again, after dark!)

There are lots of traditional buildings at this museum. The first three we came across were:

A beautiful very old cottage. the red paint was perhaps to see off evil spirits.

Then we saw a traditional toll house, much nicer than the toll stations on motorways.

Finally there was a traditional cock fighting ring. Not nice but there were swallows nesting in the rafters. They were fantastic to watch.

Look, a little house for a little doll.

This row of tiny houses demonstrates how houses changed internally. The first one showed a house in 1805, the next 1855 and so on, up to 1985.

Look at the outside toilet, or 'Thunderbox'.

In the 1950's sometimes a wooden extention was built in the garden to house the main living quarters. This room is in 1950's style.

After exploring outside Pierre Bear got very excited about the farm machinary exhibition. Mmm, well, he dragged me on to a tractor and would have done more, however, thankfully Helly spotted the 'do not touch, video recorders and alarms in use'!! sign.

Thank goodness for that!

On the way back to the car Pierre & I sat on a Lomax. Pierre offered to whisk me away but I didn't believe he could really drive! Still, it was nice to imagine sitting in the car with the wind in my red hair.

A Lomax is a kit car, made using a 2CV engine and suspension. This one has three wheels, you can also get four wheeled ones.

I'm off for a weekend away at the English 2CV National. First however I thought I'd show you Steve & Helly's house.

On the way to Cambridgeshire we passed Cherhill white horse.

Then we passed Silbury Hill. The largest man made monument in Europe, although no one truely knows why it's there.