As well as taking her Palomino to Beachbuggin', and breaking it on the way back, Pippa also took it to Vanfest. She reports...
It was quite a contrast from the small, cosy, very 'local' Beachbuggin' to the vast, corporate, slick Vanfest. Luckily the weather was a total contrast too - it was a beautiful, warm and sunny weekend. There were literally thousands of vans there - so many that when we arrived on Friday afternoon, we were told there was a 3-hour wait to get into the camping fields. So what the heck - we started the partying in the holding area (if you're reading this, Sandie, hi to you Georgie and Bear the Van-cat!). Managed to get into a nice quiet spot at one of the far ends of the site, then headed into the crowds and spent a very lively evening dancing like a mad thing to Showaddywaddy (yes, I know!) and watching various other less famous musicians and entertainers.
Spent most of Saturday shopping in the hundreds of van-related stalls and shops - I was in heaven! You could get just about anything - and I bought just about everything: tea towels, mugs, bags and a smart new 'nose' for Claude (see pics!). And to top it off, we came across another Palomino! It's a beige and white one owned by Adrian and Claire, a lovely couple from the midlands, who came over for a drink and a Claude-visit that evening, before we went off to see the Commitments in the big marquee, then on to a bit of drink-driving on the dodgems.
We did the rounds of the fantastic show-vans on Sunday morning, then in the afternoon, Adrian and Claire brought their Palomino round for a little photo shoot, before we drove out of the show in a 2-van convoy. Someone stopped us to take pictures of our two vans, and it turned out he owns a former Palomino that has been 'beheaded' in favour of a dormobile roof!! Tut tut! We'd been told there was a third Palomino at Vanfest, but it was at the other end of the huge site (about 20 minutes away) and we only just caught a glimpse of its unmistakable roof as we were in the exit queue - shame we missed that!
We had a really great weekend - everyone was so friendly ( I got a hug from a complete stranger within 10 minutes of getting out of the van!) and again, Claude got loads of interest and compliments from neighbouring van-owners - people really do like Palominos! Adrian and Claire were saying how good it would be to get a few Palominos together for next year's Vanfest, and I agree - I'd love it! You can even reserve your own club camping area! Anyone interested?
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11 comments:
We're famous!
Have a look at this link -
www.vanfest.org
Click on 'Past Shows' on the left
Click on '2007'
Scroll down and look at the last picture on this page. Guess who!
can anyone tell me how to up load pics to this site as am out of ideas. oh and by the way hi to all you out there in palamino land. please write soon.
Hi Adrian...
If you email them to me (see address at the bottom) then slowly my cogs whirr, and then they appear!
Hi Ian
Does that mean that a couple of my Vanfest pics (or at least the one with Claude's new 'nose') and the photo of Claude's new awning may appear too? :P Ta!
Hello again Adrian - how are you and Clare? Looking forward to seeing the pictures of your newly-sprayed Palomino. Do you have somewhere to keep it under cover over the winter, or is yours going to tough it out in the open air?
Happy Christmas!!!!!
I thought i'd leave a message on here as it seems to have gone a little quiet.
Am i the only person mad enough to still use my Vee Dub during the Winter?
Here's something that might give all you Palomino fans out there a little chuckle, i'm watching the Hatton vs Mayweather Boxing match this Saturday, i.e 8th Dec 07 and will be sleeping in my Volks outside my Sisters house after it finishes, should be good fun, although i'm going to bring a nice thick duvet and sleeping bag!
If any of you Palomino fans want to email me direct, my email address is alpamra@aol.com
Take care
Alex
I changed the points in my motor the other Week and what a difference it's made!
I was beginning to get a little bit worried about it running roughly and misfiring, but after a quick points and condenser swap, it's a complete pleasure to drive again!
Did you ever sort out/swap Claudes engine Pippa?
How's your Volks doing Ian?
Alex
Hi Alex
I'm glad you wrote in; I was starting to think I was all alone out here in Palomino land!
Yes, I'll drop you a mail - I'd still like to see more pics of your van!
I'm missing my Claude like mad - I would certainly be using him if he was here, but he's up in Middlesbrough now for his restoration, and I won't get him back until spring next year. While he's there, they're going to check out his engine, and if necessary get a reconditioned 2ltr aircooled engine put in ... if I can afford it!
I've got to say, if you're hard enough to brave a night in your van in this horrible weather, you could probably take on the Pretty Boy yourself! I'll have to make you an honourary northerner!
EXCITING NEWS, does anyone out there get Camper and Bus magazine?
If so, look at page 14 of this month's edition - a couple from Southampton who are after a Palomino of their own, saw us at Beachbuggin' and have sent in a letter and a photo of Claude, asking what sort of van he is.
*Hello if you're reading this - let us know how your search is going!*
I really liked the letter, and the pic's not too bad, even though Claude still had his tatty old wheel cover on back then. I really wanted to run around showing everyone that my beloved van was in a magazine, but I couldn't really, because unfortunately the magazine guys had added a rather insulting title (Pony and Trap)as a bit of a joke, which spoiled the nice surprise.
Obviously I wasn't best pleased, so I mailed them and said so. They've actually been very nice since then, and watch out in the Feb edition of the magazine - they're printing an apology. They've asked for some info on Claude so that they can feature him at some point in the Readers' Rides section too. Also, the editor said he's going to do a proper feature on the Palomino conversion in the future. So, not too bad in the end! Maybe a bit of positive publicity for a change?
Also, just out of interest, any of you guys/Gals on Myspace? Or Facebook?
I was saddened and a tad pi**ed off about the title they gave that readers letter, it just proves to me that perhaps the writers of the Magazine aren't quite as knowledgable or broad minded about Vw Campers as they like to make out! We've seen hundreds of pop tops and tin tops featured in Magazine after Magazine, it's getting boring! And as soon as someone shows an interest in something just a tiny bit out of the ordinary, they're basically ridiculed by someone printing a pathetic title.
In this day and age, people who share a common love of anything old or out of the ordinary should stick together and encourage others
to do the same, let's hope the couple from Southampton have the intelligence and strength of character to keep up there search for something they liked and admired. Not once does it mention only pop or hard tops in the Magazine Title, variety is the spice of life etc etc.
Why should a Type 2 Camper be classed as crap because it has a high top on it? The majority of Type 25s have high tops on them but no one bats an eyelid, because it's the boring old "norm" again
I live about 20 or so Miles away from Southampton and would be more than willing to show the couple mentioned around my Palomino, they are after all the best conversion ever made. And one of the few Aerodynamic High tops.
Ok, i've calmed down now
Take care
Alex
Happy Christmas!!!
If anyone gets any Camper related pressies, let us know!!
Best wishes for 2008
Happy Christmas everyone! Hope you've all had a great time.
Well, I got plenty of camper pressies again this year - more than last year I think - inlcuding a calendar, tshirt, a laptop bag, a purse, fridge magnets and 2 little 'build-your-own camper' kits!!! And that's not including all the bits and bobs actually for the van itself! I'm also getting lots of Vespa-related gift as well now - I'm such an easy person to buy for!
Alex, your comments about the title of the magazine artice are pretty much identical to mine, (I'll mail my letter to you so you can see) but the Camper and Bus guys have been pretty apologetic, and they will apparently put it all right next month so...we'll see.
I'm not on Facebook or Myspace, I'm afraid - this is just about as public as I want to get right now, although I might be moving to live somewhere in Europe later next year depending on where my other half gets posted (I'll take Claude obviously) and if I do, I think I'll start up my own blog. Will you all promise to write to it?
Have a great New Year!
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