Speaker for Tuesday 7th January 2014 - Mr. Ron Medcalf
09/01/14 16:52
Photo: President Graham Kane greets Ron Medcalf, with club member Ian Murray (L) with Vice President Gordon Ward (R)
Talk by Mr Ron Medcalf on 'The Troubles with my Motor Home'
Due to a small 'technical hitch', the morning talk was given after the 'business' part of the meeting. Members seemed to quite enjoy this change of procedure.
The Club Vice President Gordon Ward introduced our speaker for the morning, Mr. Ron Medcalf, who gave a colourful, humorous and very interesting talk and picture show on 'The troubles with my motor home'. Ron began his presentation with some shots to illustrate his (and most members) idea of the ideal motor home holiday, which he had enjoyed in previous years. The success of these had prompted Ron and his wife plan for a four week 'grand tour' taking in France, Belgium and Holland, with a special emphasis on seeing the Tulip season for the latter part of the trip.
The overall plan was to take the long sea route from Dublin to Cherbourg, travel up through France, Belgium and into Holland, then after some time in Amsterdam, take the ferry from Rotterdam/Hook of Holland to Harwich, tour through the midlands of England and into Wales (especially to visit Tenby) before heading home to NI.
Ron explained that things didn't get off to the best of starts, for stopping for a bowl of soup before getting their first ferry in Dublin, Ron and his wife returned to the motor home to find that it had been broken into. Most portable valuables were missing, but fortunately they had the tickets and money with them. So it was decided that the best thing to do was report the theft to the insurance company and then carry on with the trip.
At this point there should have been a series of lovely views of the French countryside and picturesque towns to illustrate the fine spring weather, but as the camera had been stolen, there was nothing to record this part of the journey. By the time the motor home had reached Belgium, a camera had been purchased, so we were treated to some special shots of the historic city of Bruges, it's buildings and panoramic views.
The motor home pressed on to Holland where the intrepid travellers met up with a 'Caravan Club' group who had also come to see the tulips. This was very fortunate for Ron, has he had just discovered that the motor home's batteries and stopped charging, making it almost immobile. The Caravan Club organiser help out with the loan of a charger and some technical expertise (and 'saved' the rest of the trip).
With Holland, there was also a change in the weather. Not only was it a bit damp, but the Tulips were nowhere to be seen. Fortunately, the Daffodils and Hyacinths made up for the disappointment. Amsterdam with it's canals, massive flower market, beautiful buildings, bicycles, clogs and cheese was, in Ron's opinion the most beautiful city he had ever visited. (and for an unforgettable sight of the worlds largest flower market, click this link: http://www.amsterdamlogue.com/aalsmeer-flower-auction-a-colorful-way-to-spend-a-morning.html).
The return leg of the trip took the motor home via picturesque Delft and a sealed off Rotterdam dockyard - and many thanks to the local Police for helping them catch the ferry just in time!
Arriving in Harwich the travellers discovered another problem - the bank had stopped their credit cards. No cards, no accommodation could be booked! It took a lot of phone calls, but eventually the motor home rolled west through the lovely Cotswolds (and the ever popular village of Broadway) towards Tenby in South Wales for what was intended to be one of the highlights of the trip - retracing and re-photographing the places Ron's Father and Mother had spent their honeymoon 50 plus years before Or rather it would have been a highlight hand not the original photo details been part of the 'valuables' stolen at the beginning of the trip!
As the talk had lasted a little longer than normal, we all had to forgo the Q and A session (even if there were plenty of things we would have like to asked).
A vote of thanks was proposed by Ian Murray, who expressed all our thanks for a most interesting, colourful and entertaining talk, and was passed on by the President. The members showed their appreciation.
Talk by Mr Ron Medcalf on 'The Troubles with my Motor Home'
Due to a small 'technical hitch', the morning talk was given after the 'business' part of the meeting. Members seemed to quite enjoy this change of procedure.
The Club Vice President Gordon Ward introduced our speaker for the morning, Mr. Ron Medcalf, who gave a colourful, humorous and very interesting talk and picture show on 'The troubles with my motor home'. Ron began his presentation with some shots to illustrate his (and most members) idea of the ideal motor home holiday, which he had enjoyed in previous years. The success of these had prompted Ron and his wife plan for a four week 'grand tour' taking in France, Belgium and Holland, with a special emphasis on seeing the Tulip season for the latter part of the trip.
The overall plan was to take the long sea route from Dublin to Cherbourg, travel up through France, Belgium and into Holland, then after some time in Amsterdam, take the ferry from Rotterdam/Hook of Holland to Harwich, tour through the midlands of England and into Wales (especially to visit Tenby) before heading home to NI.
Ron explained that things didn't get off to the best of starts, for stopping for a bowl of soup before getting their first ferry in Dublin, Ron and his wife returned to the motor home to find that it had been broken into. Most portable valuables were missing, but fortunately they had the tickets and money with them. So it was decided that the best thing to do was report the theft to the insurance company and then carry on with the trip.
At this point there should have been a series of lovely views of the French countryside and picturesque towns to illustrate the fine spring weather, but as the camera had been stolen, there was nothing to record this part of the journey. By the time the motor home had reached Belgium, a camera had been purchased, so we were treated to some special shots of the historic city of Bruges, it's buildings and panoramic views.
The motor home pressed on to Holland where the intrepid travellers met up with a 'Caravan Club' group who had also come to see the tulips. This was very fortunate for Ron, has he had just discovered that the motor home's batteries and stopped charging, making it almost immobile. The Caravan Club organiser help out with the loan of a charger and some technical expertise (and 'saved' the rest of the trip).
With Holland, there was also a change in the weather. Not only was it a bit damp, but the Tulips were nowhere to be seen. Fortunately, the Daffodils and Hyacinths made up for the disappointment. Amsterdam with it's canals, massive flower market, beautiful buildings, bicycles, clogs and cheese was, in Ron's opinion the most beautiful city he had ever visited. (and for an unforgettable sight of the worlds largest flower market, click this link: http://www.amsterdamlogue.com/aalsmeer-flower-auction-a-colorful-way-to-spend-a-morning.html).
The return leg of the trip took the motor home via picturesque Delft and a sealed off Rotterdam dockyard - and many thanks to the local Police for helping them catch the ferry just in time!
Arriving in Harwich the travellers discovered another problem - the bank had stopped their credit cards. No cards, no accommodation could be booked! It took a lot of phone calls, but eventually the motor home rolled west through the lovely Cotswolds (and the ever popular village of Broadway) towards Tenby in South Wales for what was intended to be one of the highlights of the trip - retracing and re-photographing the places Ron's Father and Mother had spent their honeymoon 50 plus years before Or rather it would have been a highlight hand not the original photo details been part of the 'valuables' stolen at the beginning of the trip!
As the talk had lasted a little longer than normal, we all had to forgo the Q and A session (even if there were plenty of things we would have like to asked).
A vote of thanks was proposed by Ian Murray, who expressed all our thanks for a most interesting, colourful and entertaining talk, and was passed on by the President. The members showed their appreciation.
(Secretary, Mike Turner)
If the idea of a motor home holiday has got you interested after Ron's exploits,
then for further information, 'click' this link: -
http://www.motorhomehireni.co.uk/Motorhome_Hire_NI/Welcome.html