After much soul searching, Barbara & I have decided to call time on our caravan and motorhome travels.
We first bought a caravan in 1976 (complete with gas lighting but little else!) and we haven’t been without a van or a motorhome since. It was another twenty five years before we bought our first Swift and not long after, joined the SOC. That must rank as one of our best decisions ever – our time in the club has gone a long way towards filling our retirement years with happy memories too many to mention. We were able to satisfy our wanderlust by travelling widely throughout the UK and Europe in the company of great friends with whom we had so much fun – Xmas party rallies in the snow (some will remember those hilarious games of ‘onespot’), black tie ‘all inclusive’ new year rallies, SOC go karting championships at Castle Combe, Pudsey bear being kidnapped & auctioned at a Children in Need rally – the list is endless. And of course continental rallies in France, Holland, Spain, Italy, Germany & more with memories such as meals in fabulous chateaux, flower parades in Holland, celebrating Spain’s world cup win late at night in the plaza of a Spanish town, grandchildren having breakfast with Mickey Mouse at Disneyland, visiting Colditz and numerous impromptu fun packed (& often wine filled) ‘awning parties’ which lasted late into warm summer evenings – what a great 20+ years we have had.
So as we close the SOC chapter and move into a more settled phase of our retirement in our villa in Spain, Barbara and I can reflect on how lucky we have been. Great friends, past and present, to whom we owe a huge debt of thanks for all the fun we have had. And a heartfelt vote of thanks to all those who have helped the club be as brilliant as it is by serving on the committee and marshalling rallies – without you none of this would have been possible.
We will stay in touch as Honorary Life Members.
David & Barbara Morphey
