Bus Trippers Photos 2013
Winchester Christmas Market - 29th November 2013
What a brilliant day out we had at the end of November when we went to Winchester Christmas Market. Spectacularly scenic bus routes, bags of banter on the bus, more than one market to mill around, fine food to feast on, and even the odd gift or two ticked off the Christmas list - great jumper Averil. Travelling on the pink Velvet bus brought back a bit of 1960s psychedelia but inhaling the vapours from a Brie de Meaux cheese failed to produce any magic. Our peaceful journey was rudely interrupted at one point when hordes of children from Perins School poured on to the bus and we stiffened and bristled as one small boy approached Zig and enquired, "May I sit next to you please sir?". Melted hearts all round.
Dave Pearson's Big Band at the Blue Lagoon, Hilsea - 10th Nov 2013
Our trip to see Dave Pearson's Big Band at the Blue Lagoon, Hilsea, was on a very wet Sunday afternoon. When we arrived, the doors were already open and we crossed our fingers we would find a seat. You might think I'm joking but it gets very busy. As luck would have it, some of our members were already there, sitting at a table with spare chairs. They had taken one look at the weather and driven there (very sensible). There were 12 of us in total and we ordered some lunch and a drink. The band played quite a selection of music. There were about 18 band members. I think everyone was pleasantly surprised and enjoyed it. The band formed 35 years ago and there are still some original players. They have been playing at this venue since 1995. You don't pay to get in but they do put a bucket out for donations which help with expenses. Everyone is welcome. Check out their website www.bborch.org.uk for more details.
Lena Powell, the organiser of the trip.
Chimes Restaurant - 31st October 2013
Members of the Bus Trippers enjoyed an excellent pre-Christmas meal at Chimes, the Portsmouth restaurant run by Highbury College students. We had some scrummy tapas, followed by a fab 3 course meal, 4 bottles of wine, coffee and petit fours. Good job we went on the bus! Many thanks to Zig who suggested and organised the trip.
Jane Austen's House - 23rd September 2013
"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a group in possession of bus passes must be in want of a good time." These wise words written (mostly) by Jane Austen certainly apply to the bus pass group. Our most recent bus journey on the No. 37/38 to Jane Austen's House at Chawton was our most thrilling to date. Top deck, front seats, none of your namby-pamby seatbelts, wheelies around the bends, huge tree branches racing towards you and smacking into the windscreen and gyroscopic skills tested to the limit as we attempted to keep our sandwiches and drinks on an even keel. An hour and a half of great fun in very amiable company. Jane Austen's House was good too!
Around the Isle of Wight - 30th August 2013
As a big Isle of Wight fan, I was pleased to be asked to organise the
Bus Pass trip on August 30th.
Fortunately, the weather was just right, not too hot for travelling.
We caught the No 8 bus to the Portsmouth Hard, then on to the Catamaran to Ryde Pier. Some of us caught the train to the Esplanade, where we joined the No 3 bus to Godshill, via Sandown, Shanklin, Ventnor and Wroxhall, eventually arriving at Godshill, a little battered by the rather uncomfortable seats on the bus, but in full admiration of the sterling job done by the driver, trying to manoeuvre the bus down narrow car-lined roads. Godshill is a pretty touristy village, with lots of things to entertain holiday makers, and before long we found that the hours had flown by and it was time to return home again. (Written by June Vanner)
Charles Dickens House Museum -13th August 2013
