Dwti Draig

Trip 2 was going to be a 6 week trip built around 2 festivals; the Vanlife Festival in Shrewsbury, and the Allrad & Abenteuer Overlander show in Germany. https://www.abenteuer-allrad.de/en

We started our travels with the Shrewsbury show. We had attended last year in our not quite finished Dwti. We had been invited there as a show truck, so we were in the Truckzone with other similar vehicles. We were a source of amusement to many visitors as they marvelled at our huge beast, and then clocked my Dad’s  little caravan waste tank underneath as we were still to sort our 100 litre waste tank. 

We returned this year with our heads held that little bit higher,  and less of a sense of imposter syndrome. Our truck was a lot more ready, we had done our first trip, and, more importantly, we had friends there. 

The last five days spent there have been amazing. We were next to our trucking bestie Leigh, and his truck Dorothy, but knew so many others there, including our friends Stuart and Charlotte from Orkney Overlanders who had stayed with us for 10 days last year working on Dwti. Their fabulous truck Dinky is up for sale. Check it out! 

The whole show is a wonderful get together of all sorts of vehicles. They have a Field of Inspiring Dreams where people can look around vehicles ranging from vintage retro 70’s caravans, to converted lorries, panel vans, school buses and even a double decker bus that houses a family of 6. It is all built around a common love of travelling and friendship; I have never been to such a well organised, safe, friendly, and respectful festival. The music was fab, and I got to go to a drumming circle again, and did 2 breathwork sessions with a new friend, the Yo’gal It was a mark of how good the show was that I hardly took any photos or spent much time on my phone. If I wasn’t doing internal tours of the truck whilst Lyn did the external, I was talking with friends. One rainy night saw 7 of us plus a dog crammed into Dwti, another saw us sat out around a camp fire when I was introduced to a desert hot water bottle by a new friend. It was also really good to finally meet Jackie of Worldwidewalkies. Jackie and her husband Mark are such interesting people, with a fantastic blog and many books. It was great to finally connect in real life and not just virtually. I am hoping our paths cross again in the future, maybe somewhere more exotic than Shrewsbury!

It was all so much fun, especially as my best friend Laura joined us this year and camped alongside us in her little tent. 

We left feeling knackered, but happy. If only words burnt calories the same as steps do! I would be starting the next part of our trip about 6 stone lighter!

Apologies for the lack of posts of other vehicles; my phone hardly left my pocket as I was having so much fun! Huge thanks to all the organisers, especially the fabulous Dai and Russ who organise the Truckzone with their band of trusty volunteers.