We tend to opt for a visit when we want to buy something e.g. birding clothes or to look at new products. Nowhere else can one find so much variety and choice in one place. It's often the chosen place to float new gear and prices are frequently both competitive and have 'money off for the Bird Fair'. We bought new waterproof coats two years ago, this year I wanted to look at scopes and cameras.
We left home at 6 a.m. and arrived in the 'red' area parking field at 8.45, first ambition fulfilled, it's the nearest one to the massive Fair but still a few hundred yards walk.
Seduced by the Canon camera display, we inspected all before diverting to a nearby stall for a coffee and a bacon bap. here we had a chat with Sue who was making for the Panama stand, her next destination.
Then, directly to the scope and bins viewing marquee set up looking over Rutland water, one side of the marquee open and most of the top scopes on the market, in all their variety and size, set up on a raised dais. What fun.... We even passed by the BTO stand where a newly trapped Nightingale was being ringed.
My old favourite 84 Zeiss was the first tested. The zoom as good as ever but not able to focus down to the reed mace in front of the platform.
The Leica 82 was awesome in its visual clarity and definition, easily focusing down to the reed mace and to a house so distant I could hardly see it with the naked eye. Will I ever be able to afford one?
After trawling three huge marquees looking at holiday destinations, picking up brochures and free gifts en route, I bought Stuart Winter's latest book. He was doing a book signing in front of the Wildsounds stand. What a charming man.
Time for lunch. I dragged an empty plastic table into the shade and looked after our gear whilst Pam did a chair recce, coming back with the necessary two . Another older lady thought this was a good idea, found an empty table and set it up next to us, we then looked after her bags whilst she had to find 4 chairs. It took her a while. There really aren't enough sitting places for the vast crowd present. It was very hot by now too, the marquees get stifling. We'd had enough by lunchtime, not being interested in queuing for the talks and quizzes etc. We were once......
Harrisons have their bird food pantechnicon parked on the way out, we were able to stock up with bags of mixed feed cheaper than we pay for the identical amount in North Walsham as it's direct from the supplier. He also included some 'free' feeders and then lobbed 4 small bags of mealworms through the window into my lap.
Home before 5 having thoroughly enjoyed a lovely day.
Even better. I applied online for some Man U/ Arsenal footie tickets about a month ago, only available for members. It's pot luck as to whether one is successful. A few days ago I heard that we'd been lucky and booked the Travelodge. The whole package much much cheaper than the Hotel + tickets deal we had last time. We got home to find my very impressive membership pack for this season (Pam had already received hers) and the two tickets for the match next weekend. Excellent.
No comments:
Post a Comment