THE WIGHT ISLE

Every year my wife Emilia and I like to get out and about in our Mini Cooper, Popsie, and head off on road trips in the UK and the continent. This year was going to be no different and, like so many people, we had plans for a whole stack of adventures. With bookings for road trips to the IMM in Germany as well as two other trips – one to Normandy and the other to Brittany – it was going to be a good year. Well, of course the world suddenly changed in March with the arrival of COVID-19 and all thoughts of travelling were off. For many weeks we were locked down at home while the Mini collected dust in the garage, the battery slowly flattening itself. Even as restrictions lifted the idea of motoring far from home was not particularly appealing with the ever-present threat of two weeks in quarantine when we got home

Southern England enjoyed a lovely spring and summer so being, the Isle of Wight Adventure. That sounded like an opportunity to get away and, at the same time, attend a Mini event. We booked a crossing with Red Funnel Ferries at their special off er price and waited with fingers crossed, hoping that the event, arranged by West Country Minis, would go ahead