There's a certain buzz of excitement which we get from packing the essential stuff for a weekend away with mates and like minded folk.

• Sleeping bags - check
• toothbrush - check
• tent - check
• beer - check
• dog - check

Pack it all nice and neatly then it's off for a weekend of fun, excitement, food, booze, chilling and general good times, sometimes just us - sometimes in convoy with our mates from the local club.

Arriving at the showground which was to become home for the next few days was the perfect ending to a great journey. Unload the kit, up with the tent, down with the groundsheet, unroll the sleeping bags and crack open a tinnie.

The feeling of being away from it all with a great gang of people in a relaxed, chilled out atmosphere, surrounded by vehicles which are dear to our hearts is something that every enthusiast lives for.

During the early 90's we did the usual weekend circuit with our buddies, - Kent Custom, South West Custom & Classic, Bulldog Bash, Magna Carta, South Wester, Bumpkin Bash, Crazy Daze, BMF Rally - the list goes on.

"I've never heard of those VW shows before" I can hear you thinking!
That's because they're not VW shows,….. they are Motorcycle Shows.

For many years motor biking was my life, my circle of friends all had bikes and we had a cracking social scene going on around us.
The motorbikes themselves varied from 50cc mopeds to 1800cc Goldwings, some used daily and some built especially for showing but we all enjoyed the same hobby, got the same kicks out of the shows and felt a great sense of belonging from what single "thing" it was that united us - "The Motorcycle".

So what's all this nostalgic crap actually got to do with VW's then?

Well we all move on in life, meet new people, gain new friends, change our lifestyles and sometimes allow ourselves to get a little boring.

We moved from Salisbury nearly 4 years ago, leaving behind our circle of biker friends to buy a place in Blandford.

It was a sad day indeed when I had to say goodbye to my beloved Triumph Daytona in exchange for a wad of cash to surrender to the highway robbers who trade under the name of Solicitors.

A year of so passed and the three of us (myself, my partner Tina and our Jack Russell Monty) all started to really miss "getting away from it all" so the decision was made to try something different and look for a VW Camper.

Funds were limited but we figured that we could afford a reasonable Bay Window which could be fitted with a camping interior and we could once again escape at weekends wherever took our fancy.

We came up trumps in our search for a Bay as a friend of a friend had just become a Dad and was selling his camper complete with an unused drive-away awning to pay for sprog stuff.

The Bay in question was a 1968 LHD Micro-Bus, which was gutted and fitted with a brand new camping interior just a few months ago by Calypso Campers in Salisbury (see http://www.calypsocampers.co.uk and click on "Digby").

We immediately renamed him "Kermit" and within a week we were on our way to Newquay for our first VW camping experience.

One thing that became apparent whilst driving down to Cornwall was all of the waves and headlight flashes that you get from other camper and beetle owners.

This was something that we had not experienced since the "nods" from other bikers which we used to get a few years ago.

"Friendly bunch these VW folk" we thought as we pulled up at our first campsite, only to be greeted by a couple who had a similar aged bay window parked further down the field.

An exchange of hints & tips took place followed by several beers and a full run down on the VW scene in general, in particular the great shows which are organized up and down the country by various clubs and VW associations.

That was it, we were hooked….we just gotta go to one of these shows!

All that we needed now was to find a VW club in our area who would make us feel welcome, offer some friendly advice and enjoy a right good knees up at a few shows during the summer months.

Tina was shopping at a local supermarket the following Saturday when a small convoy of air-cooled VW's arrived and bunch of crazy looking people emerged to stock up on the weekend essentials (beer, fags, more beer, BBQ, food and more beer) to take to the Bristol Volksfest which was on that weekend.

"Hi folks, are you from a club or something? only we've just bought a bay window and wanted to get to know a few other people in the area who've got VW's".

A contact card from Dave, a visit to this fine website and a quick call to Dave's wife Jenny and we had arranged to attend our first club run which was the following Sunday for "Beachbuggin" at Southsea Common.

We once again felt the same familiar sense of belonging, having our pride and joy parked up amongst his various cousins and mingling with people of all ages, from all walks of life, all there for the same reasons.

More recently we acquired a buddy for Monty, a Jack Russell / Patterdale cross girlie called Buffy and now the 4 of us are enjoying every minute of our new found VW lifestyle.

If you are already a seasoned V-dubber who attends the numerous shows and events across the country then spare a minute to think about what it is that attracts you to this Nirvana?

I reckon that your list will read something like 1) People 2) Vehicles 3) Atmosphere.

The point that I am trying to make here is that the VW scene has loads in common with any other activity which involves a vehicle of some description.

Bike clubs, Mini clubs, Italian car clubs, military vehicle clubs, tractor clubs, even the dreaded "Caravaners" all share the same basic connection which unites them in their chosen pastime,…. a passion for their vehicles which can only be fully realised once you get involved.

As the saying goes "If I need to explain then you wouldn't understand".

If you are new to the scene and have not yet had the pleasure of attending a VW show, then check out the Club Meetings and VW Event Planner pages of this website to see what we're up to this year.

But be warned…..it's damn addictive and once bitten by the bug (or camper!) there's no turning back!

Hope to see you at a show soon.

Happy Camping.

Paulus.