Exchange Report visit from Ambassadors from South Taranaki in New Zealand
We have just finished a very successful week with our visitors from South Taranaki, New Zealand. As far as I know, everything went smoothly for guests and for hosts. Well, no one complained to me!
We hope that you did enjoy the company and the visits and the food. We certainly had a good time with our guests who we first met and stayed with in 1991.
I expect that anyone who has not yet hosted will find out that it is a rewarding experience, when you get the opportunity to host and make new friends.
There are lots of people to thank in particular as well as all the hosts and day hosts.
We started off with a very good welcome lunch, in the new venue of Brent Knoll Village Hall. I hear that Anne and Olwen produced a very tasty lunch ( which I missed because of a singing practice in Warwick). Lots of people helped with setting up and clearing up. There was then a free day and a great variety of places were visited, as hosts and ambassadors decided between them.
Monday was our day in Wells, wonderfully arranged by John, Paul and Jen. After being welcomed by the Town Crier, we dodged the rain in the Bishop's Palace Gardens and there were so many interested questions for our guide that we hardly got all the way round. I don't know what everyone did for food or shops but we gathered again in the afternoon for our Cathedral trips. I got the opportunity to do the tour up to the roof, which was a long way up, but very interesting and rewarding at the top. Rain came and we had to leave the roof faster than we would have liked, but even in cloud, the views are terrific.
Tuesday was our south-east day, organised with great precision by Sharon and Judy. Rain tried unsuccessfully to dampen our spirits. People found Lytes Cary to be an interesting and unusual house and the visitors were again astounded by how old it was--nothing like that at home! The bi-monthly club lunch at the Royal Oak was of its usual good standard and then somehow we all found our way to Mid-Lambrook Manor Gardens. Though talking on the way is a sure way to miss the turn and arrive last! The two gardens of the day were spectacular, each in their own way, and the sun came out in the afternoon to make a walk round the lake a non-wet walk.
Wednesday we headed for the south-west, Quantocks area, researched by Antoinette, Bob and me. The ambassadors got a short train ride to Watchet and did see a steam engine. The scenery is what you cannot see from the road, for most of the visitors it was their first view of the sea, and they all appreciated the historic harbour. Fairfield House was next on the list and the guides were informative about the house and the history of the family: most people had heard of HMS Hood. We all found our way through the ford to Ash Cottage, which had been opened specially for us under the Open Garden scheme, Mrs Oates told us that on Tuesday it had hailed so she had had to get out and stake up some of the plants. This was yet another different garden and it just shows how much versatility there is in making wonderful gardens.
Then we had another free day. I think that some people went to Bristol, our guests went by train to Bath and had a good day finding their own way round. Betty and I then managed a couple of hours late night shopping in Street!
During the week there was also eating and drinking at various houses and eateries. We had a great non-barbecue for 15 people ( it rained so Bob cooked indoors instead of outdoors).
Friday was the last day, with an optional morning which some spent in and around Glastonbury. Then the Farewell lunch was at the Camelot Inn. The food was good and the service was efficient and to round it off, we had tasty Tiffin and chocolate cake provided by Antoinette. Then time to wave our guests goodbye.
It all sounds like a busy but enjoyable week. Some hosts were marvellously supported by day-hosts and so more people were able to meet and get to know the New Zealanders and I think that a lot of good friendships were formed. If you want to know any more about the visitors or the places that we saw, I am sure that any host or day host could tell you a good story about the week.
This is really to thank everyone for making this a successful exchange, and special thanks to new hosts and to those who were not sure if they wanted to host this time, but did respond to my panic requests when it seemed that we would not have enough hosts for our 22 ambassadors. You might have thought that the weather was not at its best, but the visitors were generally relieved by the coolness and rain as it had been so hot for them in Louisiana! They were dripping with sweat there and dripping with rain was much better! I trust that you have all now got your lives and homes back in order. We will see you again soon at one of the lunches or the Sunday adventures or on an incoming or outgoing exchange.
A. Cross -- Exchange Director
