ianinsa Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Hi All, I am planning a trip to the Uk during the first week of April 2012, The main reason for my trip is to start my 18yr old stepson off on his gapyear(it is intended that he will work and travel to assist him in deciding what to do with his life). I want to show him the ropes of backpack type travel and then send him on his way! My questions are as follows: 1) Could I visit your smithy to meet and greet and basically have a squiss around---I just love meeting other smiths to share ideas etc.last year I visited a number of smiths in the American North-West, that was fantastic and what a great bunch of guys. 2) After first meeting hin would anyone possibly have a two/thee day(maybe longer) min wage job for him?(I would cover this cost if nessesary) I would like him to see what its like as one of the crowd ---Not as the boss's son---- different expirience you know--- he is a likeable type with a EU Passport, drivers lic. , grade 12 private schooled for university ent. a natural leader(1st XV rugby capt.etc) Thanking you in anticipation. Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beth Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 hi ian - where abouts are you intending to visit? i cant offer any work personally, but i will help in any other way i can, im not sure also that i am the best person to influence your 18yr old son!! i would hate not to extend the offer, but im not sure what i HAVE to offer - i can talk to my husband who is self employed and works hiring machinery and doing high level maintenance in our area and further afield if he doesnt mind not doing smithing work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianinsa Posted March 5, 2012 Author Share Posted March 5, 2012 Thanks for the reply Beth, I intend to visit my mom and sister in Luton, Show Dylan the ropes re; Tubes,trains,taxis and youth hostels(none of wich we use in SA.)Other than that as the itenerary would put it as "days at leasure" so nothing fixed(planned) as yet. In all honesty he does not really know what he wants to do, that said he has tried his hand(quite sucsessfully) at a number of things ie. driving our skidsteers and mini-digger, used compactors,chainsaws etc., he has helped me to make a corrugated iron rolling machine,he has fitted electric fences etc. he has done admin work in mom's interior design buisness too. But all this was done as the boss's son and that is not quite the same as a job working for others. I consider him quite capable and adaptable yet I want him to experience the great wonderful world for himself. I'm quite convinced that he would swim if chucked in at the deep end. As I said before I'd be happy to subsidise the first few days if nessesary(prefrably without him knowing) Here Youngsters are convinsed that home is best and the rest suck! We would just like the blinkers removed and he is the best person for that task. I'm sure he would give virtually anything a sincere try and in so doing meet new and interesting people,see new and interesting places etc. He has thought of the Brithsh army but they may require that he harm these new and interesting people and destroy new and interesting places etc.and this we(his folks) don't see as ideal. Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H&T Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 if you have got a telephone number I will give you a call and share any ideas or contacts that may be useful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H&T Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 PS Luton is about two hours away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 I'm heading over to the UK in April too. Mid April for me and mainly Wales as it's my wife's trip and I am more the "hewer of water and hauler of wood"; but I hope to sneak in some smithing content. I've been to Ironbridge Gorge back in the early '70's don't know if I will get time to go again. Hay on Wye is in our plans as we are bookahololics. Her focus is on Spinning so we are a Steel-Wool couple. Thomas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianinsa Posted March 6, 2012 Author Share Posted March 6, 2012 Steel -wool................ can you knit a Porche???????????????? :D :D :D Thomas I'd love to meet you, even prepared to get the single malt!I was planning on leaving around the 11th but nutthin cast in stone yet. Bookaholics--old ones I hope? I caught that disease along with colectatoolalitis, no cure for either. H&T to me distance is relative I have often driven 5/6 hours to meet someone and see/learn something I have flown to Cairo to see a smith at work so 2hrs" no sweat " went to brighton just to see a pavilion. We are going to travel! I want to pass by mum & sis mostly to say hi.We'll hit London just so I can show Dylan(my stepson) the ropes as it were,thereafter he intends to" travel to work / work to travel"wich ever works for him, he wants to see Ireland so if I don't have anything of interest he will be heading off that way. This leaves me with the oportunity to vitit weherever the wind takes me.I'll even head for France should a smith invite me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianinsa Posted March 6, 2012 Author Share Posted March 6, 2012 Hay on wye, on the map that's only 3" away B) from London. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Evans Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 @Ianinsa and ThomasPowers If you need a place to visit / stay and you do not mind 'basic' your very welcome here. However the normally resident home grown and cooked food operative is going on a trip herself for the first two and a half weeks of April so I would recommend a visit toward the end of the month when she is back.... We are about an hour and a half south west of Hay' 10 miles on from Beth @ianinsa, apropos your son's work, Have you looked up the woof organisation? Working On Organic Farms. There are a lot of big gardens, smallholdings and farms where backpackers can stay and pay for their keep by doing a few hours a day work to help out. Our Canadian godson spent a summer over here and I think in Spain doing a few weeks at each one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beth Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 hey blackersmith, where are you then :) didnt know i had one so near ;) !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Evans Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 hey blackersmith, where are you then :) didnt know i had one so near ;) !! We are legion! I am in the blank spot equidistant from Cheltenham Gloucester Stroud and Cirencester. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 ianinsa, I'd enjoy to meeting up with you and other smiths---got an invitation to a smelting over there already from another historical ironworking chap. Hay on Wye is renowned as *the* used book place and we will definitely stay around there a couple of days. Thomas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beth Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 blackersmith - many voices :) - my workshop is shurdington - thats got to be near you..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Evans Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 blackersmith - many voices :) - my workshop is shurdington - thats got to be near you..... Home is 11 miles, forge at Whiteway is 8. Just up the hill and a right a bit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianinsa Posted March 8, 2012 Author Share Posted March 8, 2012 " If you need a place to visit / stay and you do not mind 'basic' your very welcome here. However the normally resident home grown and cooked food operative is going on a trip herself for the first two and a half weeks of April so I would recommend a visit toward the end of the month when she is back.... We are about an hour and a half south west of Hay' 10 miles on from Beth" I'm trying not to stay too long, ....not too many pounds lying around, I don't mind roughing it and I do a mean tomato and vodka soup etc.I will stay to meet Thomas and then duck. I would like to visit the USA again later this year so I need to watch the costs. Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianinsa Posted March 8, 2012 Author Share Posted March 8, 2012 if you have got a telephone number I will give you a call and share any ideas or contacts that may be useful. My mobile is +27843412899. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianinsa Posted March 8, 2012 Author Share Posted March 8, 2012 sorry double post Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 Might be able to arrange a guest room at my place during your USA visit. We are pretty far out of the way though living in NM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beth Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 blackersmith - i know whiteway - doesnt alan evans live/work there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Evans Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 blackersmith - i know whiteway - doesnt alan evans live/work there? I might do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beth Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 is it you alan? :) i have long wanted to meet you!! i worked a bit with mike roberts up the road at miserden - your friend i believe- but he never got round to introducing us :) well how funny :) please tell me you are the one who has put those gigantic parrots up on the road...... ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Evans Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 I can take neither the credit nor the blame! Where are they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianinsa Posted March 8, 2012 Author Share Posted March 8, 2012 Hey Beth-you hijacking my strip???? :D I lovit when this sort of thing happens such a small world isnt it! Regards Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beth Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 :) i would love to own them or even live near enough to look at them, they are on the right hand side of the road as you come into the village from the fostens ash end, opposite and a bit past, the sign for the community hall or whatever it is... you MUST have seen them...????? they are huge and look like they are made of fibre glass off a fairground ride or something... do you work up there too? i was sooo pleased to hear mike got his gold - i know how much that would have meant to him. did you see him recieve the award? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beth Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 oops yes i was flagrantly doing exactly that ian - i was so pleased to have bumped into this chap on the virtual landscape... i appollogise most sincerely, but i have to say it would be pointless you meeting me when we have this man up the road.. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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