When Amy started to date LRLife Admin Violet, she never suspected she would be introduced to a Land Rover Life.
Words and Pictures – Amy Wilson
I’ve never been into Land Rovers or even part of the Land Rover scene before I met my girlfriend, but they weren’t something I’ve never been interested in before. When you are dating someone that’s either into gaming, bikes or cars you know that you’re going to need to understand what makes them happy. Being in a relationship that you don’t understand why they enjoy something they are Obsessed with it’s always best to keep an open mind and engage with what they are doing, as to accept them is to accept what makes them happy.
To be honest she has never forced me to go to any of her ‘Land Rover Life’ events but I wanted to go, to try and understand things she enjoys. Don’t get me wrong, there are things about the events I don’t like, for instance the parts show, as all it is are parts of a Land Rover on a mat that she could buy if she needs it. It’s like a car Graveyard which I don’t enjoy at all. I do enjoy the shows that show off what these Land Rovers can do and you learn a lot.
But before I met my girlfriend, I had been planning on flying to Spain to have a get away from the UK for a few days, but when our relationship got a few months in, I mentioned my trip and wanted to see if she would like to join me. Well, she jumped at it and wanted to come with, which I was happy about, but what I wasn’t expecting a few days later she asked if I would be interested in driving down and well that’s what we ended up doing and I can say it was an interesting experience.
Above – Regular readers will be familiar with Aryette, Violets Series 3 and vehicle of choice for the road trip.
If you don’t like roughing it and you’re a hotel or a Glamping kind of person, then you’re missing out on what your partner could show you. Do you see your partner working on their car and getting covered in oil. Your partner will know that car inside out and will know every sound it has made before it ran smoothly.
I know that there are relationships out there that their partner has been forced to choose between their passion and their partner but let your other half enjoy their passion as I can guarantee they are supporting your passions too.
Driving to another country in an old car that was never built with A/C or even a radio is hard but bring a fan and a good Bluetooth speaker and you’re golden.
I traveled to Spain with my partner in her Series 3 Land Rover. We had a roof tent, supplied power to a camping fridge and set off from England.
It started off good we are laughing to the border but once we got to France the views were great open land, blue skies and mountains you’ll not know you’ll be driving through yet but will be fun.
If you have the will to spend days in a car I would suggest doing it. The views were amazing when we got up into the mountains and driving through the clouds is so different. I’ve been on a plane, and you can see the ground from a plane, but driving is an experience that you’ll never forget.
With all the hate in this world viewing another country from the ground is so much better and peaceful. The roads don’t hold hatred; the car doesn’t hate driving, nor hate the people that drive her, it’s the best place to feel safe.
Above Left – Yes that really is the Eiffel Tower in the distance as seen from inside Aryette!
I’ll admit it was hard as I’ve only ever done camping but if your partner wants to show you the world, then do It! It was next to perfect, but we had lost third gear by the time we got to Paris, yet the land rover powered through and made the 1500 miles down to the bottom end of Spain.
I know that sounds crazy and you’re saying why didn’t you turn back. I trust my partner and she got me back home safe without third gear. The Land Rover I was in had something called an Overdrive, which is separate from the gear box but adds like an extra gear. We used the overdrive in second and skipping third into forth to keep us going the 1500 miles back to England. I can say I had fun helping my girlfriend with the overdrive and we Star Trek’d the hell out of it, but we worked together and we worked great.
We spent 3 days each way in the land rover and I would do it again as it’s an experience and one way to get to know what your partner enjoys.
Below – After 1,500 miles Amy got used to viewing the world through a Series Land Rovers windscreen!
Her life revolves around Land Rovers, and it was great to experience what she enjoys, and how many car events you can go to where if your car stops working everyone jumps in to help! The LR Life I’ve experienced and from what I have seen is not just about cars, it’s what it means to everyone there and the friendships made and how it pulls everyone together makes it feel more like family.